Celebrating 40 years of the Stevens Center: A look back at its history

Saturday, April 22, 2023, marks the 40th anniversary of the Roger L. Stevens Center opening to the public. In celebration of the performance venue's anniversary, we are taking a look back at its history — thanks to the UNCSA Archives and Digital Forsyth.

Located in the heart of our city, the historic performing arts venue serves as the largest learning laboratory at UNCSA, an economic driver for downtown Winston-Salem and a cultural destination for both residents and visitors. But it hasn't always been the Stevens Center. In fact, the venue has lived quite a few lives.

Originally the Carolina Theatre — a movie theatre — it once had more than 2,000 seats, with two balconies and a grand staircase in the lobby.

The Carolina Theatre opened on Jan. 13, 1929, with Pauline Frederick in “On Trial” plus vaudeville on the stage. It was the largest theatre between Atlanta and Washington, D.C. Various stars graced the theatre’s 40 feet deep and 80 feet-wide stage, including Elvis Presley, who performed in 1956 before his first national hit record.