Stevens Center Phase 2 design plans revealed

UNCSA, in collaboration with architect of record Jenkins Peer Architects and design architect Steinberg Hart, has revealed design plans for the second and final phase of the comprehensive renovation of the historic Stevens Center downtown.

Phase 2 will complete the renovation of the beloved performing arts center and learning laboratory, preserving its legacy as an anchor for the arts in the Triad, and transforming it into a world-class venue for audiences and students of today and into the future.

This phase will transform the theater chamber, creating a more intimate and flexible environment through enhancements to seating and the stage, as well as an entirely reconfigured balcony with improved sightlines. The theater will also be upgraded with seamlessly integrated technology to create a future-thinking performance facility with provisions for immersive video and sound. Front-of-house lobby areas will be enhanced with new fixtures and finishes, providing continuity with Phase 1 of the renovation, which reimagined the lobby areas to create a more organic and fluid entry for audiences and visitors as well as increasedaccessibility and amenities.

“We are thrilled to be entering the final phase of the Stevens Center renovation,” said Chancellor Brian Cole. “We are deeply grateful to our design and construction partners, whose creativity and craftsmanship are bringing new life to this historic space, and to the state legislature and our many supporters for their visionary investment in making this transformation possible.

“When complete, the Stevens Center will stand as a vibrant hub where education, performance, and community come together; a place where our students can train at the highest level and where audiences can experience the power of the arts in new and inspiring ways. The renovation will honor its legacy as a cornerstone of the Triad’s cultural life while expanding its role as a catalyst for connection, creativity, and economic vitality across our city and region,” Cole concluded.

“The Stevens Center has served the UNCSA community, Winston-Salem, and the wider region as a teaching facility, professional performing arts venue, and major cultural destination for almost 45 years. As the building itself nears its centennial, the second phase of the Stevens Center renovation prepares for the next 100 years,” said Steinberg Hart principal Evan Delli Paoli. “The design enhances the original building's unique neoclassical features through juxtaposition with new design elements that heighten the immediacy between audience and performer, integrate new performance technologies, and create a unifying space for all to share in the experience together.”

“The design for Phase 2 of the Stevens Center renovation is focused on dramatically enhancing the patron’s experience by crafting an audience chamber that visually and acoustically draws people closer to the stage and performers,” said Jenkins Peer Architects principal Benjamin Benson. “We are excited to be another step closer to delivering a comprehensive renovation that elevates the Stevens Center as one of the nation's top academic theaters and Winston-Salem’s premier public performing arts center. The design team is continually inspired by the university’s executive leadership, which has been the driving force behind this transformative project, and we are deeply grateful for their vision in making it a reality."

The comprehensive renovation is funded by $85.3 million in North Carolina state appropriations, including support for the acquisition of the property at 411 W. Fourth St. adjacent to the Stevens Center.

The revitalized Stevens Center and the 411 W. Fourth St. building are two of several major cultural projects in development in downtown Winston-Salem, such as the North Carolina Museum of Art’s new downtown gallery and the creation of a new 5,000+ seat amphitheater that will attract more live music performances. Together, these new large-scale cultural projects present an opportunity to build on past initiatives that sought to createan expanded arts and entertainment district in Winston-Salem.

“With the alignment of these exciting projects, we have the unique opportunity to take some impactful steps and create something special along the Fourth and Spruce street corridor. Anchored by the renovated Stevens Center, leveraging these assets together will amplify the strength of each institution and foster deeper collaboration across the arts community,” said Chancellor Cole. “Together, this corridor can become a dynamic destination that attracts new investment, supports local businesses, and drives sustained economic growth, further elevating Winston-Salem’s identity as the City of Arts and Innovation.”

Plans released today are the result of a two-year advance planning and design development period. Construction on Phase 2 will begin in February 2027 with the Stevens Center reopening in 2029. UNCSA's production of “The Nutcracker” will return to Winston-Salem in 2026 with performances at R.J. Reynolds Auditorium, the site of its inaugural performance in 1966. Tickets will go on sale in July. Plans for future years will be announced; “The Nutcracker” will return to the Stevens Center upon its reopening.

Follow the Stevens Center renovation at uncsa.edu/stevens.

More about Phase 2

Phase 2 of the comprehensive Stevens Center renovation reimagines the theater chamber as a more unified and immersive environment, strengthening the connection between performers and audiences from every seat. A key element is a redesigned “proscenium,” or stage frame, to better support acoustics as well as create a stronger sense of shared engagement across the house. A new balcony, now positioned a full story lower, brings audiences closer to the stage and improves sightlines. In addition to enhancing production capability through back of house and technological upgrades, the design will improve accessibility and comfort for patrons, with seating dimensions and spacing updated to meet contemporary expectations.

The technological upgrades will position the theater for ongoing evolution in high-tech immersive audio-visual experiences. Students and faculty will have access to improved lighting positions, sound control, and acoustic control.

While these updates introduce a more contemporary performance experience, the design also incorporates elements inspired by the Art Deco style prevalent in the time period of the original building’s 1929 construction. The existing architectural shell remains intact, complemented by new finishes, locally sourced decorative materials, and a refreshed color palette that gives the chamber greater warmth and reflects both the building’s legacy and its connection to the region.

Front-of-house lobby spaces are reimagined with new fixtures and finishes that build on the Phase 1 renovations, creating a cohesive experience throughout the building. Enhanced wayfinding and improved circulation provide seamless movement between floors two through four, while offering clearer, more direct access to audience seating, including entry points from street level. A new fourth-floor lobby welcomes patrons with immediate access to the reconfigured balcony. Behind the scenes, the orchestra pit, dressing rooms, warm-up spaces, and production areas — including a new loading zone area on the west side of the building — are comprehensively upgraded to improve safety, accessibility, functionality, and the flow of performers and crews to and from the stage, as well as increased production capability.

Winston-Salem-based Frank L. Blum Construction Company is construction manager for the Phase 2 renovation of the Stevens Center.

About the Stevens Center

The historic Stevens Center serves as the largest learning laboratory at UNCSA, an economic driver for downtown Winston-Salem, and a cultural destination for residents and visitors. Originally the Carolina Theatre, a vaudeville and motion picture theater built in 1929, the Stevens Center is a neoclassical building that was restored and reopened in 1983 with a redesigned stage and backstage that was able to accommodate Broadway-scale live performances of music, theater, dance and opera. 

Located in downtown Winston-Salem, the Stevens Center is the primary performance space for the University of North Carolina School of the Arts as well as for the Winston-Salem Symphony, Piedmont Opera, International Black Theatre Festival, and several other local arts organizations.

The Stevens Center has had a tremendous impact — locally as an economic catalyst for downtown development, regionally as a cultural anchor since the 1930s, and nationally as the launching pad for the careers of countless actors, dancers, technicians, musicians, and others on stage and behind the scenes.

The facility was renamed for theater producer Roger L. Stevens upon its initial renovation and was reopened April 22-24, 1983, with a star-studded gala featuring the UNCSA Symphony Orchestra with Leonard Bernstein conducting and Isaac Stern as soloist, and Gregory Peck as the master of ceremonies. Guests in attendance included Agnes de Mille, Cliff Robertson, N.C. Gov. James B. Hunt, President and Mrs. Gerald Ford, and Lady Bird Johnson.

The Stevens Center has played host to a range of notable events including the world premieres of Neil Simon’s “Lost in Yonkers,” winner of a Pulitzer Prize and four Tony Awards, and “Jake’s Women,” a 19-performance sellout starring Alan Alda. A series launched in 2018 brought Broadway back to Winston-Salem with “Kinky Boots” followed by “Once,” as well as performances by Kathy Mattea, Flor de Toloache, Steve Earle and the Dukes, Mavis Staples, the Del McCoury Band, Josh Ritter and more as part of the American Music Series.

Other performances throughout the theater’s history have included Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “State Fair,” Victor Borge, the Smothers Brothers, STOMP, Riders In The Sky, the Vienna Choir Boys, Béla Fleck, The Magic School Bus, Carol Channing and Rita Moreno, “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” Alison Krauss, the 35th Anniversary Reunion of “The Andy Griffith Show,” Gordon Lightfoot, Tony Bennett, the filming of Chris Daughtry’s music video “September” and a critical scene in the 1987 film “The Bedroom Window.” In its days as the Carolina Theatre, the venue even played host to “The King,” Elvis Presley, in 1956. Since 1983, the Stevens Center has been the home of UNCSA’s beloved production of “The Nutcracker,” which will return when the building reopens after the renovation is completed.

About Jenkins Peer Architects, A CannonDesign Company

Recognized as the AIA North Carolina and AIA Charlotte Firm of the Year in 2021, Jenkins Peer Architects has maintained a focus on campus architecture for over 45 years, providing creative design solutions to colleges and universities throughout the Carolinas. Through their work on 12 UNC System campuses, Jenkins Peer Architects has continued to deliver on the high expectations for North Carolina state work. Those projects represent a mix of new construction and renovated facilities, with a focus on revitalizing some of their clients’ most treasured campus assets including centers for performing arts, student life and academics. CannonDesign is a global, employee-owned design firm. Founded in 1945, the company provides architecture, engineering, and consulting services, specializing in health care, education, and corporate sectors. Known for "Living-Centered Design," they emphasize sustainability and innovation, frequently appearing on Fast Company’s list of the world's most innovative companies.

About Steinberg Hart

For more than 70 years, architecture, interiors, and planning firm Steinberg Hart has shaped the built environment with purpose and imagination, designing memorable places that enrich lives and strengthen communities, including more than 280 performing arts facilities designed and delivered nationwide. The interdisciplinary firm was recognized with the 2023 AIA California Firm Award, the organization’s highest annual honor, and its work has received more than 200 local and national design awards. With offices across California and in New York City, Texas, and Shanghai, Steinberg Hart brings national depth of expertise to an approach grounded in local context and human needs.

UNCSA Performance Information

During the time the Stevens Center is closed for renovation, UNCSA is presenting events normally held there in venues on campus, throughout Winston-Salem and at High Point Theatre. The UNCSA Box Office is temporarily located at Watson Hall on the UNCSA campus, 1533 S. Main St. The Box Office is maintaining its current operating hours, Monday to Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and the contact phone number remains the same, 336-721-1945. For more about UNCSA Presents, UNCSA’s performance season, visit https://www.uncsa.edu/performances.

Contact Media Relations(opens in new tab)(opens in new tab)(opens in new tab)(opens in new tab)(opens in new tab)(opens in new tab)

Get the best news, performance and alumni stories from UNCSA.
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTERS(OPENS IN NEW TAB)(OPENS IN NEW TAB)(OPENS IN NEW TAB)(OPENS IN NEW TAB)(OPENS IN NEW TAB)(OPENS IN NEW TAB)