The WOW Hall, on the corner of Lincoln Street and West Eighth Avenue, has stood the test of time, and now it’s captured forever on film.
The hall has become the subject of a documentary titled “WOW! Not Just a Building.” Folklore and anthropology graduate student Amy Miller produced and directed the film in conjunction with professors and students from the journalism school.
The site of the performing arts hall was originally a church for various denominations to gather and hold practice. In 1906, it was purchased by the Woodmen of the World and renamed after the organization, which benefited people in the wood products industry.
The current building was constructed in 1932 for $8,000. In 1976, the Community Center for the Performing Arts organization was established. The nonprofit organization took control of the building after it was nearly demolished, first for a proposed a parking lot and then a freeway off-ramp.
In 1996, the hall was designated a historic landmark by the National Register of Historic Places. It still contains the original furniture, although the curtains were replaced last year. One of the primary attractions of the building is its floor, constructed of maple and designed specifically for dancing.
“When you dance, the floor moves to your rhythm,” WOW Hall activities director Kate Blair said.
The building has also recently installed a video projection system and begun showing films.
The WOW Hall has paid staff members but is largely run by volunteers. The organization a pool of about 450 volunteers with roughly 100 currently active.
University student Dave Minor has volunteered for the WOW Hall for over a year. He said he encourages other people to volunteer because of the relaxed work environment.
“It’s allowed me to get into every show free that I’ve wanted to,” Minor said.
Volunteers can work for half of the show, then get to watch the other half for free.
“WOW! Not Just a Building” has run on OPB and will run on the local public access television stations. Miller has donated a master copy of the film to the WOW Hall for distribution.
She edited the film using computers in the folklore department and said the crew used Sony digital video cameras from the journalism school. The crew compiled more than 10 hours of footage; the film’s final run time is 26 minutes.
Miller praised the hall’s acoustics; many of the musical performances captured for the film used the built-in camera microphones.
“We’re not plugged into the sound board — the sound is that good,” she said.
The hall serves alcohol in a beer garden in the building’s basement; this allows it to remain an all-ages venue. Patrons from the beer garden can watch shows in progress on closed-circuit television monitors.
Abe Nielson, program and house manager for the hall, said the impact of the McDonald Theatre has increased competition but has put Eugene “on the map” as a destination for acts traveling between San Francisco and Seattle.
“It’s helped as much as it’s hurt,” Nielson said.
The Community Center for the Performing Arts has presented and promoted shows at the McDonald Theatre in the past. Nielson pays attention to the kind of shows the McDonald books in order to avoid competition, and he tries to book a few shows a month consisting entirely of local acts.
“It’s important to support the
local music scene,” Nielson said.