Jerusalem Theatre facts for kids
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| Located at | Jerusalem  |
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| Coordinates | 31°46′08″N 35°12′56″E / 31.768911°N 35.215644°E |
| Country | Israel |
| Website | www |
The Jerusalem Theater is a special place in Jerusalem where you can enjoy many different kinds of shows. It's also known as The Jerusalem Centre for the Performing Arts. This theater opened its doors in 1971.
The building has several performance halls. The largest is the Sherover Theatre, which can seat 950 people. There's also the Henry Crown Symphony Hall, with 750 seats, where the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra performs. Other halls include the Rebecca Crown Auditorium, with 450 seats, and the Little Theatre, which holds 110 people. You can also find art exhibits in the main lobby and other areas. There's even a restaurant and a bookshop on the ground floor.
Contents
History of the Jerusalem Theater
Planning and Building the Theater
In 1958, the city of Jerusalem decided to build a new theater. The mayor at the time, Mordechai Ish Shalom, held a competition to find the best design. Architects Michael Nadler, Shulamit Nadler, and Shmuel Bixson won the competition. The theater was planned for a piece of land about 2.8 acres big in the Talbiya neighborhood.
The city also received a large gift from a wealthy Jewish businessman named Miles Sherover. He made his money in Venezuela and wanted to help build the theater.
Construction Challenges and Opening
The building started in October 1964. It was supposed to be finished in two years, but things went slowly. There were disagreements and not enough money. Some people thought the city had more important problems and that the theater would be a "white elephant" – a very expensive project that wasn't useful. But the theater was finally finished and opened in October 1971.
Adding New Halls
Later, an American millionaire named Lester Crown wanted to donate money for a new sports stadium. However, the mayor of Jerusalem, Teddy Kollek, convinced him to use the money for arts and culture instead. So, Lester Crown's $9 million donation was used to build two new halls.
These new halls were the Henry Crown Concert Hall and the Rebecca Crown Auditorium. They were named after Lester Crown's parents. The same architects designed the new part of the building. This made sure the new sections fit perfectly with the original design.
Theater Architecture
The Jerusalem Theater is built using two main styles. It has parts made of exposed concrete, which looks like modern sculptures. It also uses traditional Jerusalem stone, which is a common building material in the city. The theater is located in a large public square. This square is often used for outdoor concerts and other fun events.
Events and Performances
The Jerusalem Theater hosts many different events. It has been the venue for important events like the Mrs. World 1999 competition [1]. It also hosts the Israel Prize ceremony [2], which is a very important award in Israel.
See also
In Spanish: Teatro de Jerusalén para niños
- International Convention Center (Jerusalem)
- Music of Israel
- Architecture of Israel
- Culture of Israel
