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Project Name: Hilbert Circle Theatre
Submission Category: 25 Year Award
Project Type: Symphonic Performance Hall
Project Address: 45 Monument Circle, Indianapolis, IN 46204
Date of Substantial Completion: 1984
Simply put, at the heart of every great city is a great Orchestra. Since moving to the renovated Hilbert Circle Theatre in 1984, the
Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra (ISO) has added significantly to the cultural revitalization of downtown Indy. Owning and operating a beautiful and historic concert venue for the good of all of the community is critically important to the ISO. In 2016, the
Symphony will be celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Circle Theatre and paying tribute to the many civic leaders, architects,
government officials, corporate investors, philanthropists, musicians and patrons who made (and continue to make) this fine
facility a point of pride for Indianapolis.
The Circle Theatre was one of the most distinctive buildings in Indianapolis when it was built in 1916. In 1984 it literally was
saved from the wrecking ball and converted to a performance hall as the home of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra (ISO),
now known as the Hilbert Circle Theatre. The rehabilitation adapted the structure to its new use without compromising its historic detail. The Hilbert Circle Theatre is a major asset to the city and a keystone structure to the continued vitality of Monument
Circle. The theater is notable, not only due to its design, its history and its location, but to its significant conversion from a vaudeville movie house to a first class symphonic performance hall. This adaptation of the Circle Theatre helped to elevate the ISO to
one of the top orchestras in America and has successfully continued in its original adaptive purpose over twenty five years later.
The Hilbert Circle Theatre was originally designed by the renowned Indianapolis architectural firm of Rubush and Hunter, and
was constructed by the Bedford Stone Construction Company. On its opening the Indianapolis Star attested to the building’s
architectural significance: “The snowy front of the new building with its frieze of Grecian dancing girls and musicians, with a great
picture with the same motif above the entrance, … makes a very valuable contribution to the architecture which surrounds the
soldiers monument” and went on to say, “The exterior is only a hint at the beauty within the doors.” The Indiana Preservationist (March/April 1992) applauds the architecture saying “The theater’s glazed terra cotta façade is an example of Adamesque
Neo-Classicism that was popular in the United States in the early twentieth century. It unites a variety of classical elements including a central pediment, pilasters and bas-reliefs of Grecian figures with particular delicacy and lightness” and goes on to say,
“The interior included amber glass chandeliers, oil paintings, mahogany furniture, rose colored carpets and plush upholstery.
This luxury was revolutionary to Indianapolis’ movie-going public, who had grown accustomed to the cheap ornamentation and
shoe box accommodations of the nickelodeon.”
The Hilbert Circle Theatre is located on Monument Circle which was the centroid of Alexander Ralston’ Plan in laying out the city
with the major streets converging into a traffic circle around the Soldiers and Sailors Monument. Monument Circle is not only
The Icon for the city of Indianapolis but is its most significant urban space and undeniably a most important address for a theater.
The Circle Theatre opened only three years after the Regent Theater in New York City as the first major forum for showing
moving pictures and was the first movie house west of Broadway. It was the first theater in Indianapolis to show Al Jolson in the
“The Jazz Singer” on February 4, 1928 and remained the Grand Dame of the movie theaters in Indianapolis for many years. In
1970’s it had sank to showing “C” grade movies. The uncertain future of the Circle Theatre filled the press from the mid-1970s
to its rebirth in the 1984. It was rumored to be targeted for a parking lot when Indianapolis Power and Light tried to buy it, with
both buyer and seller fighting its designation on the National Register of Historic Places in the press and in the courtroom. IPL
did finally buy the theater and with the benefit of historic preservation tax credits worked with the community and the Indianapolis Symphony to convert the structure to a first class performance hall and it remains so today with continued maintenance and
upgrades.
Adapting a structure to a similar but different and in this case, a structurally more demanding use, while maintaining its historic
detail and integrity demands a challenging preservation design. Key challenges to convert the structure from a vaudeville movie
house to a symphonic hall included:
HILBERT CIRCLE THEATRE
A. Created Needed Stage space sufficient to accommodate a 90 piece symphonic orchestra
1. Widen the proscenium arch to enhance stage size and acoustical needs (requiring significant negotiations with the
National Park Services to remove original
Proscenium)
2. Extend the rear side of the stage 14 feet across Court Street; vacating the street
3. Remove dressing room stacks to add stage volume and acoustical shell
4. Extend stage front over original orchestra pit
B. Enhanced Auditorium Space for Patrons
1. Realignment of the seating rake (sloped floor) to improve audience sight lines
2. Improve quality of seating by increasing front to back spacing for improved leg room and reducing total seating from
approximately 3000 seats to 1900 and increase the average seat width to improve overall comfort
3. Provide orchestra level box seating with individual arm chairs
4. Rebuild/restore historic box seats that had been removed during decline of the theater
5. Create new shell seats boxes on the three sides
C. Created new Promenade Lobby on first floor
1. Create a new lobby at orchestra level where none had existed since it was unnecessary for a Vaudeville movie house
which did not have the more extensive intermission needs as today’s orchestras. The rehabilitated design removed
seating from under the 2nd floor mezzanine to expand and link to the entry lobby and allow for patrons to socialize
during intermissions.
D. Developed supporting ancillary improvements
1. New orchestra shell
2. Elevators accessing all levels of the theater
3. New HVAC throughout that was very carefully integrated into the historic detail elements and created a quiet high
level comfort of air movement and humidity control that would not interfere with the acoustic requirements
4. Greatly expanded and renovated all restrooms
5. Provided totally new House and Stage lighting
6. Connected historic Circle Theater to two buildings on Washington Street (the main street immediately to the south)
to provide supporting spaces for orchestra members, administration staff, music library, instrument storage and
dressing rooms
7. Installed totally new Life Safety systems and equipment
E. Architectural and Structural Restoration/ Rehabilitation
1. Completed a total rehabilitation of the entire exterior envelope
i. Exterior Terre Cotta & brick masonry restoration
ii. All exterior windows & glazing
iii. Restoration of Clifton Wheeler’s Grecian Mural
iv. Roofing, coping, membranes and drains
v. Rebuilt the entry lobby where the Adams Style plaster ornamentation had been either destroyed or covered over
vi. Reintroduced classical interior painting scheme similar to original
vii. Restored ornamental plaster, decorative railings and marble finishes in mezzanine and auditorium upper lobby
spaces
viii. Reproduced original carpet pattern which was created from an original piece discovered in a closet
ix. Refurbished and recreated glass chandeliers throughout the building
x. Created new Green Room/ multipurpose space overlooking Monument Circle
2. Renovation provided compliance with handicapped accessibility (now known as ADA) throughout the project
HILBERT CIRCLE THEATRE
HILBERT CIRCLE THEATRE
FRONT FAÇADE - BEFORE
FRONT FAÇADE - AFTER
HILBERT CIRCLE THEATRE
LOBBY - BEFORE
LOBBY - AFTER
HILBERT CIRCLE THEATRE
MEZZANINE - BEFORE (WITH SEATING BELOW)
MEZZANINE - AFTER (WITH LOBBY BELOW)
HILBERT CIRCLE THEATRE
AUDITORIUM AND SIDE BOXES - BEFORE
AUDITORIUM AND SIDE BOXES - AFTER
HILBERT CIRCLE THEATRE
OLD PROSCENIUM
NEW PROSCENIUM
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LOBBY - BEFORE
LOBBY - AFTER
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ORCHESTRA LEVEL PLAN
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MEZZANINE LEVEL PLAN
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SECOND MEZZANINE LEVEL PLAN
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BALCONY PLAN
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BASEMENT PLAN
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REALIGNED SEATING
RESTORED AUDITORIUM
NEW HVAC SYSTEM
ENLARGED STAGE AND PROSCENIUM
NEW LOBBY
NEW ORCHESTRA SEATING
LONGITUDE SECTION
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CROSS SECTION
HILBERT CIRCLE THEATRE
FRONT FAÇADE
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