Ruth Eckerd Hall is a performing arts venue, located in
Clearwater, Florida, in the
Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay is a large natural harbor and shallow estuary connected to the Gulf of Mexico on the west-central coast of Florida, comprising Hillsborough Bay, McKay Bay, Old Tampa Bay, Middle Tampa Bay, and Lower Tampa Bay. The largest freshwater ...
area and is part of the Richard B. Baumgardner Center for the Performing Arts.
The concert hall is named after Ruth Eckerd, the wife of businessman
Jack Eckerd, and is a regular performance venue for the
Florida Orchestra.
Its 2,180-seat auditorium features
continental seating, with no center aisle.
History
In 1977, the Kapok Tree Corporation donated to the City of Clearwater with the stipulation that a performing arts center be built on the property. The bequest mandated that the construction begin within two years, and in 1979 a ground breaking ceremony was held. At its inception, a group of dedicated volunteers in the community stepped forward to organize the effort and obtain the necessary resources for its completion. Among these leaders, Jack and Ruth Eckerd were instrumental in the project's success. The main auditorium is named in Mrs. Eckerd's honor. The center's main name recognizes Richard B. Baumgardner, the founder of the Kapok Tree Corporation. The facility is a
Frank Lloyd Wright
Frank Lloyd Wright (June 8, 1867 – April 9, 1959) was an American architect, designer, writer, and educator. He designed more than 1,000 structures over a creative period of 70 years. Wright played a key role in the architectural movements o ...
inspired building with
Taliesin Associated Architects, led by
William Wesley Peters doing the design work.
"Taliesin West Built in Arizona Desert"
''Lakeland Ledger
''The Ledger'' is a daily newspaper serving Lakeland, Florida, and the Polk County area.
The paper was founded on August 22, 1924, as the ''Lakeland Evening Ledger''. In 1927, it bought its main competitor, the morning ''Lakeland Star-Telegram ...
'', April 23, 1988
Construction cost $14.5 million with $9 million donated by the private sector and the remaining $5.5 million provided in the form of a mortgage. The Hall was dedicated and opened on October 15, 1983.
Created to own, manage and maintain the land and the facility, Ruth Eckerd Hall, Inc. is a non-profit presenting organization, while the Ruth Eckerd Hall Foundation, Inc. obtains funding for debt retirement and the ongoing operation of the center.
Each year, over 350,000 adult and young audience members visit Ruth Eckerd Hall for performances ranging from world-renowned classical artists and dance companies to Broadway musicals and pop stars. Through its many arts education programs, the education department of Ruth Eckerd Hall serves nearly 100,000 students and adults annually.
The commitment of the Board of Directors of both organizations and the management staff is to continue to present the finest performing arts and provide educational opportunities in the performing arts to all segments of the community.
Noted performers
* Alison Krauss and Union Station
*The B-52's
The B-52's, also styled as The B-52s, are an American new wave band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1976. The original lineup consisted of Fred Schneider (vocals, percussion), Kate Pierson (vocals, keyboards, synth bass), Cindy Wilson (vocals, ...
*Backstreet Boys
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The ...
*Boston
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* Carole King
*Don Henley
Donald Hugh Henley (born July 22, 1947) is an American musician and a founding member of the rock band Eagles. He is the drummer and one of the lead singers for the Eagles. Henley sang the lead vocals on Eagles hits such as " Witchy Woman", " D ...
*Fiona Apple
Fiona Apple McAfee-Maggart (born September 13, 1977) is an American singer-songwriter. She has released five albums from 1996 to 2020, which have all reached the top 20 on the U.S. ''Billboard'' 200 chart. Apple has received numerous awards a ...
* Foreigner
* Four Tops
*Heart
The heart is a muscular organ found in most animals. This organ pumps blood through the blood vessels of the circulatory system. The pumped blood carries oxygen and nutrients to the body, while carrying metabolic waste such as carbon diox ...
*Herbie Hancock
Herbert Jeffrey Hancock (born April 12, 1940) is an American jazz pianist, keyboardist, bandleader, and composer. Hancock started his career with trumpeter Donald Byrd's group. He shortly thereafter joined the Miles Davis Quintet, where he hel ...
* Jason Mraz
* Jewel
* Josh Groban
*Lyle Lovett
Lyle Pearce Lovett (born November 1, 1957)Lyle Lovett Pageat Allmusic – Lovett's Genre and Styles. Retrieved February 2, 2007 is an American singer, songwriter, actor and record producer. Active since 1980, he has recorded 13 albums and releas ...
* The Monkees
* Paramore
*Paul Anka
Paul Albert Anka (born July 30, 1941) is a Canadian-American singer, songwriter and actor. He is best known for his signature hit songs including "Diana", " Lonely Boy", " Put Your Head on My Shoulder", and " (You're) Having My Baby". Anka also ...
*Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band
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History and description
Since 1989, Starr h ...
*Tom Jones
Tom Jones may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
*Tom Jones (singer) (born 1940), Welsh singer
* Tom Jones (writer) (1928–2023), American librettist and lyricist
*''The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling'', a novel by Henry Fielding published in ...
*Van Morrison
Sir George Ivan Morrison (born 31 August 1945), known professionally as Van Morrison, is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist whose recording career spans seven decades. He has won two Grammy Awards.
As a teenager in ...
*Wilco
Wilco is an American alternative rock band based in Chicago, Illinois. The band was formed in 1994 by the remaining members of alternative country group Uncle Tupelo following singer Jay Farrar's departure. Wilco's lineup changed frequently d ...
See also
* Jack Eckerd
External links
*
References
Concert halls in Florida
Buildings and structures in Clearwater, Florida
Music venues in Florida
Theatres in Florida
Tourist attractions in Pinellas County, Florida
1983 establishments in Florida
Event venues established in 1983
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