The Roger L. Stevens Center is the primary performance venue in downtown

Winston-Salem, North Carolina Winston-Salem is a city in Forsyth County, North Carolina, United States, and its county seat. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 249,545, making it the List of municipalities in North Carolina, fifth-most populous ...

and is owned and operated by the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. It is named after the theatre producer and real estate magnate Roger L. Stevens and was opened on April 22, 1983. The venue serves the major UNCSA productions, the Winston-Salem Symphony, Piedmont Opera, and many other touring and local productions. All in all the theatre is used for rehearsal or performance all but 70 days of the year.

History

The Stevens Center was originally the Carolina Theater, a movie theatre, before it was donated to the School of the Arts in 1980 by the

Winston-Salem Journal The ''Winston-Salem Journal'' is an American, English language daily newspaper primarily serving Winston-Salem and Forsyth County, North Carolina. It also covers Northwestern North Carolina. The paper is owned by Lee Enterprises. ''The Journ ...

. It was renovated by the School of the Arts using $9.6 million in state bond money and opened on April 22, 1983, with a star-studded gala featuring the UNCSA symphony Orchestra with

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conducting and

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as soloist, and

Gregory Peck Eldred Gregory Peck (April 5, 1916 – June 12, 2003) was an American actor and one of the most popular film stars from the 1940s to the 1970s. In 1999, the American Film Institute named Peck the AFI's 100 Years...100 Stars, 12th-greatest male ...

as the master of ceremonies. Guests in attendance included Agnes de Mille,

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, Governor James Hunt, President and Mrs.

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and

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.Library , Archives History
The Stevens Center faced difficulty when the federal

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demanded UNCSA pay back $3.12 million because they transferred the title from UNCSA to NCSA, Inc. They also faced trouble with Forsyth County over taxes. In 1990, UNCSA signed a deal to bring preview shows of Broadway Musicals to the Stevens Center but had to end that relationship because the school was losing money on it. Currently the Stevens Center is occupied with either rehearsals or concerts all but 70 days of the year.

Specifications

*Two levels (Orchestra and Balcony) *1,380 seats *10 Stories

Building Usage

The building has been used by the following groups for their performances: *Piedmont Opera *Piedmont Wind Symphony *Winston-Salem Symphony *Something for Everyone Series *NC Dance Festival * RiverRun International Film Festival * American

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Daughtry shot the

music video A music video is a video that integrates a song or an album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing device intended to ...

for their single "September" at the Stevens Center The building also houses many offices and the UNCSA Community Music School.

UNCSA Performances and Groups

*''

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'' *UNCSA's All School Musicals, including the fiftieth anniversary production of ''

West Side Story ''West Side Story'' is a Musical theatre, musical conceived by Jerome Robbins with music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a Book (musical theatre), book by Arthur Laurents. Inspired by William Shakespeare's play ''Romeo an ...

'', as well as the 2011 production of ''Oklahoma!'' *UNCSA Symphony Orchestra *UNCSA Wind Ensemble *A.J. Fletcher Opera Institute's Winter Opera *UNCSA School of Dance's Spring Dance

References

External links

North Carolina School of the Arts
{{Coord, 36.098458, -80.248178, display=title University of North Carolina School of the Arts Buildings and structures in Winston-Salem, North Carolina Performing arts centers in North Carolina Tourist attractions in Winston-Salem, North Carolina Dance in North Carolina