History of NC State LIVE
A 50th anniversary retrospective: 1970s-2020s
In 2022-23, NC State LIVE celebrated our 50th anniversary of presenting visionary performing arts on campus. Enjoy this timeline celebrating our first five decades.
NC State LIVE by the Decade
A Closer Look at the ’70s
This first decade of NC State LIVE’s programming set the standard for the next 40 years of legendary jazz artists, innovative modern dance companies, classical and cutting edge theatre featuring notable performers, many who went on to become household names.
The professional performing arts series, then known as Stewart Theatre Presentations, grew rapidly under the leadership of the first three directors of the program (Maggie Klekas, George Panton, and Sue Coon) and with the support of visionary student affairs leaders who were dedicated to nurturing the arts as a critical component of a student’s experience at NC State.
-
1972
NC State’s new University Student Center (now Talley Student Union) opens featuring an 816-seat thrust stage theatre. Stewart Theatre Presentations became a popular presenter for contemporary dance, theatre and music, complementing the Friends of the College performing arts series which offered a primarily classical season next door in Reynolds Coliseum.
-
1973
Inspired in part by the Vivian Beaumont Theater at New York’s Lincoln Center, this state of the art venue features seats that wrap the stage in a semicircle. Stewart Theatre was dedicated in honor of James Jackson Stewart, Jr., the first dean of Student Affairs at NC State.
-
1974
The Raleigh Chamber Music Guild (now Chamber Music Raleigh) brought world-class classical concerts to Stewart Theatre in partnership with Stewart Theatre Presentations. The relationship continued for twenty seasons until 1994.
-
1976
In the late 70s, a Broadway series was presented in the larger downtown Memorial Auditorium, which lasted into the mid 1980s.
Notable Artists of the 1970s
- Cleo Laine and John Dankworth
- Marian McPartland
- Ella Fitzgerald and Count Basie
- Dave Brubeck
- Dizzy Gillespie
- Woody Herman
- Equus – American Theatre Productions, Inc.
- The Acting Company (16 visits with 28 different productions from 1976 to 2008). Actors included Kevin Kline, Patti LuPone and John Goodman.
- Marcel Marceau
- For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow is Enuf
- Diversions & Delights featuring Vincent Price as Oscar Wilde
- Pippin featuring Barry Williams (aka “Greg Brady”)
- The Many Faces of Love featuring Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy
A Dive Into the ’80s
By the mid-1980s, the renamed NCSU Center Stage had established a regional and national reputation for presenting a performing arts series that emphasized visionary artists, relevant content, and strategic collaborations, with Charlie Martin taking over as director in 1984, and Vicki Marmarose Smith assuming the role in 1986.
-
1981
The American Dance Festival partnered with NCSU Center Stage (now NC State LIVE) to present renowned dance performances in Stewart Theatre.
-
1987
PineCone (the Piedmont Council for Traditional Music) joined Raleigh Chamber Music Guild in presenting performances at Stewart Theatre. The first PineCone concert was by Taj Mahal in September 1987. The relationship continued for eighteen seasons until 2005.
-
1988
WUNC radio joined forces to present the WUNC Jazz at Center Stage series for three years, opening with Bobby McFerrin in September 1988. In the same year, Raleigh Ensemble Players presented performances on the series for two seasons beginning in fall 1988.
Notable Artists of the 1980s
- Mark Twain Tonight featuring Hal Holbrook
- Cab Calloway
- Red Skelton
- Alvin Ailey Repertory Ensemble
- Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company
- Jane Comfort Dance Company
- Liz Lerman Dance Exchange
- Branford Marsalis
- Wynton Marsalis
- Elizabeth Streb
- Ellis Marsalis and Marcus Roberts
- Sonny Rollins
- Bobby McFerrin
- The Second City Touring Company
A Glimpse at the ’90s
Under the direction of Sharon Moore, who took the helm in 1990, the nineties brought significant growth in artist residencies, offering opportunities for professional artists to connect with both NC State students and members of the community – aligning the programming with the university’s goals for academic exploration and community outreach.
-
1994
LAPD Inspects Raleigh. LAPD – the Los Angeles Poverty Department – is a groundbreaking theatre company made up of homeless and formerly homeless individuals. For six weeks in spring 1994 (and over a year of planning before that), the company joined with a host of community partners to work with members of Raleigh’s homeless community to tell their stories through theatre, putting the narrative in the hands of the people. The result was a full-length performance piece based on their experiences living on the streets.
-
1996
The School Matinee Series was added in the 1996-97 season and continues to this day, serving up to 5,500 elementary students a year. The School Matinee Series brings high-quality performances from across the world to young people in the Triangle and is often the first time a child sets foot on a college campus or in a theatre.
Notable Artists of the 1990s
- The National Theatre of the Deaf (5 visits from 1993 to 1998)
- David Dorfman Dance
- The Rhythmatists featuring Stewart Copeland of the Police and Drummers of the World
- Capitol Steps (8 visits from 1994 to 2018)
- Abbey Lincoln
- Having Our Say, presented jointly by Duke, UNC and NC State
- Project Bandaloop featuring a performance on the Education Wall in downtown Raleigh
- David Sedaris
- Late Nite Catechism
- Leahy
- Shenandoah Shakespeare Express (10 shows presented from 1998 to 2006)
- Fair and Tender Ladies, based on the novel by NC State creative writing professor Lee Smith
- Spalding Gray
- Liz Lerman Dance Exchange
- Regina Carter (7 visits from 1996 to 2022)
- Béla Fleck and the Flecktones
- Dianne Reeves
- Alison Krauss & Union Station (3 concerts from 1991 to 1994)
An Inside Look at the ’00s
During the early 2000s, NCSU Center Stage took its place in the Triangle as a major presenter of international artists. Global artists of note included – puppet company Teatro Hugo & Ines (Peru), three visits by Habib Koité & Bamada (Mali), Les Yeux Noirs (France), fado singer Mariza (Portugal), Bangarra Dance Theatre (Australia), British-Indian Anoushka Shankar, Angélique Kidjo (Benin), Hiromi (Japan), Buika (Spain), and Emeline Michel (Haiti).
-
2002
Liz Lerman’s Hallelujah Project – In Praise of Animals and Their People, created in partnership with the NC State College of Veterinary Medicine, performed at Stewart Theatre. Fifty-one community members, five dogs and one horse shared the stage and many hours in workshops and rehearsals to celebrate the special place of companion animals in our lives.
-
2004
A memorable performance featuring actress Dulcinea Langfelder exploring aging and memory loss with humor, whimsy and a dancing wheelchair in Victoria.
-
2008
Daniel Bernard Roumain (DBR) appeared in his first performance at Stewart Theatre with The Mission and their blend of funk, rock, hip-hop and classical music. He would return six more times with brilliantly relevant music and projects that celebrated collaboration and diverse voices.
Notable Artists of the 2000s
- Good Ol’ Girls, presented in partnership with North Carolina Theatre
- Dee Dee Bridgewater
- Habib Koité & Bamada (4 concerts from 2003 to 2022)
- Cassandra Wilson
- Los Hombres Calientes – This New Orleans-based band performed in Stewart Theatre less than three weeks after Hurricane Katrina hit their city. Members of the band had been evacuated to multiple cities and reunited at NC State.
- John Pizzarelli (6 concerts from 2006 to 2023)
- Daniel Bernard Roumain (DBR) (7 concerts from 2008 to 2023)
- Kurt Elling
- Anonymous 4 with Darol Anger and Scott Nygaard
- Anoushka Shankar
- Angélique Kidjo
- Esperanza Spalding – A few months after her NC State performance, she won the Grammy for best new artist. The other nominees were Justin Bieber, Drake, Florence + the Machine and Mumford & Sons.
- Stanley Clarke and Hiromi
- Tomáš Kubínek
- Aquila Theatre (14 shows presented from 2001 to 2017)
A Review of the ’10s
Following the complete renovation of Talley Student Union, this decade solidified NC State LIVE’s role as a catalyst for cross-disciplinary collaboration and inquiry into the critical issues of our time.
-
2012
Stewart Theatre closed for Talley Student Union’s renovation at the end of Fall semester 2012. Over the two ensuing seasons, NCSU Center Stage presented shows in the Titmus Theatre and the Kennedy-McIlwee Studio Theatre in Thompson Hall.
-
2015
In September, Stewart Theatre reopened, and the performing arts series was renamed NC State LIVE. As part of Talley Student Union’s grand reopening, NC State LIVE partnered with Campus Enterprises to present vertical dance company BANDALOOP repelling down the four stories of Talley’s lobby.
-
2016
CONTRA-TIEMPO’s Agua Furioso performance explored water access and social equity.
-
2017
NC State LIVE hosted the Nile Project, with musicians from 11 countries across the Nile river basin who sparked dialogue about environmental justice with over 30 campus and community partners.
-
2018
NC State LIVE partnered with Visit Centennial to introduce LIVE@Lake Raleigh, a free outdoor concert series highlighting North Carolina’s vibrant music scene.
-
2018
Marc Bamuthi Joseph’s /peh-LO-tah/ investigated immigration, and his MOVING AND PASSING engaged refugee and immigrant youth in art and soccer.
-
2020
The COVID-19 pandemic brought the 2019-20 season to an early close. That spring and through the 2020-21 season, NC State LIVE offered digital events with international touring artists, created a residency program for local artists rooted in social justice, produced outdoor pop-up performances, and presented five drive-in concerts.
-
2021
Fall of 2021 saw a return to Stewart Theatre and the joy of gathering together for live performances.
Notable Artists of the 2010s
- The Adventures of Alvin Sputnik: Deep Sea Explorer
- Leo – The Anti-Gravity Show
- DakhaBrakha
- The Nile Project
- CONTRA-TIEMPO
- Yamato – The Drummers of Japan
- Cameron Carpenter
- An Evening with Martin and Langston featuring Danny Glover and Felix Justice – presented in partnership with NC State University Libraries, African American Cultural Center, and the College of Humanities and Social Sciences
- Dr. Lonnie Smith Trio
- Sylvia Milo’s The Other Mozart
- Billy Childs: Reimagining Laura Nyro
- Camille A. Brown’s Black Girl: Lingustic Play
- The Birdland All-Stars featuring Tommy Igoe
- Urban Bush Women’s Hair and Other Stories
- Chanticleer
- Jon Boogz & Lil Buck’s Love Heals All Wounds
- David Roussève / REALITY’s Halfway to Dawn – The Strayhorn Project
- Jazzmeia Horn
50th Anniversary
In 2022-23, NC State LIVE celebrated our 50th anniversary of presenting visionary performing arts on campus. To mark this momentous occasion, we commissioned three new performing arts works, created by internationally renowned artists and educators. These world premiere performances were created by Los Angeles-based dance company CONTRA-TIEMPO, Grammy-award winning pianist Arturo O’Farrill, acclaimed violinist and composer Daniel Bernard Roumain with the Raleigh Civic Symphony, and local community organizer and choreographer Murielle Elizéon with cellist Shana Tucker.
Our artists continue to be at the forefront of discovery of knowledge and innovation in the arts, in keeping with NC State’s commitment to research and innovation. NC State LIVE remains dedicated to creating and presenting artistic work that is rooted in community engagement, offering high-impact experiences for students and community members to be included in the research and creative process.