Bob Carr Theater

The Bob Carr Theater first opened in 1926 as The Orlando Municipal Auditorium. During this time, Florida was going through a land boom, there was also a massive increase in the population of Central Florida. The Bob Carr Theater was the first major site for Orlando to host concerts, conventions, plays and town meetings indoors. The property, on which The Bob Carr Theater presently sits, was originally used for the Orange County Fair (currently known as the Central Florida Fair). The city of Orlando bought the land and later built the Bob Carr Theater on the property.

    The Bob Carr Theater first opened in 1926 as The Orlando Municipal Auditorium. During this time, Florida was going through a land boom, there was also a massive increase in the population of Central Florida. The Bob Carr Theater was the first major site for Orlando to host concerts, conventions, plays and town meetings indoors. The property, on which The Bob Carr Theater presently sits, was originally used for the Orange County Fair (currently known as the Central Florida Fair). The city of Orlando bought the land and later built the Bob Carr Theater on the property.

Over the years, The Bob Carr Theater has had many renovations. In 1962, Air Conditioning was added to the theater, and between the years of 1975 to 1977, the theater had many renovations done such as having the seating capacity increased, a larger backstage area created and the theater was dedicated to the former mayor of the City of Orlando, Bob Carr, who was in office when the renovations had begun. The Bob Carr Theater had brought together the city of Orlando. The Bob Carr Theater had given the people of Orlando, a public location to hold events, such as concerts, conventions and city meetings inside. They could also, now attract larger events such as plays, the opera, and ballet. The Bob Carr Theater could also play movies and had ample space mass gatherings of people for city meetings and the like. Someone would enjoy checking out The Bob Carr Theater because, they can learn a lot about the past history of the city of Orlando, Florida, they can also learn about how the needs of the city have changed over the years, with the expansion and all of the renovations.

The Bob Carr Theater is a historic landmark in the city of Orlando, FL making it a convenient trek for the many residents of Central Florida and vicinity. The Bob Carr Theater is also in close proximity to Interstate 4 and Tolled, Florida State Road 408 which allows for easy access to the Bob Carr Theater from the nearby highways as they pass through Downtown Orlando. The Bob Carr Theater is located in a neighborhood of downtown Orlando called, “Parramore”. The Parramore neighborhood of Orlando is a Historically Black Neighborhood in West Orlando. The Bob Carr Theater has recently been used more recently for major events such as concerts.  The Bob Carr Theater is also the current home of the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra as well as the Florida youth symphony orchestra.

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Municipal auditorium - Orlando, Florida. 194-. Black &  white photonegative. State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory. Accessed  2 Mar. 2017.<https://www.floridamemory.com/items/show/145664>.

“Orlando Florida History.” Orlando Florida History, Internet Archive, 1 Dec. 2008, web.archive.org/web/20081201142625/http://www.cfhf.net/orlando/1926b.htm. Accessed 2 Mar. 2017.

Public. “Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer to Deliver 2016 State of Downtown Address at Bob Carr Theater.” City of Orlando, FL (via Public) / Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer to Deliver 2016 State of Downtown Address at Bob Carr Theater, Public, 5 Dec. 2016, www.publicnow.com/view/E5EA353124FFB21877A2B9E4B09D877670DFBDDE?2016-12-05-16%3A00%3A27%2B00%3A00-xx.... Accessed 2 Mar. 2017.

Schlueb, Mark. “Creative Village Will Not Demolish Bob Carr Performing Arts Centre.” Orlandosentinel, Orlando Sentinel, 15 Nov. 2013, articles.orlandosentinel.com/2013-11-15/news/os-bob-carr-future-20131115_1_bob-carr-creative-village-development-llc-performing-arts. Accessed 2 Mar. 2017.