Richmond CenterStage facts for kids
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Carpenter Theater; Dominion Energy Center; Richmond Performing Arts Alliance;
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| Address | 600 E. Grace St. Richmond, Virginia  United States |
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| Coordinates | 37°32′28″N 77°26′10″W / 37.541°N 77.436°W |
| Owner | Carpenter Theatre: City of Richmond Dorothy Pauley Square: Richmond Performing Arts Alliance |
| Type | Proscenium Theater |
| Capacity | est. 1,800 |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 1928 |
| Reopened | September 12, 2009 |
| Website | |
| https://www.dominionenergycenter.com/ | |
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Loews Theatre
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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| Location | 6th and Grace Sts., Richmond, Virginia |
| Area | 1 acre (0.4 ha) |
| Built | 1928 |
| Architect | John Eberson |
| Architectural style | Spanish Colonial Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 79003292 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | November 20, 1979 |
The Dominion Energy Center is a cool place for performing arts in Richmond, Virginia. It has several different spaces inside. These include the old and famous Carpenter Theatre, the Libby S. Gottwald Playhouse, Bob & Sally Mooney Hall, and the Genworth BrightLights Education Center. This center used to be called Richmond CenterStage.
The Carpenter Theatre started out as a Loew's Theatre. This was a grand movie palace, a fancy theater built just for showing movies. It was designed by a famous architect named John Eberson. Building the theater began in 1927, and its doors first opened in 1928.
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Where is the Center Located?
Many people in Richmond still call the main building the Carpenter Theatre Center for the Performing Arts. It is located on the 600 block of Grace Street in Richmond. Grace Street is a one-way road that goes west through the city.
The center is part of the Grace Street Commercial Historic District. It is surrounded by Broad Street to the north, Seventh Street to the east, Grace Street to the south, and Sixth Street to the west. While it's not in an official "Old & Historic District" of Richmond, it is now part of the city's new Arts and Cultural District.
A Look at the Center's History
The design for the Loew's Theatre was created by John Eberson, a well-known architect from New York. His design was inspired by Spanish and Moorish styles of architecture. A historian named Calder Loth said that when it opened on April 9, 1928, Loew's was thought to be the most modern theater in the southern United States.
Eberson was famous for creating "atmospheric theatre" designs. In these theaters, the walls looked like an elegant outdoor scene, like a villa or a street, under a night sky. The Carpenter Theatre's design makes you feel like you are in a Spanish setting. It even has a fake sky ceiling with stars and moving clouds!
In 2015, the Richmond CenterStage complex changed its name to Dominion Energy Center. The group that ran it, the Richmond CenterStage Foundation, also got a new name: Richmond Performing Arts Alliance.
What Happens There Now?
The facility and the organization that runs it, once known as the Carpenter Center for the Performing Arts, joined with the Richmond Performing Arts Alliance (RPAA) in the early 2000s. They worked hard to raise money and get support. With help from the City of Richmond, they bought the old Thalhimers Department Store building next to the Carpenter Center. This was part of a big plan to create the performing arts center we see today.
When the building work was finished, the whole complex was renamed Richmond CenterStage. It also grew to include the Altria Theater.
Different Spaces for Arts
Today, the center has five different performance spaces in two main areas.
- The Carpenter Theatre is the historic main theater. It is named after the E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation. It has about 1,800 seats and is designed for big shows.
- Dorothy Pauley Square is a newer, four-story building connected to the Carpenter Theatre. It holds four smaller venues:
- Libby S. Gottwald Playhouse: This is a flexible space with 200 seats, perfect for plays.
- Bob & Sally Mooney Hall: A space designed for jazz music and cabaret shows.
- Showcase Gallery: An area used for receptions and showing visual art.
- Genworth BrightLights Education Center: This is where RPAA's BrightLights Education Initiatives are held.
The third and fourth floors of Dorothy Pauley Square also have office spaces. These are used by the staff of RPAA, the Richmond Symphony, and Virginia Opera. The third floor also has classrooms and learning spaces for RPAA and other arts groups' educational programs. There's even a Digital Arts Lab, which is a modern digital media center within the BrightLights space.
Opening and Partnerships
The CenterStage officially opened to the public on September 12, 2009. This happened after a big effort to raise money and a partnership with the City of Richmond. The project was made a bit smaller than first planned. The center is operated by SMG Richmond, a company from Pennsylvania, with a board of local leaders helping to guide it.
RPAA currently works with eleven "Resident Companies." These groups use the venues for their performances and educational programs. Some of these groups include the City of Richmond Department of Parks and Recreation, Elegba Folklore Society, Latin Ballet of Virginia, Richmond Ballet, The Richmond Forum, Richmond Shakespeare, Richmond Symphony, SPARC (School of the Performing Arts in the Richmond Community), Virginia Opera, and Virginia Repertory Theatre. The center can host both small local shows and very large national touring acts.
