GCSU adjusts to Campus Theatre

Following the renovations to the Campus Theatre, the Department of Theatre received a new home. Previously located in the basement of Porter Hall and sharing the space with the Department of Music, the Department of Theatre is now located in its own space on the third and fourth floors of the newly renovated Campus Theatre.

The new space was completed for the department this past summer and allowed for a move-in date of July. Sophomore theater major Sarah Prochaska was in Milledgeville for the big move.

“We had to move everything that was in the basement of Porter—lighting and sound equipment, filling cabinets,” Prochaska said. “Every teacher has a million books.”

Michael Forsyth | gcsunade.com

The newly renovated Campus Theatre now includes a green room, conference room and computer, acting, make-up and design labs for use by the Department of Theatre.

Both Prochaska and senior theater major Destiny Andrews believe the new location has given the department a prominence on campus that they did not previously have. Before, they had to tell people to go to the basement of Porter Hall to find them, whereas now they can tell people to go downtown to the newly renovated Campus Theatre.

The faculty is also excited about the move, which comes with new offices and a conference room.

“We absolutely love having all of our students, most of our classes and faculty in one home,” said Theatre Chair Karen Berman.

New facilities built for the Department of Theatre include a computer lab, a make-up lab, an acting lab, a design lab, a conference room and green room, in addition to the new Black Box Theatre.

The Black Box Theatre allows students to learn and perform in a more practical environment as well as providing a space for students to master state of the art technology, lighting and sound systems according to the GCSU Web site.

Students are also aware of how much the new facilities will help them produce shows. The Campus Theatre location gives theater majors room to produce and show plays entirely in-house.

“The classrooms are very large so we can do everything in them,” said senior theater major Rashad Coleman. “In Porter we were all crammed together. Now we have class, rehearsal and put on a show in one place.”

The space has also allowed theater members to grow closer as a group, with a special green room where Berman said the students can congregate.

“The building has helped create a sense of bond and community,” Berman said. “There’s lots of life and laughter as well as rehearsal and working. We are loving our new home.”

Posted by Molly Holmes on Sep 24 2010. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.