Henegar Center for the Arts:
Construction began in 1919 and in the fall of 1920 the building; which now houses the Henegar Center for the Arts opened. It was soon to become the first of three structures to stand on the site. The first high school class, consisting of only 13 students graduated in 1921. At it’s highest the enrollment reached 1400. In 1963 the school was named for former Principal Ruth Henegar (1950-1951). In 1975 enrollment reached an all time low of 331 students and the decision to close the school was made. On June 11, 1975 after 55 years the doors of the Ruth Henegar Elementary School closed.
To this day the two remaining structures are some of the oldest standing public buildings in Brevard County. The Melbourne School Complex has housed many things prior to becoming the community cultural center that it is today. In the late 60’s both outer buildings were closed as instructional buildings and the west building (Trinity Towers South now occupies this land) housed Brevard Junior College (now Brevard Community College, BCC): the center building (Henegar Center) was used by the school board and other county offices. In 1980 the West building was demolished to make room for Trinity Towers South, in 1983 a small group of local residents acted and formed a non-profit corporation- the Brevard Regional Arts Group (BRAG) and went to work to restore the two remaining buildings. In1984 The North Building Cultural Center was granted a forty- year renewable lease and BRAG was deeded the buildings by the Brevard County School System. BRAG mobilized the community and was able to raise $2.5 million in cash and contributed services and began the task of restoring the main building. In 1991 the Henegar Center for the Arts opened its doors with a 493-seat Proscenium style Theatre, designed by Tony Award winning Broadway Designer Peter Feller. The original main stage curtain was from the Broadway Musical The King and I. State of the art sound and lighting equipment was installed in order to present the highest quality productions. The main building also boasts many beautiful spaces including the main ballroom, Reception room, Courtyard Garden Room, a mirrored dance studio and two additional meeting spaces. In addition, the public spaces are home to rotating exhibitions of work by local artists. And, in 2005 Red Carpet Productions was formed to insure its patrons the highest quality of theatre experiences. The Henegar Center Mission Statement: The Henegar Center for the Arts is committed operating a community arts center that provides quality cultural and educational programs, opportunities for community use and continues to preserve and maintain its historic significance. Red Carpet Productions Mission Statement: Red Carpet Productions is a resident company at the Henegar Center for the Arts that is dedicated to creating an entertaining, high-quality theatre experience.
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