Worcester Memorial Auditorium
Encyclopedia
The Worcester Memorial Auditorium, also known simply as the Worcester Auditorium, is a multi-purpose arena
and auditorium in Worcester, Massachusetts
. Built in 1933, as a World War I
War memorial
in the form of a multi-purpose hall, the Auditorium has a 116 feet (35.4 m) , and is located in Lincoln Square. Lincoln Square was recently ranked by Preservation Massachusetts as one of the "Most Endangered Historic Resources" in the state because of the three historical buildings in the square that are all empty or underutilized. Currently the Auditorium is used to house Massachusetts State Trial Court records and a small after-school program.
War memorial
in the form of a multi-purpose hall. The building is built in the Classical Revival style, but with Art Decco bas-relief ornamentation. The interior murals in the Auditorium were created by the artist Leon Kroll
, and took three years to complete. When finished the main mural was the largest of its kind in the United States. Since the Auditorium opened, it has been home to the Bay State Bombardiers of the Continental Basketball Association
and the Holy Cross Crusaders
before the Hart Center
opened in 1975. It has also hosted Bob Dylan
's Rolling Thunder Revue
and has served as a shelter after the Worcester tornado hit. There is another small performance space known as the "Little Theater" attached to the Auditorium, which can seat 675 people, but it is currently empty as well.
style marketplace, and even the creation of a research center because of the proximity of Worcester Polytechnic Institute
's nearby Gateway Park. One of the largest problems with the Auditorium is that it has a flat, as opposed to a sloped audience floor, which makes it not well suited to be a modern theater. To convert the Auditorium to office space would cost $6.2 million, while converting it to a "museum, memorial or theater", would cost more than $12 million, much of which could be covered by tax credits. While some call for the demolition of the Auditorium, even just a partial one saving the memorial wall and murals, they are a vast minority.
Arena
An arena is an enclosed area, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theater, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators. The key feature of an arena is that the event space is the...
and auditorium in Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
. Built in 1933, as a World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
War memorial
War memorial
A war memorial is a building, monument, statue or other edifice to celebrate a war or victory, or to commemorate those who died or were injured in war.-Historic usage:...
in the form of a multi-purpose hall, the Auditorium has a 116 feet (35.4 m) , and is located in Lincoln Square. Lincoln Square was recently ranked by Preservation Massachusetts as one of the "Most Endangered Historic Resources" in the state because of the three historical buildings in the square that are all empty or underutilized. Currently the Auditorium is used to house Massachusetts State Trial Court records and a small after-school program.
History
Built in 1933, the Worcester Auditorium was designed as a World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
War memorial
War memorial
A war memorial is a building, monument, statue or other edifice to celebrate a war or victory, or to commemorate those who died or were injured in war.-Historic usage:...
in the form of a multi-purpose hall. The building is built in the Classical Revival style, but with Art Decco bas-relief ornamentation. The interior murals in the Auditorium were created by the artist Leon Kroll
Leon Kroll
-External links:* *...
, and took three years to complete. When finished the main mural was the largest of its kind in the United States. Since the Auditorium opened, it has been home to the Bay State Bombardiers of the Continental Basketball Association
Continental Basketball Association
The Continental Basketball Association was a professional men's basketball league in the United States, which has been on hiatus since the 2009 season.- History :...
and the Holy Cross Crusaders
Holy Cross Crusaders
The Holy Cross Crusaders are the athletic teams representing the College of the Holy Cross. They compete in NCAA Division I as members of the Patriot League. The men's and women's ice hockey teams compete in Atlantic Hockey Association and women's golf in the Big South Conference...
before the Hart Center
Hart Center
"Hart Recreation Center" redirects here.The Hart Recreation Center is the main athletic center at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts. It was built in 1975 and is home to the Holy Cross Crusaders athletic teams. It is named for the Rev. Francis J...
opened in 1975. It has also hosted Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
's Rolling Thunder Revue
Rolling Thunder Revue
The Rolling Thunder Revue was a famed U.S. concert tour consisting of a traveling caravan of musicians, headed by Bob Dylan, that took place in late 1975 and early 1976; the prevailing theory was that the tour was named after the Native American shaman Rolling Thunder. Others maintained that tour...
and has served as a shelter after the Worcester tornado hit. There is another small performance space known as the "Little Theater" attached to the Auditorium, which can seat 675 people, but it is currently empty as well.
Future
Many plans have been weighed for the future of the Auditorium. These included a canceled plan for Higgins Armory to move to the Auditorium from its current location, the creation of a Faneuil HallFaneuil Hall
Faneuil Hall , located near the waterfront and today's Government Center, in Boston, Massachusetts, has been a marketplace and a meeting hall since 1742. It was the site of several speeches by Samuel Adams, James Otis, and others encouraging independence from Great Britain, and is now part of...
style marketplace, and even the creation of a research center because of the proximity of Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Worcester Polytechnic Institute is a private university located in Worcester, Massachusetts, in the United States.Founded in 1865 in Worcester, WPI was one of the United States' first engineering and technology universities...
's nearby Gateway Park. One of the largest problems with the Auditorium is that it has a flat, as opposed to a sloped audience floor, which makes it not well suited to be a modern theater. To convert the Auditorium to office space would cost $6.2 million, while converting it to a "museum, memorial or theater", would cost more than $12 million, much of which could be covered by tax credits. While some call for the demolition of the Auditorium, even just a partial one saving the memorial wall and murals, they are a vast minority.