City approves 2007 auditorium funding

Study approved for Wadsworth stage system

Public hearing held at Wadsworth Auditorium (photo)

Wadsworth restoration architect recognized by state

An audience of music patrons walked into the Newnan Municipal Auditorium Feb. 21, 1998, and left the "Charles Wadsworth Auditorium."

Newnan Mayor Keith Brady presided over the name change ceremonies during the fifth annual "Wadsworth and Friends" concert to benefit the 624 seat auditorium.

It is much through the help of world-renowned pianist and Newnan native Charles Wadsworth that the hall — in which he performed at student recitals as a child — is gaining new life and new technology. He has hosted seven concerts presenting rising young talent in the classical world each February — to benefit restoration and upgrading of the 1930s-era Art Deco hall. Wadsworth has had an esteemed career working at the Lincoln Center in New York City where he was director of the chamber music program and rubbed elbows with all the greats of classical music. He also coordinates chamber music performances for the famed Spoleto festivals in Charleston, S.C., and has hosted several spring programs at Callaway Gardens.

The auditorium fills most of the old Newnan Municipal Building on Jefferson Street and will continue to host audiences now that the main city administrative offices have moved to a new city hall on LaGrange Street.

The Municipal Building is a significant local landmark, built in 1939 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was designed by noted Georgia architect R. Kennon Perry, who also designed many of the fine old homes on Jackson Street in the Platinum Point National Register District — one of five National Register districts in Newnan. He also designed the original Newnan Hospital. Among his most well-known designs is the Georgia Academy of Medicine in Atlanta. That building was recently restored by Gene Surber of Surber and Barber Architects of Atlanta.

Surber, an award-winning historic architect, served as the consulting architect for the rehabilitation of the Newnan auditorium. Project architect was Joseph Dicks, also of Atlanta. Rein Pirn, who designed the acoustics for Spivey Hall at Clayton College and State University in Morrow, developed an acoustical plan for the auditorium.

Wadsworth has praised the acoustics at Spivey Hall, where he has performed.
President Franklin Delano Roosevelt — who spent much time at his beloved Warm Springs not far south of Newnan — created the New Deal program to pull the United States out of the Great Depression of the 1930s. Part of the relief measures approved by Congress in 1935 was the Works Progress Administration, founded to provide work for needy persons on public projects such as highways, bridges, parks and buildings and also created work for artists, writers, actors and musicians. The WPA provided work for about 8 1/2 million people. The Newnan Municipal Auditorium Building was a WPA project and is Coweta County's only Art Deco building.

Among the concerns of the restoration committee was to retain and enhance the original remaining Art Deco elements such as light fixtures, a pair of murals flanking the stage, geometric wall treatments and decorative seating. At the same time, the architects were challenged with improving acoustics by installing a new sound-reflective ceiling. Other improvements include a new sound and lighting system, and construction of an interior technical balcony at the back of the auditorium. A new color scheme using Art Deco colors was created as painting was done and carpet installed.

The major construction and new technical balcony was ready for the February 1997 "Wadsworth and Friends" benefit. Motorized pull curtains with the feel of old Art Deco movie theaters were installed in time for the February 1998 Wadsworth concert. Complete dressing room renovation followed during the next year. Other work, including seat upholstering, more sound system improvements, back stage curtains, an updated stage scenery fly system and decorative touches, is still down the road.
The interior foyer formed in the space beneath the technical balcony now houses a dramatically lighted bust of Charles Wadsworth, created by local artist Carol Harless.

Booking information

The Charles Wadsworth Auditorium may be booked for general public performance use by contacting Wendy LaRotonda at the City of Newnan- 770 253-2682, ext. 228. The facility may be tentatively reserved in advance at no charge, but reservations are not firm until all the proper fees are paid. Final fee payments must be complete 1 month prior to performance. A $300 bond payment is required, which will be returned if no damage to the facility results.

An auditorium manager/technical supervisor must be present during all rehearsals and performances. The hourly technical fee provides for the supervisor's compensation. In order to keep rental costs down, users are expected to clean up following performances, leaving the facility ready for the next event.

Production information

Download a PDF printer-ready drawing and description of the technical specs here. It requires Adobe Acrobat Reader. Visit this site- to download the software.

Additional information

For more general information on the Charles Wadsworth Auditorium, email Steve Hill.