IVC SET TO OPEN PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

August 3, 2007

     IRVINE, CA – When Irvine Valley College’s (IVC) state-of-the art $32 million Performing Arts Center opens this fall, it will offer students and the community a comprehensive learning environment where dance, music, and theatre programs will take place. “This educational and performance facility documents Irvine Valley Colleges’ firm commitment to higher education and excellence in student learning,” said President Glenn R. Roquemore.
     At the physical heart of the venue will be a 400-seat main theatre with a single-level balcony that wraps around the orchestra pit, creating a close audience experience. The proscenium stage with an orchestra pit capable of rising to stage level will accommodate large performances of all kinds. The Black Box (Studio Theatre) will provide a more intimate setting for plays and small concerts, with seating for 200. The venue also will include an additional small music hall, dressing rooms, costume shop, design scene shop, green room, box office, design labs and music labs.  In the future, many areas of the venue will be available for rental. The facility will be available to dance, music, theatre groups, civic groups, and other educational and community organizations seeking venues of this size.
     The college is proud that the venue will not only be a centerpiece for IVC’s dance, music, and theatre departments, but it will also provide the community with a convenient and user-friendly venue to host visiting artists and feature performances. The Performing Arts Center will be fully accessible to persons with disabilities, including elevator service from the orchestra pit to the balcony, as well as to an upper technical gallery.
    IVC will host a season of “Gala” performances to celebrate the opening of the Performing Arts Center. Each first full concert, play, or event by a department will be presented as a “Gala” event, with an added dedication and gala celebration to be held on the evening of Tuesday, October 30, 2007. Following the dedication ceremonies, an open house with tours of the building will also be held.
    While $32 million in funding for the project was provided by the state of California and the South Orange County Community College District, the college foundation is currently raising an additional $2.76 million in a fundraising campaign targeted to patrons and friends of the arts. If you are an interested donor or know someone who might be, please contact the Irvine Valley College Foundation Office at (949) 451-5290. The IVC Performing Arts Schedule provides a complete list of upcoming performances.