Bob Carr Theater

28°32′52″N 81°23′2″W

Bob Carr Theater
Entrance of venue (c.2006)
Former namesOrlando Municipal Auditorium (1927-78)
Bob Carr Performing Arts Centre (1978-2014)
Bob Carr Theater (2014-present)
Address401 W Livingston St
Orlando, FL 32801-1413
LocationCallahan/Parramore
OwnerCity of Orlando
Capacity2,401
Construction
OpenedFebruary 21, 1927 (1927-02-21)
Renovated1962, 1975-78, 1991
Construction cost$175,000
($2.92 million in 2022 dollars[1])
Tenants
Florida Symphony Youth Orchestra (1958-present)
Orlando Opera (1958-2009)
Orlando Ballet (1974-2014)
Broadway Across America (1984-2014)
Festival of Orchestras (1984-2011)
Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra (1993-present)
Website
Venue Website

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. 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 by the La Scala Grand Opera Company.[2] Throughout the years, the venue became an entertainment mecca, with performances by: Marty Robbins, Andy Griffith and Elvis Presley.

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.[3] In May 1978, the venue was christened the "Mayor Bob Carr Performing Arts Centre", in honor of Bob Carr (mayor of Orlando from 1956 to 1967).

The structural and technical changes to the theater helped it become the home to the Orlando Ballet,[4] Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra, Festival of Orchestras[5] and Broadway Across America.[6] 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.[7] 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
  1. 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved May 28, 2023.
  2. "BOB CARR PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE". Orlando Venues. October 2007. Archived from the original on October 12, 2007. Retrieved December 23, 2016.
  3. "Classic Carr". Orlando: The City's Magazine. Orlando, Florida: Morris Media. May 2013. Retrieved December 23, 2016.
  4. Palm, Matthew J. (April 12, 2014). "Orlando Ballet's 2014-15 season: Old favorites return". Orlando Sentinel. Tribune Publishing. Retrieved December 23, 2016.
  5. Palm, Matthew J. (March 30, 2011). "Festival of Orchestras closure: 'Very sad,' 'right decision'". Orlando Sentinel. Tribune Publishing. Retrieved December 23, 2016.
  6. Harbaugh, Pam (November 8, 2014). "Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts welcomes all". Florida Today. Gannett Company. Retrieved December 23, 2016.
  7. Schlueb, Mark (November 15, 2013). "Developers find a place for old Bob Carr center in Creative Village hub". Orlando Sentinel. Tribune Publishing. Retrieved December 23, 2016.


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