Revamped hall revitalizes arts

Sept. 9 - Under the watchful eye of Chancellor James Moeser and Andy Griffith, among others, Memorial Hall officially reopened Thursday afternoon.

A 20-foot-long ribbon graced the hall's stage and was cut to signal the end of a three-year renovation.

"We are at last able to stand on this spectacular stage and look out at a hall that is new, yet looks familiar," said Moeser in his opening comments.

Various UNC dignitaries - including Nelson Schwab, Board of Trustees chairman, and Emil Kang, executive director for the arts - also were on hand to take part in the celebration.

Moeser acknowledged an invisible presence in the chandelier-clad facility, that of a late UNC chancellor who led an early push for a modern performing arts space.

"There is another ... presence in this hall today, and that is the spirit of Michael Hooker," he said.

The biggest draw for the audience was one of the University's most prominent alumni - Andy Griffith of Mayberry fame.

Griffith kept his comments brief Thursday because he will be at an event today to honor his career memorabilia being displayed at Wilson Library. He used the majority of his time on stage to recall some of his memories at Memorial Hall.

"How exciting it is to stand on this stage where I spent so many happy hours - ."

Among the last to take the podium was Kang, who said he felt dwarfed by the history permeating the hall.

"The history of this place and the people in this room gives a sense of gravitas that a young kid from the Bronx can't fathom," he said.

Kang said he foresees the revitalization of Memorial Hall not merely as the rescue of an aging campus landmark, but as an investment in the power of the arts.

"We believe our programs at Memorial Hall will serve diverse audiences through multidisciplinary performing arts programs in presentation, creation and education," he said.

"We will strive to engage, inspire and entertain audiences through innovative performances."

After some brief closing comments by Moeser, who spoke of the arts' ability to transform human lives, the ribbon that had dominated the stage throughout the entire ceremony finally was cut.

"I'm a senior, and this is the first time I've seen people in the hall besides construction workers," said Molly Stapleton, chairwoman of the arts advocacy committee of student government.

"That makes me really excited about the year to come."

 

Contact the A&E editor at artsdesk@unc.edu.