Powell Hall facts for kids
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St. Louis Theatre (1925-68)
Powell Symphony Hall (1968-2001) |
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Exterior of venue (c.1966)
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| Address | 718 N Grand Blvd St. Louis, MO 63103-1011 |
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| Location | Grand Center |
| Public transit |  MetroBus |
| Owner | St. Louis Symphony |
| Type | Concert hall |
| Capacity | 2,683 |
| Construction | |
| Opened | November 25, 1925 |
| Renovated | 1967-68 |
| Closed | 1966-68 |
| Reopened | January 24, 1968 |
| Architect | Rapp & Rapp |
| Website | |
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Powell Hall
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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| Architectural style | Late Gothic Revival, Gothic, Late Victorian |
| Part of | Midtown Historic District (ID78003392) |
| Added to NRHP | July 7, 1978 |
Powell Hall is a famous building in St. Louis, Missouri. It is the home of the amazing St. Louis Symphony. The hall is named after Walter S. Powell, a businessman from St. Louis. His wife gave a lot of money to help the symphony buy and use this special place.
The hall can hold 2,683 people, so many music lovers can enjoy the shows! Powell Hall is also a historic landmark. It is part of the Midtown Historic District and the Grand Center Arts District. This area is a cool spot for art and culture.
The History of Powell Hall
Powell Hall was not always called Powell Hall! When it first opened in 1925, it was known as The St. Louis Theater. It was designed by a famous architecture company called Rapp & Rapp from Chicago. The theater had 4,100 seats, which is a lot!
For about 40 years, this building was a place for live shows called vaudeville. It also showed many movies. The very last movie shown there was The Sound of Music in 1966.
That same year, the Symphony Society bought the building for $500,000. This was possible thanks to a gift from Oscar Johnson Jr. They spent another $2 million to update and fix up the theater. In January 1968, the hall reopened as the new home of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra.
Did you know that Carl Stalling started his music career here? He was an organist at The St. Louis Theater. Carl Stalling later became famous for creating the music for Warner Bros.' Looney Tunes cartoons!
Exciting Renovations for the Future
In January 2023, the St. Louis Symphony announced big plans for Powell Hall. It will get a major update, the first since 1968! The goal is to keep the hall's history while making it a modern place for music and community.
Marie-Hélène Bernard, who leads the St. Louis Symphony, said they want to create a "state-of-the-art center." This new center will be for community events, new ideas, and powerful music experiences.
The expansion will add many cool new features:
- A large Education and Learning Center. This space will have rehearsal rooms and a place for educational programs. It will also be used for parties and community gatherings.
- A three-story lobby with balconies. This will make the entrance much nicer.
- More backstage space for artists. This includes dressing rooms, a lounge for musicians, and practice rooms. There will also be a music library and recording studios.
- New drop-off spots for cars. These will make it easier to get into the building.
- Outdoor green spaces. These areas will be perfect for audiences to gather before or after shows.
While Powell Hall is being updated, the St. Louis Symphony will perform in other places. They will play at Stifel Theatre, Lindenwood University's J. Scheidegger Center for the Arts, and UMSL's Touhill Performing Arts Center. The newly updated Powell Hall is set to open in 2025. This will be just in time for the building's 100th anniversary!
See also
- Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra
- Fox Theatre (St. Louis)
- List of concert halls
