Wednesday. September 6, 2000 - The Michigan Daily - New Student Edition - 9D
RE STORING
HILL
k
i
'
commits $30M for auditorium's renvtos
By Anna Clark
Di) ly Staff-Reporter
Whether it's Ani Di [ranco, Yo Yo Ma or
(:hris Rock. [lli Auditorium is the place to
bO for cultur-e, education arid especially enter'-
tainiment, And with about X50 million, the
University is planning to renovate the venue.
In June. tie University officially committed-
S3() million to the renovations, and the rest
will be carnied through fundraisinrg.
"Much of the auditorium is unacceptably
below par," University President Lee
Bollinger said. "And I've made a decision
Wthat we,. as a university, need to restore Hfill."'
Musical Society President Ken Fischer said
the University's top pniority is to add elevators
to the auditorium to accommodate the elderly
and disabled.
"We nieed to make it a more comfortable
place for both patrons and artists," Fischer
said.
T-he University is also planning to to add
more bathrooms to the venue and renovating0
* the backstage area.
.Ieff Kuras, managing director of University~
Productions said there are no smoke alarms at
[flill aiid the backstae area is "extremely
poor,
"The star's dressing room is a dump' Uni-
versity Men's (Ilee Club member 'Trip
Hinnegaii said. "It looks like a dorm room
after a party. It's almost an embarrassment to
the University to put these famious, important
people in there."
Renovations are scheduled to begin either
late next year or early 2002. Bollinger paid
there needs to be consensus amnong the
groups that use Hill, including UProd and
other campus performatnce groups concerning
tlhe planning of Hill's renovations.
"We're still in the planning process right
now:'he said. "With planning and exeecutiont,
this may be a three to four year project."
Hill will almost certainly be shut down for
the first titme in its near 90-year history during
renovations, Bollinger said.
[University groups that regularly perform at
Hill, including orchestras, bands, glee clubs
and choirs, will be displaced for approximate-
ly a year.
"I'ms sure it's going to be difficult to
work with," Men's Glee Club Conductor
Jerry Blackstone said. It will be "a real
challenige."
Fischer said closing H-ill's stage during ren-
ovations wvill make a large impact.
"When you lose a 4,163-person hall, it's
going to be huge;," Fischer said.
Hill was renovated once before in the
1940s to meet new fire codes and to pro-
vi de larger seats to the auditoriurm's
patrons.
.But Blackstone said he isn't worried
about losing anly University performances.
Hie said the Power Center. Mendolssohn
Thecater and Rackham Auditorium are alter-
native venuecs.
Kuras further poinited out that the reno-
vations could not only improve tihe build-
ig's condition, but also the way in which
it's run.
"With the additioni of air conditioning, we
could extend programming at Hill through the
summer," he said, adding that Hill's perfor-
niatice season typically runs from mid-Sep-
tember to mid-May.
The auditorium is named for former Uni-
versity Regent Arthur Hill who, in 1 910,
donated to the University 5200,000 fromi his
estate for the construction of an auditorium.
H-ill hosts a variety of University-related
and professional musicians and speakers. It
offers a performing experience unlike any
other, said Blackstone, who's been con-
ducting the Mea's Glee Club and other
campus vocal ensembles on Hill's stage for
12 years. "It's acoustically woniderful," lie
said.
Detroit architect Albert Kahni, who
designed many Central Campus buildings,
including Angell Hall, the Harlan Hatcher
Graduate Library and the Natural Science
Building, is credited withi the creation of
Hill's near-perfect acoustics.
"'Hill brings human quality to the voice.,"
K uras said, "You can speak in a regular voice
from ceniter stage anid be heard in the second
balcony."
13RAP QUINN/OaiIl'
Hilt Auditorium is scheduled to undergo $50 mllllon tIn flvatlon#. The projeot Iis shedoledi to start
late next year or early 2002 and is expected to take about three to four years to oomplete,
.Rcegents approve Arthur Miller
Theater, Waigreen Drama Center
Sy Joselyn Gingrich
Daily. Staff Reporter
With twogifts of S5 million from University
OAlium C harles Waltzreen Jr.. the University is plan-
ning to build the Walgreen Drama Center.
It will house a develop-
ment that University Presi- "This w llat
dlent Lee Bollinger has been wl
working toward since his u liyofI
inlauguration iln 1996 the quality ofH
Arthur Miller Theater. and the Unii
It will also hold many
small student repertory thle-
Liter,,, includingz the "true- Universi
Wlood Theater, relocated
fromi the Frieze B~uilding~.
The center will be located niext to the Power Cen-
teron Huron Street, next to the Central Power Plant.
The center is estimated to cost about S1 8 1million
and take at least two years to complete. The Univer-
sity Board of Regents approved the proposed Center
at its May meeting.
"This will add to the quality of life in the arts anid
the University and for those of us fortunate enough
to live in the area' said Regent Rebecca McGowan
(D-Ann Arbor).
Kenneth Fischer, director of the University
Musical Society, sid
dd TO the
fe in the arts
fversity..
- Rebecca McGowan
ity regent (D-Ann Arbor)
the addition of a 600-seat
theater will make it easier
to bring events to campus
without taking away tie-
ater space f'rom studeint
groups.
"It's wonderful we can
honor the great American
playwright of the 20th
Century," Fischer said.
"All sorts of' Institutions
asked (to uise Arthulr
The announcenient of the plan for the Arthur
Miller Theater came at the same time as the Univer-
sity Musical Society unveiled its new theater plan.
World-renowned theater groups such as the Royal
Shakespeare Company and the Gate Theater of
Dublin will be making appearances next season.
Next year "will put Anni Arbor on the map as a
major theater presence,'"lFischer said. "Thei Arthur
Miller Theater cements it."
With this theater, the University in'tenlds to add to
its performing arts corridor, which includes Hill
Audorum, Rackham Auditoriutm, thle Mendolssolhn
Theater aiid the Power Center
In honor of Arthur Miller's 85th birthday, the Uni-
versity is hosting the "Arthur Miller International
Symposium: Arthur Miller's American Theater and
Culture iln a Century of Change"fr-om Oct. 26-29.
The 1938 graduate will give the keynote address
Oct. 26.
The Walgreen fiamily has also contributed to the
University inl the form of professorships in the col-
lege of Pharmacy, the College of Literature Science,
and the Arts and the School of Education.
Miller's name) and he said no0 to all except Lee
Bollinger. We can honor a distinguished U~iversi-
ty alumnus on our own campus with a theater
named after him."
The University is using additional gifts to pay for
the rest of the project.
information 'U' can use
Campus Movie Theaters
Briarwood
100 Brlarwood Cir.,, Ann Arbor
Michigan Theater
603 E.~ Liberty, Ann Arbor
Quality :16:
368$ Jackson Rnd., AM AfAbor
State Theater
2335S. State, Ann Arbor
Showcase Cinemas
4100 Carpenter Rd., Ypsilanti
045-480-4555-:
827-2837
761-8667
973-8380
1
university musical society
H a f P i e SuFo r o n e d a y o n l y a t t h e b akS le ii F P
Saturday, So
9ay- lpnt,H
Your ticket to the Performing Arts at Univerity of Mhit-
ABOVE: The Michigan Theater Screening Room.
NORMAN NG Daily
LEFT: The i .
State Theater.
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G Keith Jarrett / Gary Peacock / Jack Del
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C Bulg~arinWonien'$ Chair
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tite is to students!
fli Auditorium
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BRAD QUINN; Daily
RIGHT:
Showcase
Cinema.
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WHEN THE SUNSHINE DDTWR0
THE GOOD LORD BRINGS'$AL AT N
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RN5 GRECE * TAILAND* RUSIA MEXIO 'a
STUDY ABROAD
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FAIR 2000O
October 5, 2000
Michigan Union Ballrooma
4:00 to 6:00 PMo
-a
Set your sights on:
STUDY ABROAD!_
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Manuel Barrueco,
Ballet Preljocaj: Paysag
Prague Chamber Orchestra
wiafi the Beaux Arts Trio
Royal Shakeseare Company: TheH
Henry AI Parts 1, IN & ti/ and Richard
Les Violons du Roy
David Daniels, counterten
Academy of St. Martin-in-
Murray Prahia, conduco
Chamber Music Society of em
Heidi Grant Murphy, sopra
I' 6 Ifs