New Tuscarawas performing arts center attracts diverse shows
Dan Haseltine, lead vocalist of the Christian rock group Jars of Clay, performs live with his band at The Performing Arts Center at Kent State, Tuscarawas Campus Saturday. The theatre can seat 1,100. Photo by Matt Hafley.
More than 7,000 people have watched performances in the Kent State Tuscarawas Performing Arts Center since its opening in November.
“People have come from across the state to come see these shows,” said Mike Morelli, the general manager of the center.
He said the center has been in the planning process for about a decade. The 50,000 square foot center that seats 1,100 people in its theatre took two years to build. It also has practice and conference rooms. Morelli said he was hired about a year ago to start booking acts and to make sure the center had all the right equipment for performances.
“The center was built for national tours and with the community in mind,” he said.
He said the center is putting thousands of dollars in to the local economy and provides jobs. Morelli said the center employs students and community members to work on the crews. The crews help with all the setups and teardowns, the lighting and the overall production of a show. He said that so far they have 70 people on their paid crew.
“Our goal is to always have the students involved,” Morelli said. “Since we don’t have any student productions yet, we employ them to work on our crews.”
The center’s opening week featured a wide variety of performances from the traveling Broadway Cats and Luna Negra, to “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” stars Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood, to singer Jim Brickman. The Tuscarawas Philharmonic played the opening concert for the center.
Melanie Winn, the general manager of the Tuscarawas Philharmonic, said the group had a lot of involvement in the early consulting for the center. The Philharmonic holds its rehearsals, as well as performances, in the new center. The group also played its Christmas concert in the center. Winn said both shows sold out.
Upcoming events at the Tuscarawas PAC
Midsummer Night’s Dream, Jan. 30, 7:30 p.m.
Josh Gracin, Feb. 4, 7:30 p.m.
The State Ballet Theatre of Russia’s Swan Lake, Feb. 8, 7:30 p.m.
The Peking Acrobats, Feb. 19, 7:30 p.m.
“The hall had a lot to do with the sell outs,” Winn said. “It has certainly impacted us. It is much better to perform in, and has everything from better parking to better acoustics.”
The Tuscarawas Philharmonic will be playing Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 for its next show on Feb. 12.
Some of the other upcoming shows at the Tuscarawas Performing Arts Center include Michael Flatley’s Lord of the Dance, Wizard of Oz and many more.
Morelli said Lord of the Dance has already sold out. He said they have had a lot of shows that have sold out while others have had great attendance. The center will work with nonprofit groups for fundraising and weddings can be held in the lobby. Members of the community can rent the center.
“We have a fully stocked lighting package and sound,” Morelli said. “Some people may need different things such as moving lights or smoke or fog. We find out what they need and the price varies depending on what people want.”
Contact Brooke Bower at [email protected].