RiverCenter for the Performing Arts facts for kids
The RiverCenter for the Performing Arts is a cool, modern place in Downtown Columbus, Georgia, United States, where you can watch amazing shows.
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What is the RiverCenter?
The RiverCenter first opened its doors in 2002. It started with the Studio Theatre, a special "black-box" style room that can change its setup for different shows. It can hold up to 250 people.
The whole building is huge, about 240,000 square feet! Inside, there are other awesome spaces:
- Legacy Hall: This is a concert hall with 450 seats. It has special walls and ceilings that can change the sound, making it perfect for music. It also has a huge, beautiful organ that cost $1,000,000! The stage is big enough for 60 orchestra musicians and 80 singers.
- Bill Heard Theatre: This is the biggest hall, with 2,000 seats spread across three levels. It has a stage that is 60 feet wide and a special area for the orchestra. Cool metal ribbons decorate the theater, making it look very artistic.
- There's also an outdoor concert area and practice rooms used by the Schwob School of Music. This music school is part of Columbus State University.
Exploring the Bill Heard Theatre
The Bill Heard Theatre is the largest performance space at the RiverCenter. It has 2,000 seats on three levels: the Orchestra (main floor), the Mezzanine (middle level), and the Balcony (top level). There are also six special box seats on each level. You can get to your seats from hallways on the sides or from the back of each level. The theater is named after William Heard, a generous person from Columbus who helped fund the center.
Amazing Performances at RiverCenter
The RiverCenter has hosted many famous artists from all over the world. Musicians, dancers, actors, comedians, and other entertainers have performed here. Some well-known performers include Bill Cosby, the energetic show Stomp, the musical Miss Saigon, and the play A Streetcar Named Desire.
Other famous artists who have performed at the RiverCenter include:
- Yo-Yo Ma (a famous cellist)
- Itzhak Perlman (a famous violinist)
- The Moscow Boys Choir
- David Copperfield (a famous magician)
- Jessye Norman (a famous opera singer)
- Chick Corea and Bela Fleck (talented musicians)
- Dame Kiri Te Kanawa (a famous opera singer)
Every year, the RiverCenter is also home to the Miss Georgia Pageant and the Ledger-Enquirer's Page One Awards. The Bill Heard Theatre often hosts performances by the Columbus Symphony, the Youth Orchestra of Greater Columbus, and the Columbus Ballet. The RiverCenter has shows happening all year long!
The famous radio host Garrison Keillor once said that the RiverCenter is "a fabulous new auditorium that is as fine as any I've ever played in."
How the RiverCenter Was Built
Building the RiverCenter was a big project! The design team included a famous company called Hardy Holzman Phiefer Associates and a local company, Hecht Burdeshaw Architects. These local architects also designed buildings for Aflac, TSYS, and Synovus.
For the theater parts, experts from Theatre Projects Consultants helped out. Many other companies worked on different parts of the design, like the civil engineers, structural engineers, and lighting designers. The sound experts from JaffeHolden Acoustics, Inc. made sure the sound would be perfect. The RiverCenter's logo was designed by Jones Worley Graphics. The main construction was done by Beers Skanska, Incorporated. Many local businesses helped with things like stone, steel, and staging.
Cool Technology at the RiverCenter
The RiverCenter is one of the most high-tech performance places in Georgia!
Lighting and Sound Systems
In the Bill Heard Theatre, the lighting is controlled by a special Ion Lighting console. This system can handle a lot of power, over one million watts, to light up the stage! In Legacy Hall and the Studio Theatre, different lighting consoles are used. Most of the lights themselves are from a company called Electronic Theatre Controls (ETC).
For sound, a Crest Audio mixing console is used, and the sound comes out of Eastern Acoustic Works Speakers. Special equipment from Klark Teknik helps make the sound even better in the Bill Heard Theatre. All the halls can also record both audio and video of the performances.
Adjustable Acoustics and Stage
The back walls of the main auditorium have special curtains that can move. These curtains help change how sound travels in the room, making it sound just right for different types of shows. Also, a large, three-piece ceiling made of mahogany wood can extend from the stage. This whole structure can be moved up and down using a motorized system to improve the sound even more.
The orchestra pit, where up to fifty musicians can sit, is also very clever. It can be raised up to become part of the stage or lowered to create more seating for the audience.
Fun Fact
- The movie "The Fighting Temptations" used the RiverCenter's Bill Heard Theatre as the location for the gospel singing competition near the end of the film!
Fun Facts About RiverCenter
- The movie "The Fighting Temptations" used the Bill Heard Theatre. It was the place where the gospel singing competition happened at the end of the film!
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