Clowes Memorial Hall officially known as "Clowes Memorial Hall of Butler University" is a theatre located on the campus of Butler University, in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. Opened October 18, 1963, it hosts numerous significant concerts, orchestras, musicals, plays, and guest speakers.
History
Clowes Memorial Hall, which opened in 1963, was co-designed by noted Indianapolis architect Evans Woollen III, of Woollen, Molzan and Partners, and John M. Johansen, a well-known architect who established his practice in New Canaan, Connecticut. The performing hall is notable for its exposed concrete slabs, which are typical of the Brutalist architecture style. Woollen served as the junior partner in the project, but he was the "driving force behind its design and detail." Since it opened, the architectural community has praised its bold design. The design for the 24,000 square foot, $3.5 million building was a controversial one, but Allen Whitehill Clowes, son of Doctor George Henry Alexander Clowes, for whom the building is named, supported Woollen's proposal. Johanson had been Woollen's professor at Yale and was a former classmate of Allen Clowes at Harvard University. Dr. Clowes, a former director of biochemical research for Eli Lilly and Company, maintained a lifetime love of the arts. With the help of his wife and Butler University, the Clowes Fund was created to help build the performing arts facility. The building was originally intended to be used by both Butler University and the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. This joint venture continued until 1984 when the orchestra purchased, renovated, and moved to the historic Hilbert Circle Theatre on Monument Circle in Downtown Indianapolis.
Notable performances
In addition to being the former home of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Clowes Memorial Hall has been home to a number of significant music performances and productions. In 2011, Adam Lambert recorded his Glam Nation Tour at the venue for the Glam Nation Live CD/DVD set.
Tours
Tours of Clowes Hall are available on weekdays, at no charge, from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM. Tourists are given a brief history as well as a behind-the-scenes tour of the building.
