When John Legend donated $500,000 to give Ohio students a stage

There are two things Oscar- and Grammy-winning artist John Legend has always held close to his heart: music and his hometown of Springfield, Ohio. In 2016, that connection took physical form when he donated $500,000 towards the renovation of an auditorium inside The Dome, the former Springfield South High School. The result was the John Legend Theater, a 680-seat venue that now hosts youth concerts and serves as a home for the Springfield Symphony Jazz Orchestra.From school auditorium to theatreThe building once housed South High School. In 2008, when the city's two high schools merged, it closed. Later, it was transformed into an educational centre. However, the auditorium was not included in the original redevelopment plans because there was insufficient funding to complete the work.John Legend, a native of Springfield, offered to help complete the project. The renovation cost $2.5 million. The singer donated $500,000 towards the work, which covered the auditorium, lobby and entrance on Clifton Avenue. The school district matched donations to reach that total. Local businesses, foundations and individual donors also chipped in. The 680-seat John Legend Theater opened that autumn....