Theatre

Facilities

In the Department of Theatre and Film, you find an intricate network of resources at your disposal. Your mind is filled with the enchanting clamor of the scene shop where you can rent or build props and set pieces, echoing the sounds of creativity. The well-stocked costume department is available for your perusal, filled with racks of garments ranging from the modern to the historical, capable of transforming a mere mortal into a character from any epoch. Lighting and sound equipment rental services are ready to illuminate your scenes and resonate with your dialogue, underscoring the drama or comedy you're conveying. The grandeur of a fully equipped theatre awaits your production, complete with tech booths, fly systems, and audience seating, designed to host audiences that will witness your theatrical visions come to life. Beyond the physical, the richness of script libraries and digital design software further empower your story-telling prowess. With every facility and rental, you have the opportunity to build an unforgettable theatrical experience.

The Theatre Arts Department and Central Theatre Ensemble are housed in the stately McConnell Hall, which underwent a $2.1 million renovation completed in the fall of 2003. Fueled primarily by health and safety concerns, the renovation improved and reorganized existing spaces to provide a more user-friendly and, most importantly, safe working environment.

Because theatre is a collaborative, fluid and multi-faceted art form, majors in this department spend limited time in traditional classrooms. Your education begins in the shops and studios and culminates in fully stage productions.

McConnell Auditorium

A classic 750-seat proscenium theatre, this space was the major focus of a 2003 renovation, with additional upgrades in 2005 and 2006. Among the improvements: two new lighting catwalks; a 31-line single-purchase counterweight fly system; a new stage floor with traps; Marley dance floor, all new electrics, which includes over three miles of electric conduit; 288 dimmers; new draperies; new cyc lighting; a new inventory of ETC Source 4 lights; 18 Wybron Forerunner Color Scrollers (16 color); state-of-the-art Mackie 48-channel soundboard; and ETC Ion lighting console was added in 2011.

Milo Smith Tower Theatre

Adaptable black box theatre seats 240 in the thrust and 340 in the round with a control booth and 192 dimmers. Recent improvements include new draperies, Marley dance floor, Mackie 12-channel soundboard; a new inventory of ETC Source 4 lights; and ETC Expression lighting console.

Studio 119 (MC)

Studio 118 (HEB)

Studio 122 (HERTZ)

Studio 124 and 127: Vocal studios for private coaching fill the majority of the time in these identical studios. Time is also available for individual vocal and piano practice.

*Scene Shop

*Costume Shop

Costume Crafts Room

In addition to the Costume Shop, a separate and fully equipped Costume Crafts room was added in 2003. This room features: an industrial dye vat; a two washer/dryer laundry room; complete hat-making equipment; ventilating equipment for construction of custom-made hair pieces and ample storage and work space.

Dressing Rooms

The Department has two fully ventilated 20-person mirrored dressing rooms and three 4-person mirrored dressing rooms.

Makeup Room: The fourth small dressing room in the building has been converted into a fully-stocked makeup room. Makeup classes are held in the spacious, mirrored dressing rooms.

Drafting and Design Room: Drafting tables provide optimal environment for students to succeed in drafting, rendering and design courses.

*Marketing Office

Known affectionately as the "Fabby Lab" this facility is a unique feature seldom found in the university setting. Students can participate in all aspects of marketing related to the vibrant and exciting Bachelor programs, unique limited-residency Master of Arts program and the professionally-modeled and always entertaining Central Theatre Ensemble production season. More than 50,000 pieces of mail are sent from the Fabby Lab annually.

*Lighting Shop

Home base for the dedicated faculty and students who shed light on CTE productions. The focus of this season's annual fundraising campaign is new lighting equipment to enhance existing inventory, which includes four High End Systems intelligent lighting fixtures.

Green Room

Equipped with intercom system to serve both McConnell Auditorium and the Milo Smith Tower Theatre. Closed-circuit broadcast is also streamed in during McConnell Auditorium productions, so you never miss a cue!

Conference Room and Student Computer Lab: The conference room provides ample space for design and production meetings. Four computers offer students a place to do production, design work for the CTE season, and document completion of education certification standards.

McConnell 117

Our one traditional classroom space in McConnell Hall, the room was recently refitted with state-of-the-art, internet accessible, video and projection systems.