One of the most recognizable facades on an ever-evolving campus, the fabled Barn at Roger Williams University has played host to thousands of performing artists and patrons since its debut as the University’s performing arts center in 1986.
On Thursday, Dec. 15, as part of the University’s yearlong celebration of the storied building’s 25th anniversary, community members from on and off campus are invited to convene in the Barn for “Raising a Barn: Building an Education,” a presentation showcasing its unique history.
Retired faculty members Kevin Jordan (historic preservation) and William Grandgeorge (theatre) will lead the presentation and share the Barn’s story – from its “haunted corner” to an unsolved weathervane heist to the five-year historic preservation project that brought the Barn to campus – and the performances that have inspired students and audiences therein.
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First raised in Glocester, R.I., in 1984, the Barn was given a new lease on life in 1981 when a group of historic preservation students and faculty rescued the deteriorating structure. Piece by piece, the Barn arrived on campus in 1983 (with a bit of help from the National Guard), ready for its revival. Nearly a century after it was first built, the Barn doors opened once again – this time as the RWU Performing Arts Center – to a new generation of theatre, dance and music students.
“Raising a Barn: Building an Education” will be held at 7:00 p.m. in the Barn Performing Arts Center on the University’s Bristol campus at One Old Ferry Road; it is free and open to the public. For more information, visit http://barn25.rwu.edu or call (401) 254-3626.
