E. J. Thomas Hall

E. J. Thomas Hall is a performance venue on the University of Akron campus that seats around 3,000 people across three levels with continental seating. The building serves as a home for opera, concert, and theater performances on the western side of campus.

The building opened in 1973 and was a major architectural project designed by the firm Caudill Rowlett Scott. Its construction was part of the University of Akron's expansion of performing arts infrastructure in the second half of the 1900s.

The hall serves as home to the Akron Symphony Orchestra and regularly hosts the Tuesday Musical Association and Children's Concert Society performances. These groups use the space to bring classical music and children's concerts to the local community.

The auditorium offers good seating availability and is easy to navigate, with three levels providing space for visitors regardless of when they arrive. Access is from Hill Street, and the facility is located on a university campus providing a safe and organized environment.

The auditorium features a movable ceiling weighing around 44 tons that can be adjusted within minutes to reconfigure the space for different event types. This technical innovation allows the hall to change the number of available levels and adjust capacity based on what each performance needs.

Location: Akron

Inception: 1973

Architects: Caudill Rowlett Scott, Dalton van Dijk Johnson & Partners

Official opening: October 1973

Capacity: 2955

Address: 198 Hill Street, Akron, OH 44325

Website: http://ejthomashall.com

GPS coordinates: 41.07860,-81.51510

Latest update: December 12, 2025 07:58