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The new, 60,300-square-foot dedicated Center for Theatre and Dance brings students, staff, and faculty together, with performance and learning opportunities around every corner—and features rarely seen in campus theatre spaces.

Features:

A 260-seat flexible theatre (complete with orchestra pit, balcony, control booth, tech gallery, and dressing rooms)
Lighting, design, and sound labs
Costume, wig, dye, and craft spaces, including storage
Offices and collaboration spaces
Four acting studios
Two dance studios
Two design classrooms and practice rooms
CADD and design studios

out from the wings and into the spotlight

There’s a hidden gem nestled within Millikin University’s campus: its School of Theatre and Dance. Recognized by American Theatre, OnStage, and College Magazine as one of the best theatre programs in the country, it’s turning out successful names in film, TV, national tours and cruises, themed entertainment, and international touring companies. Program enrollment is also on the rise: a 42% increase over the past five years, with more growth expected.

However, if you took a walk around campus last year, you may not have realized the school—or its five degree programs—existed. It didn’t have a home; instead, faculty and staff occupied every nook or cranny they could find in other buildings.

The concept behind the center for Theatre and Dance is simple: to improve the student experience. The design creativity that brought the idea to life, however, is anything but. The building has an extraordinary presence in the heart of campus, bringing the School of Theatre & Dance out from the wings and into the spotlight.

Explore the spaces in 360°.

The building allows us to take our program to the next level in terms of quality and recruiting and retaining talented students, faculty, and staff. In terms of career prep, we’re now able to offer the opportunity to work with new rigging, new lighting, new sound and costume technology, new dye spaces, and new makeup techniques. This is going to help them prepare for professional success.

- Mary Black, DIrector, School of Theatre and Dance

Bringing a school together

Instead of moving from building to building, Millikin’s 60,300-square-foot Center for Theatre and Dance lets students, faculty, and staff move from floor to floor as they create their showstopping magic. The Center for Theatre & Dance is an attraction for others in the profession. A tool to help students become world-class performers, technicians, artists, designers, producers, and managers. A teaching environment where faculty and staff bring hands-on lessons to life. A living room for Millikin’s 1,800 undergrads. And an entertainment destination for the Central Illinois community.