Chester Fritz Auditorium Records, 1972-1998
Collection Overview
Title: Chester Fritz Auditorium Records, 1972-1998
ID: UA104
Primary Creator: Chester Fritz Auditorium (1972-)
Extent: 21.25 Linear Feet
Date Acquired: 06/00/2002
Subjects: University of North Dakota - Buildings, University of North Dakota - Events, University of North Dakota - Theater
Languages: English
Scope and Contents of the Materials
Collection Historical Note
The Chester Fritz Auditorium is located west of the English Coulee and on the south side of University Avenue. The Auditorium stands 85 feet high, covers 26,000 square feet, with over two acres of interior flooring. The building can seat up to 2,400 people. The Auditorium was constructed with over 12 million pounds of concrete and 1.3 million pounds of steel framing.
The Chester Fritz Auditorium was funded by three sources, the first being Chester Fritz himself. He donated $1 million, which was matched by an appropriation from the State of North Dakota. An additional $1 million was raised from private donations.
The Chester Fritz Auditorium held groundbreaking ceremonies on June 26, 1970. After hard work and some setbacks, including a sheet metal workers strike, the Auditorium was finished and ready for its first event on October 12, 1972. The Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra and Philharmonic Choir was the first event in the "Fritz."
Today the Chester Fritz Auditorium plays an important role on the campus of the University of North Dakota. There are many types of entertainment held there each year, including dance and musical groups, lectures, and theater performances.
When Chester Fritz donated his money to build the Auditorium he stated it would be a place where, "Students, faculty and staff can listen appreciatively to the great dramas, oratorios, operas, concerts, and contemporary thinkers...where students may gain clearer visions of truth, beauty and integrity...and where opportunity for weighing comparative values will inspire listening students to rise to higher planes of world understanding, purpose and stewardship."
Subject/Index Terms
University of North Dakota - Buildings
University of North Dakota - Events
University of North Dakota - Theater
Administrative Information
Repository: Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections
Access Restrictions: Open for inspection under the rules and regulations of the Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections.
Acquisition Source: Chester Fritz Auditorium
Acquisition Method: Donation
Preferred Citation: (Description of Item). Chester Fritz Auditorium Records. UA 104, Box #, Item #. Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections, Chester Fritz Library, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks.
Finding Aid Revision History: Finding aid migrated to Archon in February 2015.
Box and Folder Listing
Browse by Box:
[Box 1],
[Box 2],
[Box 3],
[Box 4],
[Box 5],
[Box 6],
[Box 7],
[Box 8],
[Box 9],
[Box 10],
[Box 11],
[Box 12],
[Box 13],
[Box 14],
[Box 15],
[Box 16],
[Box 17],
[All]
- Box 3
- Folder 1: "Illusion Mime": January 25-27, 1979 (includes photograph)
- Folder 2: "Tonight Franz Liszt" with Robert Guralnik: February 5, 1979 (includes photograph)
- Folder 3: Mel Tillis: March1, 1979 (includes photograph)
- Folder 4: Ferrante and Teicher: march 7, 1979 (included photograph)
- Folder 5: Luis Rivera and Spanish Dance Company (Dance): April 3, 1979 (includes photograph)
- Folder 6: Jeannie C. Riley: April 6, 1979 (includes photograph)
- Folder 7: Pat Metheny: April 23, 1979 (includes photograph)
- Folder 8: Eddie Rabbitt and Dottie West: May 5, 1979
- Folder 9: Dottie West: May 5, 1979
- Folder 10: The Lettermen: May 7, 1979 (includes photograph)
- Folder 11: Rolf Bjorling: June 10, 1979 (includes photograph)
- Folder 12: The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band: August 1, 1979
- Folder 13: Harry Chapin: August 29, 1979
- Folder 14: Dan England and John Ford Coley: August 30, 1979 (includes photograph)
- Folder 15: Rodney Dangerfield: September 7, 1979 (includes photograph)
- Folder 16: Elaine Boosler (Front Ray Charles): September 15, 1979 (includes photograph)
- Folder 17: Ray Charles: September 15, 1979
- Folder 18: Harold Wilson (Lecture): September 17, 1979
- Folder 19: "James Earl Jones as Paul Robeson": September 23, 1979
- Folder 20: Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company (Dance): October 4-5, 1979 (includes photograph)
- Folder 21: Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers: October 13, 1979 (includes photograph)
- Folder 22: Jake Daniels and the Silver Cornet Band: October 19, 1979 (includes photograph)
- Folder 23: Buddy Rich: October 25, 1979
- Folder 24: Charly McClain and Don Gibson (Canceled): October 31, 1979 (includes photograph)
- Folder 25: Floyd Cramer: October 31, 1979 (includes photograph)
- Folder 26: Andre Kole's "World of Illusion": November 1, 1979
- Folder 27: Memphis Blues Caravan: November 9, 1979
- Folder 28: "Nutcracker" By the Atlanta Ballet (Dance): November 27-28, 1979 (includes photograph and slides)
- Folder 29: Freddy Fender: December 2, 1979 (includes photograph)
- Folder 30: A Christmas Carol (Minnesota Opera): December 5, 1979 (includes photograph)
- Folder 31: Andrew Rooney: January 17, 1980
- Folder 32: St. Paul Chamber: February 6, 1980 (includes photograph)
- Folder 33: St. Mark's Gospel with Michael Tolaydo: February 13, 1980 (includes photograph)
- Folder 34: Charly McClain: February 14, 1980 (includes photograph)
- Folder 35: New England Conservatory Ragtime Ensemble: March 5, 1980 (includes photograph)
- Folder 36: "Glass Menagerie": March 20-21, 1980 (includes photograph and slides)
- Folder 37: Oakridge boys: March 29, 1980
- Folder 38: Jim Ed Brown with Helen Cornelius: March 29, 1980 (includes photograph)
- Folder 39: Michael Johnson: April 9, 1980
- Folder 40: Don Redlich Dance Company (Dance): April 9-11, 1980 (includes photograph )
- Folder 41: Tanya Tucker: April 19, 1980 (includes photograph)
- Folder 42: The Letterman: April 25, 1980 (includes photograph)
- Folder 43: "Magicazam" South Forks Lions: July 31, 1980
- Folder 44: Barbara Mandrell: September 5, 1980 (includes photograph)
- Folder 45: Kreskin: September 9, 1980
- Folder 46: Minnesota Orchestra: September 20, 1980 (includes photograph and slide)
- Folder 47: Harry Chapin: September 29, 1980
- Folder 48: Margo Smith: October 6, 1980 (includes photograph)
- Folder 49: Air Supply presented by Spoke Concerts: October 9, 1980
- Folder 50: Campus Crusade for Christ (Lecture) By Josh McDowell: October 16-17, 1980
- Folder 51: Chapter Two: October 23, 1980 (includes photograph and slide)
- Folder 52: Poco (UND Fieldhouse): November 4, 1980
- Folder 53: "Cinderella" By Los Angeles Ballet Company (Dance): November 4-5, 1980 (includes photograph and slide)
- Folder 54: "Midsummer Night's Dream" (Guthrie Theater Foundation): December 1, 1980 (includes photograph)
- Folder 55: Babes in Toyland: January 11-12, 1981 (includes photograph)
- Folder 56: Babes in Toyland: January 11-12, 1981
- Folder 57: St. Olaf Band: February 1, 1981
- Folder 58: "Big Band Jazz" featuring Rob McConnell and Ian McDougall with Dick King and the Classic Swing Band: February 11, 1981
- Folder 59: "The Gin Game": March 14, 1981 (includes photograph)
- Folder 60: Cliff Richard: March 17, 1981
- Folder 61: UND Writers Conference: March 23-26, 1981
- Folder 62: St. Paul Chamber: March 25, 1981
- Folder 63: "The Wiz": April 5, 1981
- Folder 64: "Sophisticated Ladies" (Canceled): April 14, 1981 (includes photograph and slides)
- Folder 65: Helen Reddy: August 22, 1981
- Folder 1: "Illusion Mime": January 25-27, 1979 (includes photograph)
Browse by Box:
[Box 1],
[Box 2],
[Box 3],
[Box 4],
[Box 5],
[Box 6],
[Box 7],
[Box 8],
[Box 9],
[Box 10],
[Box 11],
[Box 12],
[Box 13],
[Box 14],
[Box 15],
[Box 16],
[Box 17],
[All]