First year in the auditorium of the 1929 Tallassee High School

Auditorium will again become community gathering venue

By Michael Butler

The auditorium at Tallassee High School has not only been a place for school assemblies and functions for close to 90 years but also community events. For about a year, there has been a void minus the venue. By year's end, expectations are to have new high school that will include a larger auditorium.

"That high school auditorium will seat roughly 640," Tallassee City School Superintendent Dr. Brock Nolin said. "If you look at the fly space. That enormous height above the stage allows you to do a lot of different things."

The former auditorium had a capacity of 429.

"I perceive spring shows and show choir events. Mr. (Michael Bird) has talked about trying to get two or three different events here which would be big for a community when we have 12-15 schools come in. It'll have a pretty big economic impact."

The new auditorium will be more conducive for such events.

"You've got a piano room. You have wing space on the edge of the stage. You have dressing rooms. It's a well-planned facility."

1980s assembly at THS

Jerry Cunningham has organized many events in the former facility from THS choral performances to McCraney-Cottle Arts Council events.

"We had to modify everything we did. We were never able to do a full show there. It's kind of like playing a football game with 75 percent of the field," said Cunningham. "The setup will be so much better."

Overall, Nolin is excited for what the future holds with the entire high school complex.

"It's a state of the art facility built out of block, concrete and steel."

THS Physics class doing a demonstration in the auditorium during the early years of THS Photo courtesy of Tallassee City Board of Education from the "Images of America - Tallassee"