Hall Auditorium
The front face of Hall Auditorium.
Photo credit: Kevin G Reeves
Hall Auditorium is a 501-seat theater used for large-scale opera, dramatic, and dance productions. Its distinctive, wave-like facade was the subject of much controversy before and after its completion in 1953. The building is named for Sophronia H. Brooks Hall, mother of Charles Martin Hall, an Oberlin alumnus, benefactor, and inventor who founded ALCOA.
The dominant feature of this building is the massive, wavy wall of simulated white marble at the front facade. A flat, wide cornice stretches to the flat, stone walls at each side and extends north and south.
Following a major renovation project that began in 2016, Hall Auditorium is now part of an interconnected performing arts complex. It includes Hall Annex that houses Kander Theater, a 75-seat black box performance space for student work; and the Eric Baker Nord Performing Arts Annex, which houses the Irene and Alan Wurtzel Theater, a highly adaptable space that can seat upwards of 300 guests.