According to the plaque in the lower right corner of the third image, the old North Carolina National Guard building was built by the Works Progress Administration during the years of 1935-1937. The Ira David Wood III Theatre In The Park web site says that

Theatre In The Park is located in the northern end of Raleigh’s scenic Pullen Park and is internationally acclaimed for its outstanding theatrical achievements—more than 40,000 people attending our programming last year alone. TIP is second only to the celebrated Louisville Actor’s Theatre in original works premiered— producing over 40 original plays during the last two decades (two of which moved to off-Broadway).

Originally chartered in 1947, TIP started out as The Children’s Theatre of Raleigh, Inc. During the early 70s, its name was changed to Theatre In The Park in order to reflect its expanded programming, location and new “home” in The National Guard Armory building located in scenic Pullen Park. In 2004, the building was renamed as “The Ira David Wood III Pullen Park Theatre,” to reflect the decades of work done by Executive and Artistic Director, Ira David Wood III.

The facility includes a beautiful garden (named for its caregiver, John Bento, a fellow City of Raleigh employee), Season Member Lounge, administrative offices, costume shop, technical workshop, dressing rooms, lobby and totally flexible (black box) performance space. The theatre is in-door, air conditioned and has a seating capacity of approximately 250. Year-round programming includes no less than four mainstage productions, classes, workshops and independent productions.

Between TIP, Stewart Theatre, and The Raleigh Little Theatre, this little patch of Raleigh sure has quite an array of performing arts options.

107 Pullen Road
Raleigh, NC 27607
(919) 831-6936
Get directions

David McKnight has been playing beautiful music on Hillsborough Street for a long time. Many street performers are somewhat transient in nature with regard to where they play, but David isn’t. He is always near the stairs to Mitch’s Tavern.

Dana over at gogoraleigh suggested that the “no hands king” should get a statue dedicated to him, or at least agreed with the idea. While I don’t disagree with the awesomeness of the no hands king, I think that David is slightly more deserving of such an honor. He has exposed college students to music they probably wouldn’t hear otherwise. I’ve been wanting to get a photo of him for some time, but the spring semester Hillsborough Hike presented the first opportunity for me to do so. He’s almost out exlusively during the day.

This was David’s tenth Spring Hillsborough Hike performance. For the past 10 years he has graced passersby with his playing. He plays lunch sets at Global Village on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

If you continue down Tower Street past the water tower and dumpster, you’ll see my favorite hanging sculpture in all of Raleigh.

If you look at the solid colors and you’ll notice the original life of the pieces of the whole–fiberglass chairs. It’s a familiar design, and the pieces when fit together create a beautiful geometric shape that adds an unusual splash of life and color to Tower Street.