Work will begin on the new performing arts center on campus later in 2017, with a groundbreaking ceremony taking place on December 11th. The center, funded by the bond passed earlier this year, is estimated to be done around January of 2019.

With over $8 million provided by the bond, the performing arts center is going to be a new piece for the school and the district. The building, designed mainly for the students use, will allow for more high-profile performances from the music and arts department.  There is a large emphasis on the center’s use for fine arts at the school, but that is not all it’s for. The center will also include multiple classrooms, a computer lab, an outside area for crafts, and another, smaller performance room.

The center is to be located in the grassy area between both parking lots.  The building’s location and design will not affect local traffic in any way, and will extend the boundaries of the school campus beyond it. As per legal requirements, the entire building will be handicap accessible, including multiple seats and ramps down to the stage.

The stage – a clamshell design that seats up to five hundred – will be acoustically designed to provide a better atmosphere and sound to its patrons.  The ticket booth and lobby will be created with the view in mind. A large window overlooking the Superstition Mountains is in the books, as well as walls for students to display their artwork for fellow students and visitors to see.

The performing arts center has been a milestone for the school for some time.  With larger performances by the theater department in the works, it was deemed necessary to create a space that could better fit the theater and art department’s needs.

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