Bob Carr Theater (originally the Orlando Municipal Auditorium and formerly the Bob Carr Performing Arts Centre) is an auditorium located in Orlando, Florida. Opening in 1927, the venue is currently owned by the City of Orlando and is managed by

Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts (commonly known as Dr. Phillips Center) is a performing arts center in Downtown Orlando, Florida, United States. It joined the Bob Carr Theater, which originally opened as the Orlando Municipal Audi ...

. In 2015, the site was integrated into the Creative Village Development plan, facing major renovations in 2018.

History

The venue was proposed in 1925 after the city saw a population boom in the early 1920s. In 1926, the land reserved for the Orange County Fair was used for the auditorium. The venue opened on February 21, 1927, with a performance of ''

Aida ''Aida'' (or ''Aïda'', ) is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni. Set in the Old Kingdom of Egypt, it was commissioned by Cairo's Khedivial Opera House and had its première there on 24 Decemb ...

'' by the La Scala Grand Opera Company. Throughout the years, the venue became an entertainment mecca, with performances by:

Marty Robbins Martin David Robinson (September 26, 1925 – December 8, 1982), known professionally as Marty Robbins, was an American singer, songwriter, actor, multi-instrumentalist, and NASCAR racing driver. Robbins was one of the most popular and succ ...

Andy Griffith Andy Samuel Griffith (June 1, 1926 – July 3, 2012) was an American actor, comedian, television producer, southern gospel singer and writer whose career spanned seven decades in music and television. Known for his Southern drawl, his character ...

and

Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...

. In 1974, the Orlando City Council decided to renovated the auditorium and transform it into a state of the art theater and concert hall. Renovations began October 1975. In May 1978, the venue was christened the "Mayor Bob Carr Performing Arts Centre", in honor of

Bob Carr Robert John Carr (born 28 September 1947) is an Australian retired politician and journalist who served as the 39th Premier of New South Wales from 1995 to 2005, as the leader of the NSW Branch of the Australian Labor Party (ALP). He later en ...

(mayor of Orlando from 1956 to 1967). The structural and technical changes to the theater helped it become the home to the Orlando Ballet, Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra, Festival of Orchestras and Broadway Across America. With the opening of the Dr. Phillips Center in 2014, many performances held here were moved to the new theater. Dance recitals and orchestral shows are slated to move to the Steinmetz Hall in 2019.

Future use

In 2015, the site will be integrated into "Creative Village", a mixed-use commercial and residential development. The plans for the theater as currently unknown. However, developers feel the venue is integral to Orlando's history and will remain. It is believed the theater will become a performance for digital and alternative arts.

References

External links

Orlando: A Visual History - Orlando Municipal Auditorium
Music venues in Florida Concert halls in Florida Buildings and structures in Orlando, Florida Music venues in Orlando, Florida Performing arts centers in Florida Tourist attractions in Orlando, Florida 1927 establishments in Florida Theatres completed in 1927 {{music-venue-stub