Civic pride

The Oklahoma City Civic Center Music Hall is a big source of pride for many OKC residents and for good reason. The Civic Center has been at the center of performing arts in the metro for more than 80 years. The Civic Center holds on average 250 performances a year across its four stages and welcomes 300,000 visitors annually.

The Civic Center was completed in 1937 constructed partly using funds from President Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal and the Public Works Admiration. The first performance, "Rhapsodic Rhythms," took place on October 4, 1937.

Originally called the Municipal Auditorium, the name was changed to the Civic Center Music Hall in 1966.

The Civic Center underwent a complete renovation in the late 90s and early 2000s thanks to funding from the original MAPS program. The renovations included accommodations for major theatrical, dance and musical groups; a multi-story atrium; balconies, box seats and suites; excellent acoustics; and a hydraulic orchestra pit and today is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Over the years, everyone from Kiss to Bob Dylan has performed at the Civic Center. Today local groups like the Oklahoma City Ballet, OKC Broadway, Oklahoma City Philharmonic, as well as touring performing artists, keep the venue booked year-round.

The citizens of Oklahoma City continue to be supportive of the music hall. The Civic Center is currently undergoing a $14 million renovation using money from the 2017 Better City, Safer Streets bond package. The renovation project will be focused on the Freede Little Theatre, which has been largely untouched since the 1940s and will bring the theatre up to modern standards.

For a full list of performances happening soon at the Civic Center click here.