Pikes Peak Center for the Performing Arts facts for kids
Exterior view of venue (c.2020)
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| Address | 190 S Cascade Ave Colorado Springs, CO 80903-2211 |
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| Owner | El Paso County |
| Operator | CSWA |
| Capacity | 1,989 |
| Opened | October 15, 1982 |
The Pikes Peak Center for the Performing Arts is a cool concert hall in Colorado Springs, Colorado. People often just call it the Pikes Peak Center. It's a super important place for entertainment, culture, and learning for everyone in El Paso County and the areas nearby.
Contents
History of the Center
The Pikes Peak Center was built by the people of El Paso County in 1982. It was meant to be a big center for fun and culture in the region. Its spot in downtown Colorado Springs was chosen to help bring new life to the city's business area.
The Center first opened its doors on October 15, 1982. The very first performance was by the Colorado Springs Symphony Orchestra. This orchestra is now known as the Colorado Springs Philharmonic Orchestra. Since then, the Pikes Peak Center has become famous around the world. People love its design and how amazing the sound is inside. Artists and critics often say great things about the Center. More than 200 concerts and shows happen here every single year! El Paso County owns the Center. It is run along with the Broadmoor World Arena.
Seating for Shows
The concert hall has lots of places to sit for a show. You can find seats in the orchestra, loge, mezzanine, and balcony sections. There are also special side box seats on the mezzanine and balcony levels. Sometimes, extra seats can even be placed right on the stage!
When the hall is full, there are 1,171 seats on the main floor. This includes the Orchestra and Loge sections. The mezzanine level has 290 seats. The balcony level has 528 seats. In total, almost 2,000 people can enjoy a performance here!
Amazing Sound (Acoustics)
The main hall at the Pikes Peak Center is called the El Pomar Great Hall. It was designed by experts to make sure the sound is perfect. This is called acoustics. They added special features to control how sound travels.
For example, there are curtains on the stage. There are also banners that can be pulled down along the side walls. These banners help to soak up sound. Curtains are also on the back wall of each seating area. When a show uses a sound system, the banners are lowered. But for symphony or choir concerts, they are pulled up. This helps the natural sound fill the room.
There's also a special canopy above the stage. This canopy can be moved up or down. It helps to reflect sound to the audience. If there's a smaller crowd, it can be lowered to send sound to the front seats. If the hall is full, it's raised for sound to spread everywhere. There are even towers with seats that can be moved around the stage. These help reflect sound for orchestra and choir shows. All these features work together to make every performance sound incredible!
The Stage Area
The stage at the Pikes Peak Center is very special. It has a large opening for performances. This opening can be made smaller with black curtains if needed. The stage floor is made of maple wood. It's built in a way that makes it bouncy. This is perfect for ballet and other dance performances! You can't nail or screw anything into this special floor.
The front part of the stage has two lifts. These lifts can be raised to be part of the stage. They can also be lowered to the audience floor level. Or, they can go even lower to create an orchestra pit. An orchestra pit is where musicians sit to play music for a show. These lifts can even go down to the basement. This is where special seating wagons are stored. These wagons can be moved onto the lifts to add more audience seats. Chairs and stands for orchestra players can also be brought up to the stage using these lifts.
Dressing Rooms
Behind the stage, there are six private dressing rooms. Each one has a makeup area, toilet, sink, and shower. Downstairs, there are two larger dressing rooms for choirs. Dressing room "A" is very big, with 2,000 square feet. It has 24 makeup stations. Dressing room "B" is also large, with 1,800 square feet. It has 31 makeup stations. Both of these choir rooms have showers, sinks, and toilets. There's also a "greenroom" nearby. This is a comfortable space for performers to relax before or after a show.
