Facilities
The School of Theatre and Dance has excellent facilities that support an active production program. These facilities include performance spaces, shop facilities, and specialized classrooms.
Reserving a Room (for Faculty and Students)
Space Availability
To reserve a room in the School's facilities, please read the following policies and procedures.
- Classroom usage between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday is extremely limited and should be requested only if evening hours are not an option.
- Requests for space must be made no less than 24 hours in advance.
- Priority will be given in the following order:
- the School of Theatre and Dance production program
- the School of Theatre and Dance faculty
- School of Theatre and Dance degree majors
- all other requests
- Some rooms have limited access, as noted below.
Reserving a Space
School of Theatre and Dance Productions, Committees, RSOs, Students, and Faculty may request a space by e-mailing Amy Coon. Please check the calendar of the space you would like by clicking on the links below, then send a request that includes the space, time, and reason for the reservation.
School of Theatre and Dance Spaces Available for Rehearsals:
Centennial East Room 08
Centennial East Room 115
Centennial East Room 116 - Dance Area Only
Centennial West Room 202
Centennial West Room 207
Centennial West Room 214
Centennial West Room 301
School of Theatre and Dance Spaces Available for Meetings:
Centennial West Room 302 - Faculty Only
Centennial West Room 303
Centennial West Room 303A
Centennial West Room 308 - Faculty Only
For the School of Theatreand Dance Conference Room, please e-mail Amy Coon.
Inquiries about the use of Westhoff Theatre or the Center for the Performing Arts Theatre can be sent to Dan Browder.
Performance Spaces
Center for the Performing Arts
The Center for the Performing Arts (CPA) opened in Fall 2002.
It seats 525 in a comfortable arrangement that affords excellent sightlines for our patrons. The stage is equipped with a motorized orchestra pit that seats 40 musicians, a fly space that includes 45 line sets, floor traps and generous backstage access. The proscenium opening is 43 feet wide and 24 feet high. Six School of Theatre and Dance productions are produced here each year, including two dance concerts and one musical or opera in collaboration with the School of Music.
Westhoff Experimental Theatre
This former proscenium stage has been renovated to create an adaptable space that may be configured as a 125-seat thrust or a 150-seat arena stage. The playing area is approximately a 24-foot square, and the theater features floor traps and a new dimmer system. Four productions are produced in Westhoff each season.
Centennial West 207
Centennial West 207, renovated in 2011, is an intimate theater that doubles as a classroom space for undergraduate directing students as well as the graduate directing program. The room features a proscenium stage, with an audience area that seats 50, and it is equipped with a control booth, sound system, and light grid.
Centennial West 202 Studio Theatre
A newly renovated space that converts from an acting studio to a performance space as needed. The room is equipped with a control booth, a lighting grid and audience risers to complete the transformation. The space may be arranged in several different ways, which affords the users flexibility.
Dance Studio
The Dance Studio is located in Centennial East 116. It is a fully equipped, newly renovated, large open dedicated dance studio that is two stories high with a sprung floor. The studio also has curtains and a light grid to transform it into an alternate dance performance venue.
The Theatre at Ewing Cultural Center
This 450-seat facility houses the Illinois Shakespeare Festival’s outdoor performances. Opened in June 2000, the space provides patrons excellent sightlines in a comfortable setting under the stars. The space includes secure backstage areas for cast and crew, with means of providing technical support, in an intimate, exciting performance environment.
Shop Facilities
Scene Shop
The central location offers easy access to both the Center for the Performing Arts and the Westhoff Experimental Theatre. The scene shop includes a metal shop, a spray booth, and a large assembly area for painting.
Prop Shop
Housed in Centennial East, the Prop shop provides construction and storage space for staff and students. An office area affords the personnel a means of organizing and maintaining a large prop stock. Additional storage areas in the CPA and Stevenson Hall are nearby.
Costume Shop
The costume shop, along with a dye room and a costume craft room, offer a spacious and well-equipped environment for the construction of costumes. Storage areas provide access to a large costume stock spanning numerous styles and historical periods.
Light Shop
Lighting repair and storage is located in the basement of the Center for the Performing Arts. The shop provides a space for staff to organize lighting large inventories in our performance spaces.
Stage Management Office
A stage management office provides working space along with computer and telephone capabilities for stage management staff.
Specialized Classrooms
Computer Labs
Centennial West 303 serves as a satellite computer lab for use by design/production students.The lab features nine work stations with up-to-date design software. The room also houses a laser printer and a plotter for large-scale documents.
The computer lab in Room 50 of the Center for the Visual Arts (CVA) is used extensively for teaching and for a variety of individual student needs. The room features more than 20 PC stations with the latest audio and visual design software.
Audio Room
Room 15 in the Center for the Visual Arts houses a Digital Audio Workstation and an isolation-recording booth. This space is available to School of Theatre and Dance students working on sound designs.
Drafting Room
The drafting room is located in Centennial West 303A. The room contains fourteen drafting tables and a central conference area.
