Wortham Center for the Performing Arts facts for kids
The Wortham Center for the Performing Arts is a large theater in Asheville, North Carolina. It used to be called the Diana Wortham Theatre. This amazing place is 28,000 square feet, which is about the size of five basketball courts! It's a hub for many exciting shows and events.
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What is the Wortham Center?
The Wortham Center is a special building where people can enjoy live performances. It has a main theater with 500 seats. This main theater first opened its doors on July 4, 1992. Every year, from September to May, it hosts about 50 different shows. Plus, over 100 other events happen there, put on by groups who rent the space.
New Spaces for Performers
In January 2019, the Wortham Center started a big project. They spent $3 million to make the theater even better! They added two new spaces:
- The Tina McGuire Theatre: This smaller theater can seat 80 to 100 people.
- The Henry LaBrun Studio: This area has a dance studio and offices.
These new spaces are great because they let performers stay longer in Asheville. They can also offer classes to people who want to learn. The main theater even got new seats that used to be in the famous Radio City Music Hall!
A Building with History
The Wortham Center building has been home to other interesting places too. It once housed:
- The Health Adventure
- The Colburn Earth Science Museum
- The Asheville Art Museum
Later, The Health Adventure moved and became part of the Asheville Museum of Science. The Asheville Art Museum then expanded into the space that The Health Adventure used to occupy.
Who is Diana Wortham?
The theater was named after Diana Wortham for a long time. She is the daughter of Gus Wortham and Lyndall Finley Wortham. Diana Wortham was one of the biggest supporters of Pack Place, where the theater is located. She has given a lot of money to help the theater and other good causes. Even though she donates a lot, she prefers to stay out of the spotlight.
When Did the Name Change?
The name of the theater officially changed to the Wortham Center for the Performing Arts on September 17, 2019. This was a special day because they had a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the new name and the new spaces.
