Hyde Chapel
CHALLENGE
When Hyde Chapel opened in 1962, MUS had fewer than 250 students in Grades 7-12. Now over 700 campus community members attend chapel assemblies, and we’ve added a sixth grade. To accommodate the school's growth, the stage and seats were reduced during past renovations. Hyde Chapel now boasts the narrowest audience seats of any similar area venue, 18 inches wide, making chapel programing a tight squeeze for all but the youngest students. Restrooms, classrooms, audience seating, and the stage itself require going up and down stairs, creating barriers for guests with mobility challenges. Behind the scenes, every set piece, piano, tympani, and lumber delivery must be carried up steps to the stage, shop, and recording studio – a logistical and physical burden limiting our work with performers and partners. In addition, the 60-year-old wooden attic and roof structure cannot accommodate modern stage rigging.
When Hyde Chapel opened in 1962, MUS had fewer than 250 students in Grades 7-12. Now over 700 campus community members attend chapel assemblies, and we’ve added a sixth grade. To accommodate the school's growth, the stage and seats were reduced during past renovations. Hyde Chapel now boasts the narrowest audience seats of any similar area venue, 18 inches wide, making chapel programing a tight squeeze for all but the youngest students. Restrooms, classrooms, audience seating, and the stage itself require going up and down stairs, creating barriers for guests with mobility challenges. Behind the scenes, every set piece, piano, tympani, and lumber delivery must be carried up steps to the stage, shop, and recording studio – a logistical and physical burden limiting our work with performers and partners. In addition, the 60-year-old wooden attic and roof structure cannot accommodate modern stage rigging.
OPPORTUNITY
The new Hyde Chapel will allow us to seat the entire school community comfortably and to make a positive impression on guests as we gather for the time-honored tradition of chapel assemblies, plays, and performances. Improved accessibility will ensure all families and guests – regardless of mobility – can fully participate in the life of the school. The chapel configuration will allow us to incorporate state-of-the-art rigging for lighting and sound equipment. These updates will not only improve the quality of our events but allow students to learn on equipment that they likely will encounter at college and in their careers. With its prominent location near the new main Park Avenue entrance, the chapel will also serve as a welcoming venue for community engagement and public events – keeping the Hyde Chapel stage at the heart of campus life for generations to come.
Back
The new Hyde Chapel will allow us to seat the entire school community comfortably and to make a positive impression on guests as we gather for the time-honored tradition of chapel assemblies, plays, and performances. Improved accessibility will ensure all families and guests – regardless of mobility – can fully participate in the life of the school. The chapel configuration will allow us to incorporate state-of-the-art rigging for lighting and sound equipment. These updates will not only improve the quality of our events but allow students to learn on equipment that they likely will encounter at college and in their careers. With its prominent location near the new main Park Avenue entrance, the chapel will also serve as a welcoming venue for community engagement and public events – keeping the Hyde Chapel stage at the heart of campus life for generations to come.
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Memphis University School
6191 Park Avenue | Memphis, TN 38119 | Main: (901) 260-1300