Group of students in costume on stage acting, extending both their arms outward

Theatre

Performance Space

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: Click on images for larger hi-res. photos.


A picture of the audience seats from the mcconnell auditorium stage. The seats are red and there are two levels of seats.

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); and 7.1 digital surround-sound, state-of-the-art digital Yakima soundboard and ETC Ion lighting console added in 2017.

Milo Smith Tower Theatre: Click on images for larger hi-res. photos.


An image of Milo Smith Tower Theatre. It is a black box style theater.

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): Click on images for larger hi-res. photos.


An image of Mcconnell Studio Room 119. There are dancers in the room with their arms out and in second position with one toe pointed.

This small black box studio is fully equipped with light and sound used for Studio projects and social functions. Studio 119 also serves as a classroom and rehearsal space.

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Theater Arts Department

McConnell Hall Room 102

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