Newly renovated Civic Center Music Hall to host grand reopening with concert by Diamond Rio

The Civic Center Music Hall is counting down the days until June 14 when it celebrates its grand reopening after a lengthy and extensive renovation. 

Virtually every main area of the historic building was updated, though a large scope of the work was done to the Little Theatre. The entire project was made possible thanks to Better Streets, Safer City, a 2017 bond package that earmarked $14.1 million for the endeavor, and a contribution that exceeded $1 million made by the Civic Center Foundation. 

Grand reopening festivities will begin at 10 a.m. and include self-guided tours. Country group Diamond Rio will perform a free concert at 7 p.m. Tickets are sold out but names can be added to a waiting list by visiting okcciviccenter.com. 

Here are the changes guests can expect to see when the Civic Center unveils everything in June. 

What changes were made to the main lobby of the Civic Center Music Hall? 

The main lobby of the Civic Center has gone through a bit of an update, to say the least. 

The box office was relocated closer to the primary entrance in the northeast corner of the building, which will make it easier for patrons to buy tickets for Civic Center events. 

A new bar was installed along with “satellite” bar locations to optimize the guest experience. 

There also is now a dedicated lounge on the main floor for VIP guests. 

What changes were made to the Little Theatre? 

To say the Civic Center’s Little Theatre underwent a complete redo is putting it lightly — the entire thing was gutted. 

The upgrades have been a long time coming. The 285-seat theatre hasn’t seen a substantial renovation since it opened in 1937. An update was included in the original MAPS proposal in 1993 but was scrapped when other Civic Center projects went over budget. 

The Little Theatre is one of three performing arts venues inside the Civic Center. It sits between the Thelma Gaylord Performing Arts Center, which seats nearly 2,500, and the CitySpace Theater, a 90-seat black-box style venue in the basement.   
 
Along with new seats and a reconfigured seating layout, the Little Theatre now has a dedicated entrance, box office, bar, concessions area and restrooms. Guests will also enjoy the modern theatrical equipment that includes motorized rigging, LED lighting and a new sound system. 

The renovation also means balcony seating is back.  The Civic Centre hasn’t been able to offer a bird’s eye view of Little Theatre performances for more than 20 years.  

What else is new at the Civic Center? 

The entire renovation, which broke ground in 2021, was inspired by the original plans during the building’s construction in 1937. As such, the project also included historic preservation efforts like restoring some of the original floors and wood paneling. 

Accessibility-focused additions, such as powered doors and family-friendly restrooms, were installed at the Civic Center.