Stephen B. Humphrey Theater and Music Building (Auditorium)

Stephen B. Humphrey Theater (Auditorium): 1928 and 2009 (click thumbnails for larger images)

For more historical photos, click here.

Architect: O’Meara and Hills, Saint Paul; renovation: Hammel, Green and Abrahamson, Inc., Minneapolis

Contractor: Paul J. Papenfus, Saint Cloud, Minnesota

Dates:

Built: 1928
renovated 1984, 2002, and 2009-2011 (roof)

The Auditorium-Music Hall (constructed between 1927 and 1928), is a three-story brick building (with an additional story allotted for stage loft space), which matches the Spanish and Romanesque architecture of Benet Hall (which it is conjoined). Originally, the auditorium featured seating for a capacity of 800 (650 on the main floor and 150 in the balcony) with a control booth and moving picture projector. The building featured terrazzo flooring in the foyer and auditorium aisles, and a fine oaken-beamed ceiling in the auditorium. Stained glass windows lined the sides of the auditorium, featured portraits of great men of poetry, drama, music and oratory.

The second major function of this new building was to house the music department (grouped around the stage on two floors), which contained sound-proof studios, practice rooms, a large rehearsal room together with a music library, and rooms for dressing, wardrobe, and storage. The basement housed a tailor shop, a barber shop, a shoe shop, the bookstore, Liturgical Press, and treasurer’s office.

The construction cost of the building was $100,000 but the total cost with furnishings was $250,000. The blessing of the auditorium and music conservatory took place with two celebrations on May 10 and May 13, 1928. In 1933, a small two-manual and five ranked Wicks pipe organ was installed in the auditorium. In 1948 the stage was modified with a new oak floor and a platform over the orchestra pit (designed by Cloud Meinberg, OSB). In 1950 a new public address system was added by Minnesota Electronics Corp. of St. Paul to keep the sound and music system updated with current technology.

The building underwent a $2.5 million renovation in 1984, which included reshaping and remodeling the auditorium. A continental seating arrangement was selected, with an upward slopping floor as well as new acoustical and mechanical updating. Air-conditioning was added, the lobby expanded, and the building was made handicapped-accessible by an elevator. The renovated auditorium, rededicated on October 2, 1985, was named the Stephen B. Humphrey Theater in memory of a distinguished English professor who made St. John’s his life and home. New construction on the west of the auditorium included an organ studio and choral rehearsal room. The basement was totally renovated for use by the music department and other campus offices. In 1988 K.C. Marrin constructed a new tracker organ to honor the early Saint John’s music professor, Norbert Gertken, OSB, in the space renamed the Gertken Organ Studio.

For the 1984 renovation, the original wooden seats of the auditorium were refurbished by adding padding and refinishing. In May of 2002 the original auditorium seats were replaced with new theater seating for a capacity of 520. In the summer and fall of 2009 major repair and replacement work was done on the exterior and the copper roof.

A multi-year project to re-roof the Auditorium was completed in August 2011.

The Auditorium-Music Hall is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Bibliography:

“Calls for College Preparatory Residence Hall and Auditorium.” The Record, 25 November 1926, pp. 1-2.
“Builders of Auditorium Work Despite Cold Snap,” The Record, 17 November 1927, p. 3.
“Auditorium-Music Hall Dedicated in Two Celebrations.” The Record, 17 May 1928, pp. 1- 3.
Ojeda, Julio. “Plans Tentative for Auditorium Renovation.” The Record, 13 May 1983, p.1.
Froehle, Steve. “Auditorium Renovation to go as Planned.” The Record, 10 October 1983, p.2.
“Inaugural series announced.” Community, 28 August 1985, p.1.

See Also:

“Non Recuso Laborem,” Scriptorium, v.2 n.4, 1942, p.9.
Stovik, Fr. Jordan O.S.B. “Building Up at St. John’s ,” Scriptorium, v.3 n.3, May 1943, p. 19.
Tegeder, Vincent. “Master Plans,” Scriptorium, v. 26, 1988, p. 1-22. A chronological examination of the building projects at St. John’s between the end of World War I and the creation of Marcel Breuer’s Master plan in the 1950s. See p. 4-8.
“Install Cinemaescope Screen in Auditorium.” The Record, 11 November 1955, p. 1.
“New Curtain Purchased for Auditorium Stage.” The Record, 27 September 1957, p. 2.
Arden, John. “SEC Projects Better Projection.” The Record, 18 November 1974, p. 2.
“Plans Tentative For Auditorium Renovation,” The Record, 13 May 1983, p. 1.
“Auditorium Renovation to go as Planned,” The Record, 13 October 1983, p.2.
“Or et labora.” The Record, 10 April 1984, p. 1. (photograph of ground breaking)
“Auditorium Renovation Capital Campaign Phase II (cover),” Saint John’s Magazine, Summer 1984.
Froehle, Steve. “Auditorium on Schedule.” The Record, 20 September 1984, p. 2.
“Summer construction deadlines met,” Abbey Quarterly, October 1984, vol. 2 no. 4, p. 7.
“Campus Renovations Continue,” Community, 15 November 1984, cover, p. 1.
Wieland, David. “New Auditorium Opens.” The Record, 19 September 1985, p. 4.
“Stephen B. Humphrey Theater,” Saint John’s Magazine, Summer 1985, p. 1-6.
Auditorium Dedication Photo, Abbey Quarterly, July 1985, vol. 3 no. 3, p. 11.
“Kresge Challenge met — with your help!” Saint John’s Magazine, Fall 1985, p. 8.
Leonard, Adam. “Movie Theater Redone, Bigger and Better than Ever.” The Record, 17 January 2002, p. 2.
Roske, Peggy. “Stephen B. Humphrey and Saint John’s Auditorium,” a 2009 PowerPoint in the Archives’ series of “history lessons.”
Connell, Martin. “Hidden In Plain View: Artwork at Saint John’s that Tells a Story,” a 2016 PowerPoint on religious symbolism in the old Abbey Church, i.e. the Great Hall, and other locations on campus.
Connell, Martin. “Pets in the Pediment,” Abbey Banner, 2018 Volume 18 Number 1, p. 13.
“Groundbreaking,” Community, 12 April, 1984, p. 1.