Will Rogers HS - Most beautiful theater in town!

[PonderInc]

Until last week, I had never been inside Will Rogers High School (not counting playing basketball in the field house  some 20 + years ago...).  I've always admired the building from the outside, but never had an opportunity to go inside.

Thanks to the NTHP conference last week, about 2,000 people got a chance to see the building both inside and out.  It's a beautiful work of art! People were taking snapshots of the building from every angle, and gasping at the details!

I have officially declared the Will Rogers HS auditorium to be the most beautiful theater remaining in Tulsa. It reminds me of all the gorgeous pictures of now-demolished theaters that used to grace our city.

Are there other hidden-in-plain-sight gems that I've missed?  If so, let me know!  I want to see them!

Also, does anyone know if you can rent the WRHS auditorium for evening events?

[RecycleMichael]

Will Rogers graduate 1976

[Steve]

Lucky you.  I have lived in Tulsa all of my 51 years, but never been inside Rogers.  I have only seen photos and TV video.  I went to Hale, class of '75.

Will Rogers High is truly a "Tulsa treasure."  There were some internal mods done a few years ago when air conditioning was installed, but thankfully due consideration was given to preserving as much of the historic design as possible.  (some ceilings were lowered and such, so I have read.)  This building was a depression-era WPA project, built at a time when the goal was to put true tallented craftsmen to work, and money was secondary.  We will never see the likes of it again in a public school building, and Tulsa is indeed lucky and proud to have this well-preserved gem today.

[PonderInc]

There were some WRHS students working as ushers and handing out programs at the event.  I asked them if the students appreciated how amazing their school building is.  They said that most didn't.  

[waterboy]

The old Central High School, now the PSO building, is no slouch either. Though most of its insides were "Tulsafied" back in the 80's, the exterior is a fine example of construction during that period (around 1916). Lee Elementary school also dates from that time.

Woodrow Wilson Jr. High at 11th and Columbia has many fine architectural details from the late 1920's.

And don't forget the Kendall College buildings. I remember the Library as being pretty cool.

[Steve]

quote:Originally posted by PonderInc

There were some WRHS students working as ushers and handing out programs at the event.  I asked them if the students appreciated how amazing their school building is.  They said that most didn't.  

That doesn't surprise me one bit.  I was going to include a comment in my previous post about how I speculate that most current Rogers HS students do not appreciate their building.  They are priveleged to be attending school in such a magnificent building.  Sadly, most have no clue and don't recognize this.

[tulsacyclist]

I graduated from there in '99 and have always been impressed with the 'theater' there.

[carltonplace]

I was a roper and always appreciated the building, it was a source of pride to the students. The details are everywhere, in the stairs, the library etc. When I was a student, if a freshman walked across the school seal in the main entry and were spotted by an upper classman, that freshman would be kissing Will's bronze nose and asking for forgivness.

[stageidea]

Anyone found any pictures online of the theater?