Lutcher Theater

Last updated
Lutcher Theater
Address 707 Main Street
Orange, Texas
United States
Coordinates 30°05′30″N93°44′09″W / 30.09159°N 93.73596°W / 30.09159; -93.73596 Coordinates: 30°05′30″N93°44′09″W / 30.09159°N 93.73596°W / 30.09159; -93.73596
Owner Nelda C. and H.J. Lutcher Stark Foundation
Capacity 1,450
Opened 1980
Website
www.lutcher.org

Lutcher Theater is a privately owned, 1,450-seat, non-profit performing arts facility located at 707 Main Street in Orange, Texas. [1] It was built in 1980 and is the largest Performing Arts Series from Houston, Texas, to New Orleans, Louisiana, with annual attendance at approximately 30,000 adults and children. [2]

Performing arts art forms in which artists use their body or voice to convey artistic expression

Performing arts are a form of art in which artists use their voices, bodies or inanimate objects to convey artistic expression. It is different from visual arts, which is when artists use paint, canvas or various materials to create physical or static art objects. Performing arts include a range of disciplines which are performed in front of a live audience.

Orange, Texas City in Texas, United States

Orange is a city in Orange County, Texas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 18,595. It is the county seat of Orange County, and is the easternmost city in Texas. Located on the Sabine River at the border with Louisiana, Orange is 113 miles (182 km) from Houston and is part of the Beaumont−Port Arthur Metropolitan Statistical Area. Founded in 1836, it is a deep-water port to the Gulf of Mexico.

Contents

Features

The six-story Lutcher Theater is the tallest building in downtown Orange. It has 1,450 seat accommodations, with 870 on the main level and 567 in the balcony. If necessary, the orchestra pit can be lowered to accommodate a 1,450-person audience. The stage itself is 45'W x 30'H x 35'10"T. The sound system is an EAW AX series system with left, right, and center clusters. The theater is handicap accessible and offers headphones for the hearing impaired.

Performances

Since its opening with Liberace in February 1980, the theater has hosted only the best in big name entertainment. It serves as a showplace for a range of performing arts productions, from traveling Broadway plays to musical groups to one-man acts. [3]

Liberace American pianist

Władziu Valentino Liberace was an American pianist, singer and actor. A child prodigy and the son of Polish and Italian immigrants, Liberace enjoyed a career spanning four decades of concerts, recordings, television, motion pictures, and endorsements. At the height of his fame, from the 1950s to the 1970s, Liberace was the highest-paid entertainer in the world, with established concert residencies in Las Vegas, and an international touring schedule. Liberace embraced a lifestyle of flamboyant excess both on and off stage, acquiring the nickname "Mr. Showmanship".

Broadway theatre class of professional theater presented in New York City, New York, USA

Broadway theatre, commonly known as Broadway, refers to the theatrical performances presented in the 41 professional theatres, each with 500 or more seats located in the Theater District and Lincoln Center along Broadway, in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. Along with London's West End theatre, Broadway theatre is widely considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English-speaking world.

Notable performances include:

Chris Botti musician

Christopher Stephen Botti, is an American trumpeter and composer.

<i>Lyle Lovett and His Large Band</i> 1989 studio album by Lyle Lovett

Lyle Lovett and His Large Band is Lyle Lovett's third album, released in 1989.

Jim Brickman Composer, recording artist

Jim Brickman is an American songwriter and pianist of pop music, as well as a radio show host. Brickman has earned six Gold and Platinum albums. He is known for his solo piano compositions, pop-style instrumentals, and vocal collaborations with artists such as Lady Antebellum, Johnny Mathis, Michael W. Smith, Martina McBride, Megan Hilty, Donny Osmond, Delta Goodrem, Olivia Newton-John, and many others. He has earned two Grammy nominations for his albums Peace (2003) for Best Instrumental, and Faith (2009) for Best New Age Album; an SESAC "Songwriter of the Year" award; a Canadian Country Music Award for Best Vocal/Instrumental Collaboration; and a Dove Award presented by the Gospel Music Association.

Educational programs

Lutcher Theater's Series for Kids is one of the largest Children's Performing Series in Texas and the largest kids’ series in the Southeast Texas area. Performances are given by National and International performing arts touring companies. The series includes popular children's shows such as Old Yeller and The Velveteen Rabbit . The performances are held during the week for students on field trips and even include a study guide so teachers can incorporate the shows into their lessons.

<i>Old Yeller</i> novel by Fred Gipson

Old Yeller is a 1956 children's novel written by Fred Gipson and illustrated by Carl Burger. It received a Newbery Honor in 1957. The title is taken from the name of the yellow dog who is the center of the book's story. In 1957, Walt Disney released a film adaptation starring Tommy Kirk, Fess Parker, Dorothy McGuire, Kevin Corcoran, Jeff York, and Beverly Washburn.

<i>The Velveteen Rabbit</i> childrens novel

The Velveteen Rabbit is a British children's book written by Margery Williams and illustrated by William Nicholson. It chronicles the story of a stuffed rabbit's desire to become real through the love of his owner. The book was first published in 1922 and has been republished many times since.

The Nelda C. and H. J. Lutcher Stark Foundation

The Nelda C. and H.J. Lutcher Stark Foundation is a private foundation established in 1961 in Orange, Texas. It aims to improve the quality of life in Southeast Texas by encouraging, promoting, and assisting education, the arts, and health and human services. It carries out its mission through the Stark Museum of Art, the W. H. Stark House, Lutcher Theater, and Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center. These programs offer the community a rich resource for study and enjoyment of the arts, history, and nature.

Stark Museum of Art Art museum, Design/Textile Museum in Orange, TX

The Stark Museum of Art in Orange, Texas, houses one of the nation's most significant collections of American Western art. The Western Art collection conveys the artistic interpretation of the western region over two centuries.

W. H. Stark House

The W.H. Stark House is a fully restored, 14,000-square-foot (1,300 m2) Victorian home located on the corner between Green Avenue and Sixth Street in Orange, Texas.

Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center Botanical garden, Nature center in Orange, Texas

Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center are private botanical gardens and a nature preserve located in the center of Orange, Texas.

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H.J. Lutcher Stark Center for Physical Culture and Sports is located on the campus of the University of Texas at Austin, the H.J. Lutcher Stark Center for Physical Culture and Sports is a library, archive and museum dedicated to the study and preservation of the world of physical culture. Through the donations of the Nelda C. and H.J. Lutcher Stark Foundation and the Betty and Joe Weider Foundation, the Stark Center opened in 2009, providing access to the Center’s extensive collection of materials on weight training, bodybuilding, athletic conditioning, alternative medicine, and other forms of self-improvement. The collection, considered the largest of its kind, comprises thousands of books and magazines, an extensive photograph collection, correspondence files, posters, videotapes, films, and artifacts. The Center’s directors, Drs. Jan and Terry Todd, both former powerlifting athletes, are committed to preserving the history of physical culture.

References

  1. "Lutcher Theater for the Performing Arts". Lutcher. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  2. "Orange's Lutcher Theater". ZVents. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  3. "Lutcher Theater Season Package". Orange Leader. Retrieved 11 November 2013.