Threefold Auditorium

In 1949, after more than twenty years of presenting Summer Conferences and performances in improvised spaces or outdoors, the Threefold Community dedicated its Auditorium. Mieta Waller-Pyle, Daniel Birdsall, Ralph Courtney and Carl Schmidt collaborated on the auditorium’s design, which, in classically Anthroposophical style, emphasizes the use of rounded and geometric forms. In plan view, the Auditorium is clearly built around two intersecting pentagons rising above a third pentagon. Approached from the driveway, however, the building appears as an unusual but pleasing blend of angular and curved forms. Within the building are the 200-seat auditorium itself, the Sunbridge College Bookstore and Library, the offices of the Threefold Educational Center and of Eurythmy Spring Valley, dressing rooms, and storage areas.

An account given by Constance Ling in 1976 tells us,

"It was not until 1949 that the Auditorium was ready for dedication after several years’ building. A group of people worked over its design, conceiving it, as I believe Dr. Steiner indicated should be done, as a block, from the outside first. The corner- stone was laid with ceremony, Mr. Courtney, Dr. Pfeiffer and Mr. Monges being among the speakers and the actual dedication taking place with Eurythmy, Music especially written for it by Paul Nordoff. Every year since then it has housed summer conferences and been the center of constant activity of many sorts."

From its dedication until 1976, the Auditorium housed the research laboratory of Ehrenfried Pfeiffer, after whom the Pfeiffer Center is named. Dramatic, musical and eurythmy performances are presented on the Auditorium’s stage throughout the year.