Ruth Eckerd Hall

Ruth Eckerd Hall is part of the Richard B. Baumgardner Center for the Performing Arts, located in Clearwater, Florida, a short hour´s drive north from Sarasota in the beautiful Tampa Bay area.  Ruth Eckerd Hall was nominated by a nationwide industry poll of artists, technicians, and concert hall managers as one of the top five concert halls in the United States.

Ruth Eckerd Hall accommodates nearly 2,200 people for a variety of performances, including concerts, plays, recitals, and special events.  The Baumgardner Center puts on about 200 events every year, and other organizations lease the venue for their independent performances, including The Florida Orchestra and other arts and community groups.

Upcoming events at Ruth Eckerd Hall include performances of popular shows such as "Chicago," "Don Quixote," "Jane Eyre," "Mamma Mia," "The Pirates of Penzance," and others.  Planned concerts range from traditional performances like Brahms´ Violin Concerto and Tampa Bay Symphony concerts, to international shows such as the Vienna Boys Choir and the National Philharmonic of Russia, to shows by contemporary artists including Meatloaf, Kenny Loggins, and Vince Gill.  Comedy performances are scheduled by Ray Romano and Brad Garrett of the popular television show "Everybody Loves Raymond."

Children´s programming is also popular at Ruth Eckerd Hall.  Upcoming weekend matinee performances include showings of "The Stinky Cheese Man" and "A Kid´s Life."  The Hall also hosts various educational opportunities for young people focusing on music, theater, and visual arts.  2007 programs will include arts immersion classes, instrumental jazz camp, courses focusing on circus arts, and many other offerings.  More information is available by visiting the online calendar of activities and events, at http://www.rutheckerdhall.com/calendar.

Ticket prices vary widely based on the specific performance and the date.  Information is available at the Ruth Eckerd Hall website, http://www.rutheckerdhall.com, or by contacting the Hall at (727) 791-7400.

The main lobbies of Ruth Eckerd Hall offer performance audiences beverages, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, and snacks for purchase from one hour prior to show time through the first intermission, if applicable.  The onsite East Side Café hosts Café Parties prior to most performances, with entertainment by local artists and snacks and drinks available.

Also at the Baumgardner Center are the Dimmitt Family Atrium Lounge, overlooking the facility´s lovely grounds; the Margarete Heye Great Room, accommodating up to 400 persons and with a balcony overlooking Alligator Lake and Tampa Bay; and the Murray Studio Theater, a black box theater that accommodates 200 for recitals, classes, family programs, and small special events.

The Baumgardner Center additionally houses the Marcia P. Hoffman Performing Arts Institute, the largest arts education program in the state, with classrooms, a dance studio, a recording lab, a media center, and rehearsal space.  It is at the Hoffman Institute that the Eckerd Theater Company, the touring theater group based at Ruth Eckerd Hall, makes its home while in residence in Florida.