The Centennial Arts Center (CAC) will be fully open next year. Its offerings include a flexible theater, a music recital hall, an ensemble room, and so much more. But why did we need these new spaces if our performing arts department is thriving without them?

When asked about how the new 175-seat theater compares with the Performing Arts Center (PAC), Michael Bennett, the Linda Coyne Lloyd Chair of Performing Arts, said, “The new theater offers a significant improvement for everyone involved, actors, crew, and audience.” He says, “The PAC was not designed to be a theater space, so it was never an ideal venue for our productions.” Students, especially ones involved in theater, will greatly benefit from the dressing rooms and improved backstage space. However, the flexibility of this new theater is what truly makes it so special.

Chris Gagne, director of jazz ensembles, believes that the new theater will open up a whole world of possibilities. According to the Concord Academy (CA) website, the space’s adaptability means that creators have opportunities to flex their imaginations beyond what was previously possible. Chris also mentions that the Music Café concert got its name because audience members used to sit at tables, with food and refreshments available. While that setup was impossible in the PAC, the flexibility of the CAC makes it possible to bring the tradition back. Chris stated, “We can make the Café concert what it was always meant to be.”

Another major upgrade in the CAC is the ensemble room. Chris believes that the difference is like that of day and night. He thinks that MAINB53, the current ensemble space, is far from ideal: “You know when you're coming into a basement with no windows and low ceilings, that gets you in a certain space mentally. Whereas when you're in a nice open space with ceilings and windows, you're going to have a lot more fun. It’s easier to focus, fewer distractions.” Furthermore, the sound quality of the new room in the CAC will be tremendously better than the current room, leading to more productive and enjoyable ensemble meetings.

The 75-seat music recital hall is another significant improvement. According to Chris, it was designed for concerts. No current performing space has the same level of sound quality for music.

A space in the CAC that does not receive as much attention as it deserves is the P3 lab. “It's so exciting because there's so much collaboration that's possible in that space,” Chris says. “It's a space where all of the arts on campus can come together.”

One detail that Michael hopes CA students know is that no tuition contributed to the project—it was funded entirely through donations. Chris said, “The beginning next year is going to be maybe the most exciting period I've ever had here, just being in that space and imagining all the new possibilities. I think music and the arts are going to be reinvigorated on campus.”