Performers rush to reserve campus space
Whitney A. Stewart
Issue date: 4/10/08 Section: News
Performance stages on campus have quadrupled in the last two decades. The number of concerts and plays has increased by dozens. But fine arts faculty say it's getting harder to slot every desired show by year's end.
"It's really quite a juggling act to get all the Arts Performance Series, concerts, plays, the dance troupe and solo events scheduled," said Sage Building Manager Ruth Demkowski. "This year, from January straight through graduation, it's really full."
Art, music and theater department heads meet each year to create the performance master plan, said Music Department Coordinator and Assistant to the Chair Cheryl Thomas. They start placing "tier one" events on the calendar: orchestra concerts, plays and visiting artists. Then they schedule in "tier two" shows, like faculty performances.
After that, student concerts and studio classes fill up any leftover time.
But Demkowski said next year, the high number of events may push some weekend performances to midweek. Tulloch Ard performances next year could take place on a Wednesday and Thursday instead of its traditional Friday and Saturday calendar spots, she said.
"Because of scheduled weekly rehearsals, impromptu rehearsals, there's limited times available for these rooms to begin with," Thomas said. "Then, toward the end of the semester, we're booked almost completely."
From now until the end of the semester, nearly 30 student recitals are on the books, and Thomas said she anticipated more requests for space reservations before the semester wraps up.
"If we had more performance spaces, we might not have as much problem with this," said Technical Director in Theatre Arts David Griffiths.
Vice President of Administration Rich Péwé said both student productions and performance spaces have increased since he studied at Hillsdale College as an undergraduate.
"When I was a student, there was Phillips [Auditorium] and that was it," he said. "Now you have Phillips, you have Markel [Auditorium], you have McNamara [Rehearsal Hall]. Years ago, there weren't even students who could play in a band. Now there are multiple bands."
Additional spaces available to student groups include the Knorr Dining Room for events like Coffeehouse, as well as lecture rooms in Lane Hall and the Dow Leadership Center.
"We'll definitely be expanding upon those venues and improving upon them to fit ever-growing needs," he said. "At some point down the road, the [intramural sports] building will be a good spot for band concerts," he said.
Péwé said that in addition to the sports building, a future chapel - to be built next to the music building - could also provide a large concert space.
"It's really quite a juggling act to get all the Arts Performance Series, concerts, plays, the dance troupe and solo events scheduled," said Sage Building Manager Ruth Demkowski. "This year, from January straight through graduation, it's really full."
Art, music and theater department heads meet each year to create the performance master plan, said Music Department Coordinator and Assistant to the Chair Cheryl Thomas. They start placing "tier one" events on the calendar: orchestra concerts, plays and visiting artists. Then they schedule in "tier two" shows, like faculty performances.
After that, student concerts and studio classes fill up any leftover time.
But Demkowski said next year, the high number of events may push some weekend performances to midweek. Tulloch Ard performances next year could take place on a Wednesday and Thursday instead of its traditional Friday and Saturday calendar spots, she said.
"Because of scheduled weekly rehearsals, impromptu rehearsals, there's limited times available for these rooms to begin with," Thomas said. "Then, toward the end of the semester, we're booked almost completely."
From now until the end of the semester, nearly 30 student recitals are on the books, and Thomas said she anticipated more requests for space reservations before the semester wraps up.
"If we had more performance spaces, we might not have as much problem with this," said Technical Director in Theatre Arts David Griffiths.
Vice President of Administration Rich Péwé said both student productions and performance spaces have increased since he studied at Hillsdale College as an undergraduate.
"When I was a student, there was Phillips [Auditorium] and that was it," he said. "Now you have Phillips, you have Markel [Auditorium], you have McNamara [Rehearsal Hall]. Years ago, there weren't even students who could play in a band. Now there are multiple bands."
Additional spaces available to student groups include the Knorr Dining Room for events like Coffeehouse, as well as lecture rooms in Lane Hall and the Dow Leadership Center.
"We'll definitely be expanding upon those venues and improving upon them to fit ever-growing needs," he said. "At some point down the road, the [intramural sports] building will be a good spot for band concerts," he said.
Péwé said that in addition to the sports building, a future chapel - to be built next to the music building - could also provide a large concert space.
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