One of the tangible signs of the success of the Mary Washington First campaign is the amphitheatre renovation and improvement project. The $3 million effort was supported by Donald B. and Josephine McPherson Heslep ’56, who pledged $1.25 million, Robert S. and Alice Andrews Jepson ’64, who pledged $1 million, and other generous donors. These architectural plans show the stage restored to its 1953 appearance, when the grove was a center of campus life. The seating will mimic an earlier era – about 1923 – in harmony with the wooded site and national preservation standards.   New, accessible pathways of stabilized granite and aggregate will blend with the natural setting. The site will be lighted by a combination of inconspicuous path lighting fixtures and standard campus lampposts. A level aisle across the center of the seating area will allow wheelchair access.   Terraces of groundcover along the seating area will be available for picnicking and small group … [Read more...]