DAR Constitution Hall
Encyclopedia
DAR Constitution Hall is a concert hall in Washington, D.C.
It was built in 1929 by the Daughters of the American Revolution
to house its annual convention when membership delegations outgrew Memorial Continental Hall. Later, the two buildings were connected by a third structure housing the DAR Museum, administrative offices, and genealogical library. DAR Constitution Hall is still owned and operated by the National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution. It was designated a National Historic Landmark
in 1985.
and is located at 1776 D St. NW, just east of the Department of the Interior
, between the American Red Cross
and the Organization of American States
, across from the Ellipse
in front of the White House
. The hall seats 3,702 people, with 2,208 in the tiers and 1,234 on the orchestra level. Additionally, 52 boxes (containing 5 seats each) separate the orchestra from the tiers, including one Presidential box.
The Hall is a Neoclassical style
structure, with an Alabama
limestone
exterior. It houses the largest auditorium in Washington. This auditorium is unusual with its U-shaped balcony, necessary to provide the enormous amount of seating required by the program while retaining practical sight distances. The auditorium is provided with a three-manual Skinner pipe organ
.
. It was the location where Eddie Murphy Delirious
was filmed in 1983 and Martin Lawrence Live: Runteldat
was filmed in 2002. Chris Rock
's HBO special and album Never Scared
were recorded there in 2004. Whitney Houston
performed her Classic Whitney
concert there in 1997. Jeopardy!
and Wheel of Fortune
have both been filmed at the Hall. Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund
and the World Bank Group
have been held there in 2004, 2005, 2007, and 2008. Robin Williams
taped his 2009 Weapons of Self Destruction special at the hall.
From 1930 until the opening of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
in 1971, Constitution Hall was home to the National Symphony Orchestra and the city's principal venue for touring classical music soloists and orchestras. Some of the earliest mainstream country music
concerts were also held there, organized by Connie B. Gay. Sold-out film lectures of the National Geographic Society
were presented in the hall for many decades, three times a week until about 1990 when they were moved instead to the National Geographic theater, one mile to the north. The free Air Force Band Sunday concerts, featuring famous guest artists, are popular, as is the band's special Christmas
show.
In 1939 African-American singer Marian Anderson
was denied the opportunity to sing at the Hall by the man who managed the facility. First lady Eleanor Roosevelt
protested and resigned her membership in the D.A.R. The organization would later reverse its racial exclusion policy and Anderson performed at Constitution Hall for an American Red Cross
war relief benefit in 1943; in 1964, she chose it as the first venue of her farewell concert tour.
Every U.S. president
since Calvin Coolidge
has attended at least one event at the theater.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
It was built in 1929 by the Daughters of the American Revolution
Daughters of the American Revolution
The Daughters of the American Revolution is a lineage-based membership organization for women who are descended from a person involved in United States' independence....
to house its annual convention when membership delegations outgrew Memorial Continental Hall. Later, the two buildings were connected by a third structure housing the DAR Museum, administrative offices, and genealogical library. DAR Constitution Hall is still owned and operated by the National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution. It was designated a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
in 1985.
Description
The hall was designed by architect John Russell PopeJohn Russell Pope
John Russell Pope was an architect most known for his designs of the National Archives and Records Administration building , the Jefferson Memorial and the West Building of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC.-Biography:Pope was born in New York in 1874, the son of a successful...
and is located at 1776 D St. NW, just east of the Department of the Interior
United States Department of the Interior
The United States Department of the Interior is the United States federal executive department of the U.S. government responsible for the management and conservation of most federal land and natural resources, and the administration of programs relating to Native Americans, Alaska Natives, Native...
, between the American Red Cross
American Red Cross
The American Red Cross , also known as the American National Red Cross, is a volunteer-led, humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief and education inside the United States. It is the designated U.S...
and the Organization of American States
Organization of American States
The Organization of American States is a regional international organization, headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States...
, across from the Ellipse
President's Park
President's Park, located in Washington, D.C., encompasses the White House, a visitor center, Lafayette Square, and The Ellipse. President's Park was the original name of Lafayette Square. The current President's Park is administered by the National Park Service.-White House:Washington, D.C...
in front of the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
. The hall seats 3,702 people, with 2,208 in the tiers and 1,234 on the orchestra level. Additionally, 52 boxes (containing 5 seats each) separate the orchestra from the tiers, including one Presidential box.
The Hall is a Neoclassical style
Neoclassicism
Neoclassicism is the name given to Western movements in the decorative and visual arts, literature, theatre, music, and architecture that draw inspiration from the "classical" art and culture of Ancient Greece or Ancient Rome...
structure, with an Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
exterior. It houses the largest auditorium in Washington. This auditorium is unusual with its U-shaped balcony, necessary to provide the enormous amount of seating required by the program while retaining practical sight distances. The auditorium is provided with a three-manual Skinner pipe organ
Pipe organ
The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air through pipes selected via a keyboard. Because each organ pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ranks, each of which has a common timbre and volume throughout the keyboard compass...
.
Events
The Hall is used for concerts, commencements, conferences, corporate meetings, televised events and other performances. The Hall hosted the premiere of Mr. Smith Goes to WashingtonMr. Smith Goes to Washington
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington is a 1939 American drama film starring Jean Arthur and James Stewart about one man's effect on American politics. It was directed by Frank Capra and written by Sidney Buchman, based on Lewis R. Foster's unpublished story. Mr...
. It was the location where Eddie Murphy Delirious
Eddie Murphy Delirious
Delirious is a stand-up comedy television special starring Eddie Murphy. The 70-minute show, released in 1983, showcases his most racy material. The word "fuck" is used a total of 230 times, and "shit" is used 171 times. It was recorded on August 17, 1983 at Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C.....
was filmed in 1983 and Martin Lawrence Live: Runteldat
Martin Lawrence Live: Runteldat
Martin Lawrence Live: Runteldat is a stand-up comedy film starring Martin Lawrence, and directed by David Raynr, also responsible for Whatever It Takes...
was filmed in 2002. Chris Rock
Chris Rock
Christopher Julius "Chris" Rock III is an American comedian, actor, screenwriter, television producer, film producer and director. He was voted in the US as the 5th greatest stand-up comedian of all time by Comedy Central...
's HBO special and album Never Scared
Never Scared
Never Scared is the fourth comedy album by Chris Rock. It was recorded at DAR Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C. between March 24 and 26, 2004 for an HBO comedy special, and was released on DVD on August 31, 2004...
were recorded there in 2004. Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston
Whitney Elizabeth Houston is an American singer, actress, producer and a former model. Houston is the most awarded female act of all time, according to Guinness World Records, and her list of awards include 1 Emmy Award, 6 Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, among...
performed her Classic Whitney
Classic Whitney Live from Washington, D.C.
Classic Whitney, Live from Washington, D.C., were special live concerts by Whitney Houston featuring many of her greatest hits, as well as gospel favorites and songs saluting some of her influences including Dionne Warwick, Aretha Franklin and Diana Ross. The concerts were held at historic DAR...
concert there in 1997. Jeopardy!
Jeopardy!
Griffin's first conception of the game used a board comprising ten categories with ten clues each, but after finding that this board could not be shown on camera easily, he reduced it to two rounds of thirty clues each, with five clues in each of six categories...
and Wheel of Fortune
Wheel of Fortune (U.S. game show)
Wheel of Fortune is an American television game show created by Merv Griffin, which premiered in 1975. Contestants compete to solve word puzzles, similar to those used in Hangman, to win cash and prizes determined by spinning a large wheel. The title refers to the show's giant carnival wheel that...
have both been filmed at the Hall. Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund
International Monetary Fund
The International Monetary Fund is an organization of 187 countries, working to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty around the world...
and the World Bank Group
World Bank Group
The World Bank Group is a family of five international organizations that makes leveraged loans, generally to poor countries.The Bank came into formal existence on 27 December 1945 following international ratification of the Bretton Woods agreements, which emerged from the United Nations Monetary...
have been held there in 2004, 2005, 2007, and 2008. Robin Williams
Robin Williams
Robin McLaurin Williams is an American actor and comedian. Rising to fame with his role as the alien Mork in the TV series Mork and Mindy, and later stand-up comedy work, Williams has performed in many feature films since 1980. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance...
taped his 2009 Weapons of Self Destruction special at the hall.
From 1930 until the opening of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is a performing arts center located on the Potomac River, adjacent to the Watergate complex in Washington, D.C...
in 1971, Constitution Hall was home to the National Symphony Orchestra and the city's principal venue for touring classical music soloists and orchestras. Some of the earliest mainstream country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
concerts were also held there, organized by Connie B. Gay. Sold-out film lectures of the National Geographic Society
National Geographic Society
The National Geographic Society , headquartered in Washington, D.C. in the United States, is one of the largest non-profit scientific and educational institutions in the world. Its interests include geography, archaeology and natural science, the promotion of environmental and historical...
were presented in the hall for many decades, three times a week until about 1990 when they were moved instead to the National Geographic theater, one mile to the north. The free Air Force Band Sunday concerts, featuring famous guest artists, are popular, as is the band's special Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
show.
In 1939 African-American singer Marian Anderson
Marian Anderson
Marian Anderson was an African-American contralto and one of the most celebrated singers of the twentieth century...
was denied the opportunity to sing at the Hall by the man who managed the facility. First lady Eleanor Roosevelt
Eleanor Roosevelt
Anna Eleanor Roosevelt was the First Lady of the United States from 1933 to 1945. She supported the New Deal policies of her husband, distant cousin Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and became an advocate for civil rights. After her husband's death in 1945, Roosevelt continued to be an international...
protested and resigned her membership in the D.A.R. The organization would later reverse its racial exclusion policy and Anderson performed at Constitution Hall for an American Red Cross
American Red Cross
The American Red Cross , also known as the American National Red Cross, is a volunteer-led, humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief and education inside the United States. It is the designated U.S...
war relief benefit in 1943; in 1964, she chose it as the first venue of her farewell concert tour.
Every U.S. president
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
since Calvin Coolidge
Calvin Coolidge
John Calvin Coolidge, Jr. was the 30th President of the United States . A Republican lawyer from Vermont, Coolidge worked his way up the ladder of Massachusetts state politics, eventually becoming governor of that state...
has attended at least one event at the theater.
External links
- DAR Constitution Hall
- http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=311+Eighteenth+St.,+NW+Washington,+D.C.&sll=38.896394,-77.039459&sspn=0.008049,0.014763&g=17th+St.+at+New+York+Ave.,+NW.,+Washington,+D.C.&ie=UTF8&layer=c&cbll=38.893705,-77.039451&panoid=9umCiiJjfcvo2zjS1hvpUQ&cbp=12,306.3370451679501,,0,-6.5429852689194545&ll=38.893872,-77.039459&spn=0,359.986267&z=16&iwloc=addrDAR Constitution Hall on Google Street View]