Meany Hall for the Performing Arts facts for kids
Meany Hall is the name of two important buildings on the University of Washington campus. The building we see today is a fantastic place for performances. Artists and audiences love it because of its amazing sound quality and cozy feel. Inside, there are two main performance areas: the Katharyn Alvord Gerlich Theater, which has 1,206 seats, and the smaller Meany Studio Theatre, with 238 seats.
Meany Hall hosts performers from all over the world through the Meany Center for the Performing Arts. It also showcases talent from the university's School of Drama, School of Music, Dance Program, and the Center for Digital Arts & Experimental Media. The lobby of the Katharyn Alvord Gerlich Theater is decorated with beautiful art by famous artists like Dale Chihuly, Jacob Lawrence, and Robert Rauschenberg.
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The First Meany Hall
The original Meany Hall, often called "Old" Meany Hall, stood near Memorial Way and 15th Avenue. It was right across from Suzzallo Library. This building was one of several built for a big event in 1909 called the Alaska–Yukon–Pacific Exposition. At first, it was known as Auditorium Hall. It was used as a sports arena for things like boxing matches. The architects, Howard & Galloway, designed the building, and it cost $181,000 to build.
From 1909 to 1965, this first Meany Hall was the largest building on campus. It could hold 2,600 people! After the big exposition, the hall became a place for student meetings and performances like music and plays.
How Meany Hall Got Its Name
The building was named after Professor Edmond S. Meany. He was a graduate of the University of Washington and led the history department. Professor Meany was very important in bringing the exposition and many buildings to the UW campus. Because he cared so much about the student newspaper, The Daily, the paper started a campaign in 1909 to rename Auditorium Hall to Meany Hall. They even started calling it "Meany Hall" in their news stories!
The university's leaders, called the Board of Regents, didn't want to name it Meany Hall at first. This was because no other campus building had been named after someone who was still alive. Professor Meany himself wanted the building to be named Seward Hall, after William H. Seward, who helped the United States buy Alaska. But on May 1, 1914, the regents changed their minds. The hall was officially renamed Meany Hall during a special ceremony. This event also celebrated Edmond Meany and his wife's 25th wedding anniversary.
Changes and Demolition
Before 1925, the University Book Store was located in the basement of Meany Hall. It had to move because the city fire marshal worried about safety. There weren't enough fire escapes or fire extinguishers.
In 1958, Meany Hall got a $75,000 upgrade. The lighting and sound inside were made much better. The student newspaper, The Daily, reported that the hall's interior, newly painted a soft pink, looked "almost futuristic." It had new red and gray seats and cool lights hanging from the ceiling. This renovation also added stronger supports to the building. However, engineers still thought the hall would eventually need to be taken down.
Just seven years later, on April 20, 1965, a big earthquake hit Seattle. The earthquake made Meany Hall unsafe, and it had to be closed. Its demolition created more open space on campus, which is now known as Red Square. The beautiful Suzzallo Library then became the main building in that area.
The New Meany Hall Today
It took a while, but a new performing arts hall was built in 1974. It cost $7,123,000 and was located southeast of where the old hall stood. The architects for the new building were Kirk, Wallace, McKinley & Associates. The new Meany Hall looks very different from the old one. It was built in the same style as the Odegaard Undergraduate Library, which is next to it.
In 1995, the Allen Center for the Visual Arts was built where the first Meany Hall used to be. This new center is an extension of the Henry Art Gallery.
