Investors Bank Performing Arts Center facts for kids
The Republic Bank Performing Arts Center is a large theater in Washington Township, New Jersey. It's a major place for entertainment in South Jersey. The center has 2,400 seats, which means many people can watch shows there!
It was finished in 1998. At first, it was designed to be the auditorium for Washington Township High School. It was built to hold the school's 2,000 students. But during the planning, officials decided it should also host big shows for the whole community.
The center first opened on September 1, 1998. The very first show was The King & I, a famous musical by Rodgers and Hammerstein.
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A Look Back: The Center's Names and Growth
The performing arts center has had a few different names over the years. When it first opened in 1998, it was called the Washington Township High School's Center for the Performing Arts (CPA).
Later, it became the Commerce Bank Arts Centre. This happened in 2004 when Commerce Bank invested $300,000 over five years. This money helped the center in many ways. It provided three arts scholarships each year for students. It also supported a summer theater program. Plus, it helped upgrade the lighting and sound systems.
After that, it was known as the TD Bank Arts Center. In 2015, its name changed again to the Investors Bank Performing Arts Center. Today, it is called the Republic Bank Performing Arts Center.
Exciting Shows and Performances
Many famous performers and shows have visited the center over the years. It has hosted a wide variety of events, from music concerts to Broadway musicals and comedy shows.
- Styx
- Natalie Merchant
- Dwight Yoakam
- Delirious
- Mamma Mia! (musical)
- Trisha Yearwood
- Grease
- Weird Al Yankovic
- Sawyer Brown
- Barry Manilow
- Moody Blues
- k.d. lang
- Jo Dee Messina
- Willie Nelson
- Mary Chapin Carpenter
- Plus One
- A Walk Down Abbey Road
- Jessica Simpson
- Lone Star
- Kenny Rogers
- Point of Grace
- Twila Paris
- Lee Ann Womack
- Plus One
- Wayne Brady
- Jubilate Deo
- Philadelphia Orchestra
- Indigo Girls
- Pennsylvania Ballet
- "Cabaret"
- George Carlin
- "Swing"
- BB King
- Atlantic Contemporary Ballet Theatre
- South Pacific
- David Copperfield
- Frankie Valli
- Paul Anka
- Anne Murray
- Charlie Daniels Band
- Lord of the Dance
- Hero - A Rock Opera
- Rent
- Saturday Night Fever
- CATS
- Tim Conway & Harvey Korman
- Sandy Patty
- John Michael Montgomery
- STOMP!
- "The Rat Pack"
- The Irish Tenors
- Clay Aiken
- Bill Cosby
- Fiddler On The Roof
- Tony Bennett
- Crazy For You
- Andy Williams
- Engelbert Humperdinck
- 42nd Street
- Chris Tomlin
- Big Comfy Couch
- Barenaked Ladies
- Dave Koz & Friends
- Blast!
- Lewis Black
- Jordin Sparks
- Jesse McCartney
Behind the Scenes: The Crew
The people who work backstage to make the performances happen are very important. The crew for shows at the center comes from a group called the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees Local 8. They help with things like lighting, sound, and moving sets.
Cool Facts About the Center
- In 2002, the center added something special called an "orchestra shell." This shell helps make the sound from the stage much clearer. It projects the music and voices out to everyone in the audience.
- The school district used money from state grants to help pay for the orchestra shell. A state senator, John J. Matheussen, helped get some of this funding. This shows how community support helps keep the arts alive!
