Behind The Curtain: Your Grand Arrival

You made it! Welcome to the grand arrival.

Upon entering, you will notice physical and aesthetic improvements have been made to the roadway leading from McMullen Booth Road to Ruth Eckerd Hall. Two additional driving lanes were added to the roadway approach, to expedite your grand arrival.

​​A revised traffic pattern will allow for greater ease in egress. New signage, lighting and lush landscape now welcome you.

The new arrival plaza has been expanded to accommodate patrons with more room to drop off members of their party, avail themselves to valet parking or temporarily park their cars on non-show days while purchasing tickets.

The *Raymond James Financial Ticket Office was renovated to include a substantial overhang, designed to mirror the ones at the entrances to the Murray Theatre and Ruth Eckerd Hall’s administrative offices, which will provide protection from the elements. In the summer of 2018, the north façade of the venue was torn down to expand the current 1,000 square-foot lobby to six times the size.

During the groundbreaking ceremony, excited community members signed a special beam to be installed into the framework of the new building,

This will always hold a special place for many performances to come.

The beautiful new Kate Tiedemann and Ellen Cotton Cabaret Theatre boasts expanded food and beverage service at cabaret style tables where pre-show entertainment features students from the Marcia P. Hoffman School of the Arts on the Holt Family Stage. Sound dampening light pendants create ambiance, while the 35-foot video wall displays main stage performances or messages about upcoming shows and education activities.

The two murals found inside the Grande Lobby were painted by New York artist, Stephen Palladino. Currently residing in St. Petersburg, Florida, Stephen’s largest mural work can also be found along the Pinellas Trail. Fun facts: His most famous client (besides us) is Lady Gaga.

The next time you are at the Hall, make sure you snap a photo at our Instagram wall, where every fan is a Ruth Eckerd Hall star!

And, since your phone is already out, why don't you order something from the bar?
You can make a purchase by using our new mobile app! When your order is ready, simply pick up your items at the Cabaret bar, located in the Grand Lobby.

We want you to have a pleasant experience enjoying the new accommodations and event spaces at Ruth Eckerd Hall.