Stephen Foster Memorial facts for kids
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Stephen Collins Foster Memorial
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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Stephen Foster Memorial at the University of Pittsburgh
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| Location | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA |
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| Built | 1935–1937 |
| Architect | Charles Klauder |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| Part of | Schenley Farms Historic District (ID83002213) |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | July 22, 1983 |
The Stephen Collins Foster Memorial is a special place at the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. It's a performing arts center and a museum. This memorial is all about the life and music of Stephen Foster, a famous American songwriter.
It's a very important building in the Schenley Farms National Historic District. It's also recognized as a Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation Historical Landmark. Plus, it has a special marker from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. You can find it on Forbes Avenue in the Oakland neighborhood, right on the university campus.
The main part of the building has two theaters. These are used by the university's Department of Theatre Arts. One is the Charity Randall Theatre, which seats 478 people. The other is the Henry Heymann Theatre, with 151 seats. The left side of the building holds the Stephen Foster Memorial Museum. It also has the Center for American Music. This center has the University of Pittsburgh's Stephen Foster Collection and archive. This collection includes his original writings, over 200 copies of his songs, recordings, and even one of his pianos! The memorial is also home to the university's Ethelbert Nevin Collection and the Society for American Music.
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About the Memorial Building
The Stephen Foster Memorial was finished in 1937. It's built with a strong steel frame. The outside is covered with the same Indiana Limestone used for the university's Cathedral of Learning. This building, along with Heinz Memorial Chapel, was designed by Charles Klauder. He was the architect who also designed the main Cathedral of Learning. All three buildings share a similar Gothic Revival style.
In 2003, the memorial got a big update. The theater parts were improved. This project was done by WTW Architects.
There's a stone courtyard behind the memorial. It sits between the memorial and the Cathedral of Learning. This courtyard is named after Josiah Kirby Lilly. He was a very important person who helped fund the memorial.
The memorial building has two theaters. It also has a special shrine. This shrine displays items from the university's Foster Hall Collection. The Stephen Foster Memorial is also home to the Society for American Music. It houses the University of Pittsburgh's Center for American Music. This center is a research library, archive, and museum. It helps people learn more about American music.
Fred Kelly Lobby
The Fred Kelly Lobby is the main entrance area. You enter through the big red doors on Forbes Avenue. This lobby has two beautiful chandeliers. They were made by Samuel Yellin, a master metalworker. The lobby also has Charles Connick stained glass windows. These windows show Shakespeare and Beethoven. They are dedicated to Josiah Kirby Lilly, who helped fund the memorial.
During the 2003 renovation, new furniture was added. This included a round bench and a ticket stand. A new iron chandelier was also added. These new pieces were designed by Michael Chirigos. His work was inspired by the Gothic arches of the memorial. The bench has cabinets that show playbills. They also display items about Gene Kelly's younger brother, Fred. Both Kelly brothers went to Pitt. Fred taught Gene and many others how to dance. This display honors Fred Kelly's achievements. The lobby also celebrates Pitt Theater alumni. These are people who have won the Fred Kelly Award.
Charity Randall Theatre
The main theater used to be called the Foster Memorial Theatre. It was renamed the Charity Randall Theatre after a big renovation in 2003. This theater has 478 seats. The renovation updated the theater and its equipment. It also made the auditorium look like it did when it was first built.
The renovation was made possible by donations from the Charity Randall Foundation. This foundation was started in 1977. It remembers Charity Randall, who loved the arts. The theater's soft, deep red seats were fixed up. Their iron frames and wooden arms were restored. They look just like they did in the 1930s. The number of seats was reduced from 572 to 478. This included adding 24 new seats in the balcony. Other improvements included new carpet and lighting. The original chandelier, designed by Samuel Yellin, was also restored. The theater also got new sound, lighting, and stage equipment.
Henry Heymann Theatre
Downstairs in the memorial is the Henry Heymann Theatre. It has 153 seats. This theater has a thrust stage, with seats on three sides. It honors Henry Heymann. He was a scenic designer and a generous donor to the university. He taught scenic design from 1968 to 1993.
The Heymann Theatre was created in 2000. It used to be a social room. During World War II, it hosted USO dances. There's also a secret tunnel from this theater. It goes under the Cathedral of Learning. This tunnel connects the two buildings. During the 2003 renovations, the dressing rooms were updated. They now include three "star" dressing rooms and showers. Another room in the basement is the home of the Tuesday Musical Club. This club first had the idea to build the Stephen Foster Memorial.
Foster Shrine
The left side of the building holds the Foster Shrine. You enter it from the main lobby. The entrance hallway has items from Foster's life. It also has a bust of Foster. There are five small casement windows with Connick stained glass. These windows show symbols related to Stephen Foster and his songs.
As you walk along the corridor, you'll see the entrance to the Foster Reading Room and library. This room holds many of the Foster collection items. You can see them by appointment. The corridor then opens into a 12-sided Gothic room. This room has lancet windows with Connick stained glass pictures. These pictures show different Foster songs. Inside the Shrine, you can see Foster's piano, sheet music, and other personal items. The 2003 renovation did not change the shrine.
History of the Memorial
The idea for the memorial started in 1927. The Tuesday Musical Club, a group of women musicians, teamed up with the University of Pittsburgh's Chancellor John Bowman. They wanted a performance hall dedicated to Stephen Foster. Bowman gave land next to where the Cathedral of Learning was being built.
Not much happened until 1932. That's when Bowman learned about Josiah Kirby Lilly's Foster Hall Collection. Lilly promised to donate over 10,000 items related to Foster. After that, fundraising began in a big way. Lilly and his son, Eli, gave almost half of the money needed. Construction started on January 13, 1935. This was the 71st anniversary of Foster's death. The memorial was officially opened on June 2, 1937. This was Pitt's 150th anniversary.
The Foster Hall Collection was started in 1930 by Josiah Kirby Lilly. He was the president of a big pharmaceutical company. He started the collection as a hobby because he loved Stephen Foster's music. But it grew into one of the most important collections of American music and history. Lilly and his team gathered over 10,000 Foster items. This included help from some of Foster's relatives. This first collection was kept in a small building in Indianapolis called "Foster Hall."
Before Lilly's work, no one knew exactly how many songs Foster had written. There also wasn't much accurate information about him. Foster Hall's team found 201 original works. Foster Hall became a key place for research. It helped with John Tasker Howard's book, Stephen Foster: America's Troubadour (1934). Lilly wanted to make sure his collection would be safe for the future. So, he donated it to the University of Pittsburgh's new Stephen Foster Memorial. The collection moved there in 1937. Since then, about 20,000 more items have been added. These items are about Foster, composers he influenced, and American music.
The university's Center for American Music also has the Ethelbert Nevin Collection. This collection used to be in the Theodore M. Finney Music Library. It moved in 1999. The Nevin Collection was acquired by the University of Pittsburgh between 1933 and 1956. The items were bought or given by Mrs. Ethelbert Nevin, her family, and friends. The collection includes original writings, letters, and other special items.
Besides keeping the collections and museum, the Center for American Music works on projects. One project is Voices Across Time. This helps teachers use old American music in their classrooms. The center is also working on Resources of American History II. This project will let people around the world see music scores, papers, and recordings online.
See also
- Theatre in Pittsburgh
- List of music museums
