== History of BCC ==


Flintco Inc., of Tulsa, Oklahoma, was the General Contractor for the construction, which began in December 1979, and was completed in January 1982. The cost of the Center, including land, construction, furnishings, and equipment was nearly $13 million, and was completely paid for on opening day, January 12, 1982. It was immediately recognized as one of the finest performing arts halls in the country - an amazing facility for a community of only 35,000. Funds were secured from private and corporate donations, as well as the proceeds of a 1 % sales tax for a period of three years, which expired November 30, 1981. The building is debt-free and has approximately $3.5 million in an endowment that generates interest income to defray operational costs. The Center is run by a paid staff of nine full-time and five part-time employees, with support from about 400 volunteers.

The Center is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization directed by a nine member Community Center Trust Authority, which was created in the late 1970's by the Bartlesville City Council. The City is the beneficiary of the Trust and the City Council appoints the members of the Trust Authority. One of the ten members is a member of the City Council.

This 94,000 square foot Center houses a 1,702 seat state-of-the-art-theater with a one-of-a-kind orchestra shell which allows great flexibility for music concerts and dance, as well as intimate theater and touring Broadway extravaganzas. There is also a large and small meeting room and an art gallery.

Description

The Bartlesville Community Center is a unique structure in downtown Bartlesville at the corner of Adams Boulevard and Cherokee Avenue. William Wesley Peters, chief architect of Taliesin and Vice President of The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, designed the Center. The design emphasizes the use of sweeping curves, circles, ovals and acute and obtuse angles; right angles are avoided. Mrs. Wright selected most of the interior decor.

The exterior earth colors are continued inside the Community Center where you will find the world's largest cloisonn mural, over 25 feet long, which shows a stylized northeastern Oklahoma countryside depicted in the four seasons. Crystalline light fixtures are suspended like icicles from the ceiling in Community Hall. The Ted and Melody Lyon Art Gallery presents a constantly changing array of art and photography.

The lower level Studio Theater can host smaller theatrical productions or events.
The Marie Foster Performing Arts Hall is an acoustic delight. Ransom Wilson, Conductor of the Solisti New York Orchestra said, "We've discovered one of the finest concert halls in this country."

In addition to concerts, the Center presents ballet, a wide variety of stage productions, and meeting facilities for a broad spectrum of civic groups. The art gallery presents a constantly changing array of art and photography. The beautiful multi-functional facility is equipped to handle events as large as state conventions, as small as group meetings of fifteen and as varied as beauty pageants and world class international music festivals. Conferences, trade shows, and seminars are easily accommodated with the versatile meeting and breakout rooms available. The Center is a favorite location for family and class reunions, wedding receptions, fund-raising dinners, business meetings, luncheons and corporate conferences.

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Facility

Marie Foster Performing Arts Hall

There are 1692 seats, with an additional 10 for wheel chairs, in the Marie Foster Performing Arts Hall. They are arranged in the Continental style, i.e., with no center aisle. Each row, 42 inches wide, is actually considered to be and aisle. This seating arrangement meets all safety standards and the Auditorium can be emptied in 4 to 5 minutes.

The sound reverberation rate in the Auditorium is controlled with the drapes on the side and rear walls in optimized ranges of 1.9 seconds for symphony concerts to 1.1 seconds for theater performances. The drapes are raised and lowered electrically in a matter of seconds.

Sound is controlled from the open deck at the rear of the Auditorium. There are 64 microphone locations on the stage that may be used. The system also has capabilities for reel-to-reel tape, cassette tape and phonograph inputs. The main speakers are located behind the grill cloth just above the center of the stage. During a performance, a technician monitors the sound.

The lighting control board is located behind the windows in the rear center of the Auditorium. There are 308 electrical circuits in the stage area that can be assigned to 64 dimmers operated by the lighting control board. The control board is capable of remembering all of the dimmer intensities and execution time for each cue and can then display the cues on stage in any order the operator chooses.

At the rear of the stage is the telescoping orchestra shell which moves on an "air caster" system. It literally floats on the thin stream of air, which permits extension of the five telescoping sections in a matter of minutes. It is the first of its kind in the world, although the principle has been used in other applications, such as moving oil field equipment or sea hovercraft.

Overheard at the rear of the theater are two doors which can be opened and behind which are located the follow spots, one at each opening. Each spot is controlled by an operator who selects a color gel, adjusts the size and intensity of the spot, and follows the performers around on stage.

There is a stage lift at the front of the stage. This lift is 62 feet wide and 11 feet deep and is raised and lowered by screw jacks. At the upper level of five levels, the lift can be used as an extension of the stage. At the Auditorium level, the next lower level, the lift can provide additional seating for 86 people. At the orchestra pit level, the lift can accommodate 45 musicians. The next two lower levels (not visible from the Auditorium) provide access to a storage area for large equipment directly below the stage, such as grand pianos, and to the Studio Theater, the bottom level directly below the Auditorium seating area.

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Community Hall

The Community Hall is a spacious open area room on the ground floor. It will house up to 400 people for banquets, 500 in chairs or 600 standing, and has moveable walls to divide part of the area into four smaller conference rooms. The Hall is also used for major conferences, seminars, receptions, concerts and meetings, as well as larger exhibits such as antique shows, fairs, formal balls, awards assemblies and other meetings. The larger door walls just to the left as you enter the Hall, allow access for large items such as boats, cars, etc. A kitchen with outside access for deliveries is located next to the Hall and is designed to accommodate anything from large catered dinners to simple snacks.

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Studio Theater

The Studio Theater is the same size as the stage when the orchestra shell is extended and is used for classes, rehearsals, smaller theater presentations, conferences, receptions and dining facilities. The Studio will hold 150 theater-style, 130 people for banquets or 100 people in a classroom set-up.

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Balcony

The Balcony on the west side of the facility provides a fine panoramic view of downtown Bartlesville. For special events like OK Mozart Festival in June, catering services are provided on the Balcony. Other events, such as luncheons or receptions, can be held there as well. The Balcony is accessed at the top of the staircase or ramp near the back of the Auditorium.