CU RTA IN C A L L
Tony
Rivenbark
&
The Glorious Thalian Hall
Adapted from a multi-section, two-part series on The
History and Construction of Thalian Hall originally
published by Wrightsville Beach Magazine in June
and July 2010, written by Dorothy Rankin and Lee
Lowrimore. Condensed and edited by Pat Bradford.
FOR 164 years Thalian Hall has been
the cultural center of Wilmington. Her
story is the Port City’s story. So many
marvelous players have performed
on her stage for so many generations that it’s easy
to overlook the fact that the Hall itself, the very
building, the grande dame of the city, tells her
own fascinating tale of the times. For our current
generation, the Hall’s history has inextricably been
interwoven with that of the late Tony Rivenbark,
who died at the age of 74 on July 19, 2022.
Arriving for an audition as an 18-year-old, he
simply never left. The actor, producer, artist and
historian was the executive director of Thalian
Hall Center for the Performing Arts for 42 years.
Tony Rivenbark photographed by Brownie Harris on Thalian
Hall’s main stage after the major expansion and reopening
in 2010.
26 september 2022
WBM