Ferguson Center for the Arts facts for kids
| Address | 1 Avenue of the Arts Newport News VA 23606 |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 37°03′40″N 76°29′24″W / 37.061°N 76.490°W |
| Owner | Christopher Newport University |
| Type | Theatre/Concert hall |
| Capacity | 1725 |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 2005 |
| Architect | Henry N. Cobb, Pei Cobb Freed & Partners |
The Ferguson Center for the Arts is an awesome place for shows and concerts! It's located right on the campus of Christopher Newport University in Newport News, Virginia. This amazing building fully opened in September 2005. It has fantastic concert halls and lots of other fun spaces for learning and creating art.
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Cool Performance Spaces
The Ferguson Center has three different places where you can watch performances. Each one is special! They are the Diamonstein Concert Hall, the Peebles Theater, and the Studio Theater.
Diamonstein Concert Hall
The Diamonstein Concert Hall is the biggest and most important hall here. It's designed so well that you can hear everything on stage from any seat, even without microphones! This hall has 1,725 seats, so lots of people can enjoy a show together.
Peebles Theater
The Peebles Theater is another great spot for shows. It has 453 seats, making it a bit smaller and more cozy than the main concert hall.
The Studio Theater
The Studio Theater is the smallest of the three, with 200 seats. It's perfect for more intimate performances or student productions.
Other Fun Facilities
Besides the theaters, the Ferguson Center has many other cool rooms. There are places for practicing music and dance, and workshops where they make scenery, props, and costumes for shows. You can also find art studios, two art galleries (the Ferguson Hall Art Gallery and the Falk Gallery), and many classrooms where students learn about the arts. Most of these rooms opened in the fall of 2005.
A Bit of History
The name "Ferguson" is well known in the Newport News area. Before the arts center was built, a high school called Ferguson High School was on this spot. The high school was named after Homer L. Ferguson, who was the president of a big shipbuilding company nearby.
The Ferguson Center for the Arts got its name because a company called Ferguson Enterprises helped pay for its construction. They are a big company that sells plumbing supplies. Their generous help made this amazing arts center possible!
How It Was Built
The Ferguson Center was designed by a famous architect named Henry N. Cobb. The building was put together in two main parts.
The first part was finished in the summer of 2004. This included the 440-seat Music and Theater Hall and the 200-seat Studio Theater.
The second part was finished a year later. This added the huge 1,700-seat Concert Hall, which was specially designed for amazing sound. When people talk about "The Ferguson Center," they are often thinking of this big concert hall!
The opening of the center was celebrated with two famous performers:
- On September 1, 2004, the legendary singer Tony Bennett performed in the Music and Theater Hall. He loved the place, saying, "They don't make theaters like this anymore!"
- On September 12, 2005, actor and singer Michael Crawford opened the big Concert Hall. The New York Pops orchestra played with him that night, making it a truly special event!
