Newly remodeled, affordable, and ready for your next event, the Wendy Williamson Auditorium is one of the largest auditoriums in the state, hosting a variety of special events and performances in the heart of the U-Med District.

Photos

More Information about "The Wendy"

• Facility Specifications

  General

  • Seating Capacity: 910 full house | 401 mid-house
  • Thrust Procenium Stage
  • Two (2) dressing rooms
  • Green Room

  Sound

  • Sound Board: Allen & Heath 3000 Series, 24 channel, 8 AUX/4 SUB
  • Amps: (4) QSC MX1500a | (2) QSC MX2000a | (2) QSC MX3000a
  • Main Speaker Cluster: (4) EV T252 + cabinets FOH
  • SUBS: (2) EV MTL 1x Dual 18" sub cabinets
  • Monitors: (2) EV Force 1 | (2) Bad end TA 200-C  (2) EVT221M | (2) Self-Powered SRM450
  • EQ: (6) channels DBX 1231 1/3 Octav EQ, insertable
  • FX: (20 Yamaha Reverb 500 FX units
  • Compression: (3) DBX 166xl
  • Playback: (2) Tascam 130 cassette | (2) Sony MDS-E10 minidisk recorder | (2) Sony CDP-DII CD player
  • Microphones: SM-58 & SM Beta | (2) Sennheiser Wireless

  Lighting

  • Theatrical Style
  • 270 Circuits
  • 170+ Various Lighting Instruments
  • Lighting Board: Strand 52li

  Presentation

  • Projection: Christie LX1500
  • Inputs: DVD | Blu-ray | RCA | Computer
  • Viewing: 27-foot diagonal video screen
• Maps

  Auditorium Maps

  • Entrances and Location
  • Lobby
  • House Seating Chart 
  • House & Stage Measurements
  • Stage Lighting
  • Catwalk Lighting
• House Rules

  House Rules

  1. Auditorium technicians will be present during your event as needed determined by your technical requirements. Most events require two technicians. Please see the technician for any questions you may have during your event.
  2. No glitter is permitted in any part of the auditorium.
  3. Difficult to clean decorations like hay, straw, or confetti are not allowed without special permission from the Auditorium Manager.
  4. You are responsible for your own front of house. Your house manager or event contact needs to connect with a technician for evacuation protocols.  
  5. Keep the facility clean during your time in residence. Post event clean-up includes: Pick up trash, remove posters and signs, put away tables and chairs, clear stage of any props used, etc. Please report spills or other clean up challenges to the technicians.
  6. Keep exits and all doorways clear of debris, trash, and other obstructions at ALL TIMES. Under no circumstances will doorways be obstructed in any way.
  7. Keep all electrical panels, fire extinguishers, and fire pulls clear of obstructions.
  8. Keep floors, work areas, and aisles, clear of debris, trash, and other obstructions which do not allow safe and orderly access at all times.
  9. You are responsible for notifying your workers in the proper use of all hazardous material including but not limited to paint, glue, and solvents. Please consult your facility technician with any questions regarding event / set preparation and construction. Do not use staples, nails, or screws in the ceiling, walls or floors.
  10. Food and drink are prohibited in the Auditorium House seating area and scene shop areas. Food is allowed in the Green Room Area, Dressing Rooms, and Lobby.
  11. Smoking is not permitted anywhere on the UAA campus, including inside or outside of the Williamson.
  12. Permit parking is enforced on the UAA campus Monday-Thursday, 7:30 am-7:30 pm. Permit parking is not enforced on Friday, Saturday or Sunday. A Pay 'n Park" permit vending machine is located in the parking lot west of the auditorium, and one of these permits will allow you to park in the two lots adjacent to the facility during permit enforcement hours. Parking is not permitted in any loading zones, fire lanes or handicap spaces (without a proper permit). For more details on parking for your event, contact Conference Services at 907-751-7273.
  13. Use of/admittance to the Scene Shop fenced area is strictly off-limits, unless your group has specific permission to do so. Use of the Scene Shop area is a privilege. If you are allowed access, see Manager for Shop rules. Use of the equipment in the fenced area of the Scene Shop without permission may result in cancellation of your event, as determined by the Auditorium Manager.
  14. Security of personal valuables is the responsibility of each user group. For your own benefit, please request your event participants to leave any valuables at home.
  15. If your event is of a nature that requires extra or high security, contact the Conference Services and the Auditorium Manager so that we may be alerted to the situation. If any off-campus security guards are determined necessary, the off-campus security will report directly to the University Police when they are present. Extra security will be an added cost covered by the renter.
  16. The Auditorium Manager reserves the right to amend, add to, or delete from the "House Rules" list at any time, and at the sole discretion of the Auditorium Manager, to help guide the renter into compliance with the spirit of the rest of the "House Rules," "Scene Shop Rules," and WWA Contract. All new "House Rules" must be followed in accordance with your original Contract.
• John Wendell "Wendy" Williamson

  The Auditorium was named for John Wendell "Wendy" Williamson. Mr. Williamson was born March 1923 in Chehalis, Washington and lived in Alaska for 41 years before passing away in June 1988 after a battle with cancer.

  He graduated from Chehalis High School and earned a bachelor's degree in music from Washington State College. In college he was a member of the Theta Chi Fraternity. He played trombone and piano in local dance bands and the college orchestra and band.

  He continued his studies and obtained a master's degree from the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. He played professional for several famous entertainers, including John Denver. He served in the US Army during in World War II where he played trombone in a military marching band and organized and directed a camp band.

  Mr. Williamson was professor of music with the Anchorage Community College and the University of Alaska Anchorage since 1971 where he taught music theory, private piano lessons, and piano classes. Additionally, he was described as a kind man, a friend, a buddy, and extremely talented man, and a man with a great sense of humor.

  http://www.alaska.edu/files/uajourney/Williamson.pdf

  http://www.alaska.edu/uajourney/notable-people/anchorage/wendy-williamson/

• The WWA Ghosts

  The Wendy Williamson Auditorium is thought to be haunted by six different beings. A psychic has come and explored the WWA, she explained that the hauntings are drawn to the WWA because they are drawn to raw emotional energy. "[These beings are] now nothing but energy, when they see a great deal of energy expended, emotional energy, [they] are drawn to it."

  • Male Musician - Some think it is Wendy Williamson himself. Whether it is him or not, this ghost does not like portrait of Williamson and continues to knock it down anytime it is hung. He doesn't seem to have any other objections, just the portrait.
  • Shadowy Man - This man loves a good performance and can be seen leaning back stage listening.
  • Woman in White - She has been seen hovering on stage gathering attention of the audience. Was she a former performer?
    
  • Teenage Man - This young man seems to be the kindest and has been known to emit an overwhelming sense of comfort to those who are troubled.
    
  • Little Girl - There is a little girl around the age eight or nine. Some people have seen here near spotlights, but she often is heard giggling around the Auditorium. We are just thrilled she is having a good time.
    
  • Angry Man - This man appears to have issues with brunette women and creating a negative atmosphere. During a beauty pageant he shoved a contestant, hand marks appeared on her back the next day. His negative feels tend to show themselves the most in the lighting booth.

  Numerous articles and websites have written about our haunts. Check them out for yourself:

  • Maine Ghost Hunters
  • Anchorage Daily News
  • Princess Lodges