Built to Perform
Inside Memorial Auditorium’s history, culture and community
By Rosemary wildey | Design by Layne Rey
Vintage posters advertising performances held in Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium.
Photos provided by the Robert E. and Jean R. Mahn Center for Archives and Special Collections.
Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium is not only special to Ohio University students, but also to the Athens community. The foundations of Memorial Auditorium were constructed to support the community, and they have upheld that purpose ever since. Built on College Green in 1927, Memorial Auditorium is the largest performing arts center in Southeast Ohio, bringing in stars from all over the country. Andrew Hopzaefel, who has programmed the performing arts series there for 25 years, says, “We believe that we are one of the cultural hubs of Southeast Ohio. So, by being able to provide entertainment that exists in large cities like Cleveland, Columbus and Indianapolis, and bring it to rural Southeast Ohio, we feel like we're serving the community.”
When selecting upcoming performers, Holzapfel’s detailed process always takes what the community will respond to into consideration.
“We do surveys with students and community members. We talk to other universities to find out what works well for them or what didn't work well for them. And then I go to what they call ‘booking conferences,’ where we meet with artists, agents and managers, and they basically will pitch their artists to us.”
Each performance at Memorial Auditorium is a passion project that requires many dedicated people. Hopzaefel says, “The best part is to walk up to the edge of the stage at the end of the show, and just be able to look out at a full house audience and just see the smiles on people’s faces, and know the impact that performance had on those people.”
Comedy was first introduced to Memorial Auditorium for OU’s parent weekends. Hosting comedians at OU became a tradition adored by Athens and its visitors, and a wonderful way to connect students and families. Fan favorite comedians have starred at OU, such as Saturday Night Live’s Seth Meyers and Joe Gatto from Impractical Jokers. Memorial Auditorium’s legacy continues, with tickets available for popular stars of all genres.
OU was established in 1804, only one year after the state of Ohio was founded. OU is famous for being the first public university built in Ohio. Because of this historic distinction, Athens became a hotspot for many public figures.
Memorial Auditorium has withstood decades of changing student bodies, audiences, artists, political movements and wars. That said, its rich history is certainly worth discovering. Throughout the mid-1900s, Memorial Auditorium witnessed outstanding classical performances, ballets, orchestras, plays and symphonies. The American Ballet, the first professional ballet company in the United States, opened for an artist performance series at OU. Others, such as gospel soloist Mahalia Jackson, gave a once in a lifetime performance to a sold-out audience.
Many political leaders have also spoken on College Green. As part of the 18th Ecumenical Student Conference on the Christian World Mission, Martin Luther King Jr. visited OU in December of 1959, shortly before the Civil Rights Movement gained momentum. Former Presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, Jimmy Carter, Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama have all also given speeches in Memorial Auditorium.
Before the construction of Memorial Auditorium, Athens’ main auditorium was in Ewing Hall. The building was named after Thomas Ewing, a member of the first graduating class of OU in 1815. In March of 1898, the hall was introduced to campus on College Green near Scripps and McGuffey. To accommodate the growing student body, Memorial Auditorium was built as a replacement in 1927. Ewing was demolished in 1974, though its stained-glass windows were repurposed and placed in Walter Hall. Now, on South Green, the name “Ewing” lives on in the form of a residence hall.
Over the decades, Memorial Auditorium has experienced many renovations to accommodate changes in the community and its values. Memorial Auditorium was named after John Newton Templeton and Martha Jane Hunley Blackburn, two of the first Black graduates of OU.
Templeton graduated from OU, becoming the first Black man to graduate in the state. He was an outstanding student and a member of the Athenian Literary Society. After college, he taught in Chillicothe, where he also became a member of the Chillicothe Anti-Slavery Society.
The first Black woman to graduate from OU was Blackburn in 1916. Blackburn was an English literature student, with a minor in home economics. She accepted a position as the head of the Home Economics department at Central State University and received the Ohio University Alumni Medal of Merit in 1979.
Blackburn’s attendance at OU inspired a whole new generation of students. When asked about her life at age 80, Blackburn stated, “It won’t seem like a very exciting life to you, but as I look back on it and receive letters from girls I taught who have made a success out of their lives, I feel I have fulfilled what my destiny was to be. Even now as I look back I feel so rewarded.”
Both graduations represent significant new beginnings in the history of OU, celebrated through Memorial Auditorium.
From incredible performances to laughter-filled comedy shows, Memorial Auditorium has consistently brought the world’s best talent to Athens. Students still continue to pack the venue when new talent is showcased, like when the Drivers Era and Noah Kahan took the stage. With each performance, it remains a place for unforgettable experiences. b
