Playmakers Theatre

Playmakers Theatre is a neoclassical building on the UNC campus featuring brick walls and a stucco exterior topped with a gabled portico. The structure displays Corinthian columns decorated with corn and tobacco motifs, symbols reflecting the region's agricultural heritage.

The building was constructed in 1850 as Smith Hall, designed by architect Alexander Jackson Davis. It became a National Historic Landmark in 1973 and was converted to its current theatrical use in 1923.

This venue functions as a performance space where the Playmakers Repertory Company stages productions involving both professional artists and graduate students. Visitors can observe how the local arts community uses this space to bring diverse theatrical works to life.

The theatre is located on the northern portion of the UNC campus across from Old East and near the College of Arts and Sciences on Cameron Avenue. The site is easily accessible on foot from other campus buildings and clearly marked.

Before becoming a theatre, this building served in several unexpected roles including as a laboratory, bath house, and law school. These varied uses reveal how the structure adapted to meet changing campus needs over the decades.

Location: Chapel Hill

Architects: Alexander Jackson Davis

Official opening: 1850

Architectural style: Neoclassical architecture

Address: 122 E Cameron Avenue, Chapel Hill, NC 27514

GPS coordinates: 35.91197,-79.05042

Latest update: December 12, 2025 12:05