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Jones Hall
Proscenium arch
Wortham Theater Center
represents Houston's can-do spirit at its very best.
Built at the height of the
1980s oil bust, Wortham Center was funded entirely by the private sector. More than 3,500
donors contributed $66 million to build a new performing arts mecca amid a period of job
losses and recession. It was a true community effort -- 2,200 individuals gave $100 or
less.
What's more, the
437,500-square foot facility was completed four months ahead of schedule and $5 million
under budget, a testament to Houston's trademark ability to get things done. At the time,
Wortham Center was the first major opera house built in the U.S. in more than 25 years,
further underscoring Houston's capacity to do things other communities would not dare under
take.
The building is the legacy of the late
Gus S. Wortham, the founder of American General Insurance Company whose foundation
contributed $20 million to the capital campaign. The Cullen Foundation and the Brown
Foundation donated $7.5 million and $6 million, respectively, in a demonstration
of the collective strength of Houston's philanthropic spirit.
At 2,405 seats, the Brown is
the larger theater with a 17,000-square foot stage used primarily for major
performances by Houston Ballet and Houston Grand Opera. Despite its size, no seat is more
than 138 feet from the stage.
The 1,100-seat Cullen
Theater hosts smaller opera and ballet productions and serves other arts groups, such as Da Camera of
Houston, Society for the
Performing Arts, Mercury and
Houston Metropolitan
Dance. Its intimate size is ideal for solo artists, chamber music, small touring
shows and recitals.
Host to many of the world's most
accomplished entertainers, it is the place of memorable times, special people and important
events.
