Elliott Hall of Music facts for kids
 |
|
| Former names | Purdue Hall of Music (1940-1958) |
|---|---|
| Location | 712 3rd St. West Lafayette, Indiana 47907 |
| Coordinates | 40°25′40″N 86°54′54″W / 40.4279°N 86.9149°W |
| Owner | Purdue University |
| Type | Indoor theatre |
| Seating type | Reserved |
| Capacity | 6,005 |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | October 24, 1938 |
| Opened | May 3, 1940 |
| Website | |
| Elliott Hall of Music | |
The Elliott Hall of Music is a huge theater located at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. It's one of the biggest proscenium theaters in the world. A proscenium theater has a special arch that frames the stage, like a picture frame. With 6,005 seats, it's even bigger than Radio City Music Hall in New York City!
The hall is named after Edward C. Elliott. He was the president of Purdue University from 1922 to 1945. The stage at Elliott Hall is also one of the largest in the country. It's about the same size as the stage at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California.
What Happens at Elliott Hall?
Elliott Hall of Music is a very busy place. It hosts many exciting performing arts events. You can see national Broadway shows there. Popular music artists, comedians, and dance groups also perform. Orchestras play beautiful music, and famous speakers give talks.
Over the years, many well-known people have visited. These include Bob Dylan, Pearl Jam, and Lady Gaga. Famous speakers like Neil deGrasse Tyson and the 14th Dalai Lama have also given talks.
How It Was Built
The hall was designed by Walter Scholer. Another architect, J. Andre Fouilhoux, helped with the plans. He also helped design Radio City Music Hall in New York.
Building the hall started in October 1938. It was finished on May 2, 1940. The cost was about $1.2 million. The hall was first called the "Purdue Hall of Music." It was officially opened on May 3-4, 1940. Later, in 1958, it was renamed in honor of Edward C. Elliott.
Connected to Campus
The Elliott Hall of Music is connected to Hovde Hall. Hovde Hall is Purdue University's main administration building. A walkway on the second floor links the two buildings. This connection was a smart idea. It allowed the Hall of Music to use Hovde Hall's fancy entrance. This saved money and space when it was built during the Great Depression.
Students use this walkway during spring commencement exercises. They walk up the stairs in front of Hovde Hall. Then they go through the walkway into the Hall of Music for their graduation ceremony. For winter graduations, students use a different entrance. They enter through the Purdue Bands entrance behind the stage.
Other Uses of the Hall
Locally, people often call the building "Elliott Hall" or "the Hall of Music." It's not just for performances! Large classes at Purdue often take their evening exams there. For example, big math or accounting classes. Elliott Hall can hold about 3,000 students for an exam. Students sit in every other seat to have enough space.
The building also holds several offices. These include Purdue Convocations, which plans many events. The WBAA radio studio is also there. Hall of Music Productions manages the building and sells tickets. They also help with other events around the Purdue campus.
