The Marcus Center for the Performing Arts is a performing arts center

Performing arts center

Performing arts center, often abbreviated PAC, is used to refer to* A multi-use performance space that is intended for use by various types of the performing arts, including dance, music and theatre....

 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...

. It serves as the home of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra

Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra

The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra is an orchestra based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Its primary performing venue is the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts...

, Florentine Opera

Florentine Opera

The Florentine Opera Company is Wisconsin's oldest fully professional performing arts organization and the sixth-oldest opera company in the United States. The company presents on three staged productions per season largely from the standard operatic repertoire...

, Milwaukee Ballet

Milwaukee Ballet

The Milwaukee Ballet is a professional ballet company located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. It was founded in 1969 by Roberta Boorse and held its first performance on April 24, 1970. It is currently ranked among the top twelve ballet companies in the United States...

, First Stage Children's Theater

First Stage Children's Theater

The First Stage Children's Theater is a professional American children's theater based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin founded in 1987. Its season consists of six mainstage plays and a touring production....

 and other local arts organizations. It is located at the corner of Water Street and State Street in downtown Milwaukee, and is owned by Milwaukee County.

The Marcus Center was designed in the Brutalist style by noted Chicago architect Harry Weese

Harry Weese

Harry Mohr Weese was an American architect, born in Evanston, Illinois in the Chicago suburbs, who had an important role in 20th century modernism and historic preservation...

. Construction began on June 27, 1966, and it opened on July 26, 1969 as the Performing Arts Center. After a $25 million donation from the Marcus Corporation

Marcus Corporation

The Marcus Corporation is a publicly held company headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The company operates two principal divisions: Marcus Theatres and Marcus Hotels and Resorts. One of the company's principal assets, Baymont Motels, was sold to La Quinta Corporation in 2003...

 in honor of its founder Ben Marcus and his wife Ceil, Milwaukee County decided to change the venue's name in 1994.

Performance and other facilities

The Center contains four major theater venues:

• Uihlein Hall - Designed for operas, musicals, orchestral concerts, dance programs, theatrical productions, lectures, annual meetings, commencements, or film screenings, it has a seating capacity
  Seating capacity
  Seating capacity refers to the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, both in terms of the physical space available, and in terms of limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that seats two to a stadium that seats...
  
   of 2,305, and is the largest theater in the Marcus Center. Uihlein Hall is named in honor of the Uihlein family, the owners of the former Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company
  Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company
  The Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company was an American brewery based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and was once the largest producer of beer in the world. Its namesake beer, Schlitz, was known as "The beer that made Milwaukee famous" and was famously advertised with the slogan "When you're out of Schlitz,...
  
  . It was renovated in 1997.
• Todd Wehr Hall - Designed for lectures, concerts, plays, conferences and meetings, this hall has a seating capacity of 496.
• Vogel Hall - Designed for teleconferencing, meetings, seminars, new product introductions, commencements, plays, dance programs, film screenings or concerts, this theater has a seating capacity of 475.
• Peck Pavilion - An open air structure, located on the Milwaukee River and adjacent to a grove of chestnut trees, the Peck Pavilion is suitable for concerts, film or lecture series, dance programs, dramatic performances, product demonstrations, weddings and receptions. It has a seating capacity of 400.
• Bradley Pavilion - A banquet hall overlooking the Milwaukee River
  Milwaukee River
  The Milwaukee River is a river in the state of Wisconsin. It is about long.- Description :The river begins in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin and flows south past Grafton to downtown Milwaukee, where it empties into Lake Michigan...
  
  .
• Green Room - A smaller banquet hall and meeting room.
• Anello Atrium
• Magin Lounge

External links

• Marcus Center website
• Information from SeatAdvisor.com
• Article from KeyMilwaukee.com