Mago Hunt Center – 50 Years of the Arts

Performing and fine arts history at University of Portland dates back to the 1930s (with even earlier hints and traces stored in the Archives, such as the fragile photo of posed youthful orchestra members, 1904(?)). In drama, the Columbia Players were formed in 1929 and stage plays became a regular feature of the UP college experience. Vocal and instrumental music has been a constant in our curriculum, with orchestra and Glee club performing on the Howard Hall stage through the 1930s into the 60s.

Performances and recitals were held in a variety of locations across campus, wherever there was space — West (now Waldschmidt) Hall, Howard Hall, Education Hall, Music Hall, and Buckley Center Auditorium. Only in 1973 was Mago Hunt Center for the Performing Arts completed, and the campus provided with a dedicated theater and performance hall.

This continuous tradition was disrupted by disaster in the early morning of April 18, 1969, when a five-alarm fire destroyed three wooden buildings in the area where Franz Hall and Mago Hunt Center are today. Lost in the blaze were Education Hall (Theater and AFROTC), Music Hall, and a smaller building that housed offices for The Beacon, student government, and other programs.

Theater suffered the greatest, the fire destroying its entire collection of costumes and equipment; while the Music programs lost about two-thirds of their band and orchestra instruments. To address this catastrophe, the University launched a campaign for a teaching theater and recital hall, with the lead gift from benefactors, Mr. and Mrs. William and Mago Hunt. Mr. Hunt was a member of the UP Board of Regents from 1970-1999, serving as Board Chair from 1972-1977.

The Mago Hunt Center was dedicated on October 17, 1973.  The 21,000 square foot structure features a theater with flexible seating and staging arrangements with a maximum of 325 seats; a recital hall to accommodate various musical ensembles has fixed seating for 150; scene shop; costume shop; practice rooms; art exhibit and display area in the lobby; and offices.

Four student-acted, student-constructed, and student-sustained plays are presented each year on the Mago Hunt Stage.  Recitals for voice and instrument are exhibited throughout the academic year.  Classes and learning workshops are the everyday purpose of the Mago Hunt Center, a dedicated setting allowing the Performing Arts to thrive at UP.

For more photos and artifacts relating to the Mago Hunt Center and Performing and Fine Arts at UP, visit the 50th anniversary display in the lower level of Clark Library with material from the University Museum and Archives, and also from Performing and Fine Arts.