{"id":32216,"date":"2019-10-04T09:00:35","date_gmt":"2019-10-04T13:00:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/college.unc.edu\/?p=32216"},"modified":"2024-07-02T17:12:38","modified_gmt":"2024-07-02T17:12:38","slug":"a-century-of-theater","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/collegearchive.unc.edu\/?p=32216","title":{"rendered":"A century of theater"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"PlayMakers
PlayMakers Repertory Company performs Shakespeare’s Macbeth at Forest Theatre on Oct. 5, 2018. (photo by Johnny Andrews)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Carolina\u2019s Forest Theatre is turning 100, so it\u2019s only natural<\/em> that the University and the Chapel Hill community are celebrating the iconic campus landmark.<\/p>\n

In honor of its rich 100-year history, the theater will host a celebration<\/a> on Oct. 6, complete with performances by PlayMakers Repertory Company, the Paperhand Puppet Intervention and student drama organizations.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are thrilled to recognize the tremendous legacy and incredible milestone of this iconic Carolina landmark and are so pleased we can gather together with the campus and the community to reflect on its past, celebrate its present and envision its future,\u201d said Kathryn Wagner, associate director of Arts Everywhere.<\/p>\n

A century of performance<\/strong><\/p>\n

The first performance at the site of what came to be Forest Theater was a production of \u201cTaming of the Shrew\u201d in 1916. Drama professor Frederick Koch, who was recruited by University president Edward Kidder Graham in 1914, produced the show to coincide with the 300th<\/sup> anniversary of Shakespeare\u2019s death.<\/p>\n

Back then, there was no permanent structure. But Koch and William C. Coker \u2014 a botany professor and founder of Coker Arboretum \u2014 saw the natural shape of an amphitheater carved out in the land. After the success of Koch\u2019s first production in the location, the University worked to create a permanent theater space. In 1919, Forest Theatre, a stone amphitheater, was completed.<\/p>\n

Koch, who taught at Carolina for 26 years, used the theater as a performance venue for his student drama troupe, the Carolina Playmakers<\/a>. The troupe, founded in 1918, was known for performing American folk plays on campus and around the state.<\/p>\n

After completing renovations in 1940 and 1948, the University dedicated the theatre to Koch<\/a> in 1953, calling it \u201can open-air palace of light and sound.\u201d<\/p>\n

In 2004, the North Carolina Botanical Garden<\/a>, under the direction of then-Chancellor James Moeser, assumed responsibility for Battle Park and Forest Theatre and updated the electrical capacity of the theater in 2012.<\/p>\n

North Carolina Botanical Garden<\/a> plans to continue enhancing Forest Theatre by improving sound and lighting infrastructure and increasing accessibility.<\/p>\n

Taking stories to our state<\/strong><\/p>\n

Today, the theater is routinely used by student drama organizations such as the Pauper Players and Company Carolina, as well as the PlayMakers Repertory Company<\/a> \u2014 Carolina\u2019s professional theatre in residence. Some professors are even known to hold class at the theater to teach vocal projection.<\/p>\n

For PlayMakers\u2019 Producing Artistic Director Vivienne Benesch, Forest Theatre represents Carolina\u2019s commitment to the citizens of North Carolina.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s nothing like an amphitheater to make you feel connected to the civic power of the arts,\u201d said Benesch. \u201cProfessor Koch really brought to Carolina the mission of bringing native stories of North Carolina to the people of the state and beyond.\u201d<\/p>\n

Much like the original Carolina Playmakers, today\u2019s PlayMakers perform at Forest Theatre before traveling to schools and community centers around the state, taking the production to the people of North Carolina.<\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone deserves culture and the arts,\u201d said Benesch. \u201cThrough the Forest Theatre, Carolina has made that possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

By Korie Dean, University Communications<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Carolina\u2019s Forest Theatre is turning 100, so it\u2019s only natural that the University and the Chapel Hill community are celebrating the iconic campus landmark. Join the festivities on Oct. 6.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":32217,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center 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