WINSTON-SALEM,N.C. — Construction has officially started on the three to five year renovation of the Stevens Center in Winston-Salem.
What You Need To Know
The Stevens Center is a theatre owned by The University of North Carolina School of the Arts and hosts dozens of performances each year
The building closed for a three to five year renovation on Nov. 15, which will include updating the building to be accessible to people of all mobilities
For now, many performances are being redirected to the High Point Theatre
The building is owned by The University of North Carolina School of the Arts and serves as the largest learning laboratory for the school.
The venue is also rented by dozens of community organizations.
It opened as a movie theatre in 1929 and has remained a big draw downtown for the community. To local and visiting performers like Brian Banion, however, it has also become a place of healing.
This fall, Banion starred in Piedmont Opera’s last performance on the stage as it is playing Fernando in Verdi’s “Il Trovatore.”
It was his first time back since fighting and surviving multiple myeloma during the pandemic.
“I’m so thrilled to be back in this theatre that I called home for the last 14 years. I can’t wait to see what they do to it as good stewards of this great space. It’s going to be great for the city,” Banion said.
The last time the building was updated was in the 1980s, and it is not currently accessible to people of all mobilities.
The renovations that began on Wednesday, Nov. 15 will change that.
Dozens of community organizations in Winston-Salem rely on the building to hold their performances.
Artistic Director of Piedmont Opera James Allbritten says actors, singers, musicians and other creatives are going to miss the space until its return.
“It is a very important space, as is proven by the fact that when it closes, we are all scratching our heads wondering where we go next. This place has become the performing arts place for Winston-Salem,” Allbritten explained.
For now, many performances are being redirected to the High Point Theatre.
The final performance at the Stevens Center was the UNCSA Symphony Orchestra conducted by Robert Franz on Nov. 10.