Filene Center: Past & Present

Filene Center I, during its inaugural performance season in 1971.

NPS Photo

On July 1, 1971, Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts, (then called Wolf Trap Farm Park) officially opened the gates of its premiere performing arts venue, the Filene Center. This 10-story, 6,200+ capacity theater quickly became the flagship attraction in the first and only national park dedicated exclusively to the performing arts. However, after a fire destroyed the structure in 1982, Catherine Filene Shouse in close collaboration with the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts and the federal government began a campaign to rebuild the theater. While the new theater (Filene Center II) looks very similar to its original counterpart, there were some key changes made to the structure and capacity of the venue.

 

Construction of Filene Center II, May - August 1983

Left image
Filene Center II, May 2, 1983
Credit: Photo courtesy of G & C Construction Corporation, 1983.

Right image
Filene Center II, August 1, 1983
Credit: Photo courtesy of G & C Construction Corporation, 1983.

 

	Filene Center I (1971 – 1982)	Filene Center II (1984 – present)
Construction Start	March 1969	December 1982
Opening Ceremony/Dedication	May 27, 1970 Mrs. Richard M. Nixon	June 20, 1984 Mr. Edwin Meese
First Performance	July 1, 1971	July 30, 1984
Wood	Oregon Cedar	Steel beams with fire-retardant Douglas Fir siding
Roofing	Painted aluminum	Copper
Building Height	10 stories	13 stories (125 ft)
Proscenium Arch	70'8" wide x 28'	70' wide x 44'8" high
Number of Fly Lines	109	100 (104 prior to 2022)
Stage Floor	97' wide x 63'10" deep	125' wide x 60' deep
Total Seating Capacity	6,262	7,028

 

Filene Center II looks very similar to Filene Center I, though it is taller, made of different materials, and can accommodate more people.

NPS / Will Rifenbark

Today, hundreds of thousands of visitors from all over the mid-Atlantic region and the country flock to the Filene Center (II) to enjoy the performing arts in a natural setting. Each year, approximately 70-80 shows are presented at the Filene Center, ranging from rock concerts to ballets, and from operas to folk performances.