50TH ANNIVERSARY Music hall in Warren preserves Packard's vision

The venue's adaptability to a variety of events is a major strength.
By PETER H. MILLIKEN
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- As W.D. Packard Music Hall prepares to celebrate its 50th anniversary on Saturday, its leaders are confident that it has fulfilled the dream of the philanthropist for whom it is named.
"He wanted it for the edification and the entertainment of the people of Warren, and I think that's just what's happened through the 50 years," said Thomas A. Groth, associate executive director of the W.D. Packard Concert Band.
"This is really the center of entertainment and the aesthetic music concerts in the Warren area," said Groth, a saxophone player who grew up three blocks from the hall and joined the band in 1959.
"This is what he wanted done, and this is what we have accomplished," said Adone "Cal" Calderone, the band's executive director and one of its founders. A tuba player, Calderone has played in the 50-piece band since its inception.
Entertainment
The band performs 16 to 18 concerts a year, including summer outdoor concerts in the hall's bandshell and children's concerts -- all of them having free admission. The band includes the 20-piece Big Band Sound at Packard, which plays for two dances and a summer concert each year; and the 10-piece Packard Dixieland Band and Packard Jazz Quintet, which perform for special functions.
"The building is doing what it was intended to do," said Christopher Stephenson, hall manager.
"We're very fortunate that the Packard family has donated such a magnificent arena for musical entertainment," Mayor Michael O'Brien said of the city-owned hall.
Three years before his death, William Doud Packard, co-founder of the Packard Motor Car Co. and Packard Automotive Co., provided in his 1920 will for construction of a music hall and establishment and maintenance of a band to perform in it.
After his wife, Katherine Packard, died in 1940, the city became the beneficiary, and the hall -- its construction delayed by World War II -- opened Oct. 15, 1955.
In commemoration of the hall's 50th anniversary, band concerts are scheduled next weekend in the hall.
In its earlier days, the hall featured the Kenley Players for more than 20 years, drawing many nationally famous performers and attracting audiences from throughout Northeast Ohio and western Pennsylvania.
"They brought the Broadway shows in and for a low cost, and it was very popular, and the place was packed all the time," Calderone recalled.
Versatility
Since then, the attractions at the hall have become more diversified, the mayor noted. "We continue to use that venue for all types of entertainment in the hopes of attracting national stars but at the same time keeping a small town venue for our community needs," O'Brien said.
Besides the W.D. Packard Concert Band, the hall is home to the Packard Music Hall Foundation, which stages musical theater and children's theater; the Warren Philharmonic; Warren Civic Music Association; and Trumbull Town Hall lecture series.
The hall is also used each year for Broadway touring productions, ballet, corporate meetings, high school graduations, dance recitals, professional wrestling, banquets and formal dances. Stephenson said he expects the hall will accommodate nearly 140 events this year.
"It was designed as a multi-purpose building so that you can do a variety of events," Stephenson observed. The auditorium can accommodate 2,418 people for staged productions or 550 for a catered banquet. It features a full-service kitchen and has food service and liquor licenses.
Trucks can conveniently unload directly onto the stage, eliminating the need to transport props via elevators or stairs, and the hall is centrally located near major highways, Stephenson noted. "It's intimate. No matter where you're sitting, you're fairly close to the stage," he added.
On-premises parking is free, plentiful and secure, the mayor observed.
The versatility of the hall in accommodating a wide range of events is a major asset, allowing the hall to adapt to the changing needs of the entertainment market, Stephenson said.
Finances
As it observes its 50th birthday, the hall is preparing for the future by undergoing $200,000 worth of restroom and backstage dressing room renovations funded by a state grant and private money.
U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of Niles, D-17th, has obtained $1.7 million in federal funds the hall can use for improvements next year. The hall's trustees haven't decided how that money will be spent, but the hall management is considering replacing much of the building's original heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems, Stephenson said.
The hall has a staff of five and an annual budget of $500,000 to $600,000, which comes from hall rental fees and a $250,000 city subsidy.
"I think that's the least the city can do for receiving such a present from the Packard family," the mayor said of the city subsidy.
Impact on community
In addition to enhancing the community's quality of life, the hall makes a significant economic impact that extends beyond its walls, Stephenson said. Hall patrons spend money at local restaurants and hotels. The hall buys supplies and services from local vendors and generates work for stagehands, caterers, security personnel, decorators and light and sound companies, he said.
People have many entertainment options available to them today, including home entertainment, Stephenson acknowledged. But he and Groth said the public will come to the hall if it offers what audiences want.
Average attendance at Packard Band concerts is more than 1,000 and swells to a capacity crowd for the Christmas concert, with more than 15,000 people attending the annual outdoor July 4 concert and fireworks.
"What we would like to do is raise money over the long term through the foundation," and attract more events, Stephenson said.
Stephenson said he thinks the hall's future is bright. "We have to continue updating it so that we can become more marketable," he added.
milliken@vindy.com