The Optimist (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 90, No. 41, Ed. 1, Wednesday, March 6, 2002 Page: 3 of 10
ten pages : illus. ; page 13 x 8 in. Digitized from 35 mm. microfilm.View a full description of this newspaper.
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COURTESY OF CREATIVE SERVICES
The projected appearance of the north side of the performing arts center A circular drive will lead up to the jew-
eled entrance in the lower right A glassed-in lobby is in the center of the picture
WALK THROUGH
' Paul A Anthony
ASCdlor
It started ns an idea in
someones head way back in
1997 From there It grew into a
plan a blueprint and finally a
construction site
Now after five ears of plan-
ning discussion and tweaking
' Williams Performing Arts Ccn
ter is just months away from
completion
But upon looking through
the site its hard to tell Here
will be a 350 seat thrust stage
theatre But the sun still paints
shadows on the unfinished
( steps from a roof that has jet
to be completed
r ' Over there is a lobby that
will be walled in glass used
for concerts and dinner the
atre right now its concrete
and sawdust and rubble The
sun shines through holes in
the roof where air condition-
ing units that weigh dozens of
tons each will be placed
Workers place beams on a
pillar that will form the west
entrance brick over an air
duct that will help keep the
theatres cool without blowing
air insulate studio walls that
will deaden outside noise
But noise and debris aside
the 96 000 square foot music
and theatre building will be
completed over Christmas
2002 said Kevin Watson direc
tor of Campus Services which
oversees construction of the
center
' It s moving really fast right
now said Watson who noted
that the centers basement
level is completely done with
the exception of sheetrocking
the walls
The centers main entrance
faces north looking at Teague
Boulevard and the campus's
front door Visitors will step
into a small semi circular
lobb that joins to a larger
lobby wall glass looking out
yn one side
1 Moving south through the
center visitors will pass the
350 seat thrust-stage theatre
whose stage will be complete
witii trap doors and a nearby
loading dock so as to allow for
the shipment of stage sets
Across from the theatre on
CHERESE ARCH E
Kevin Watson director of Campus Services points to what will be the
main entrance Once completed it will include a circle drive
w
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A construction worker peers
the west side of the building
is a recital hill which will scat
at least 200 people
following these aie .i bl lck
box multiform the tie and
numerous oiliccs and
iams Performing Arts Center
out of the second floor window The second floor will be
rthcaml areas for both music
and thcatic
lhe basement will hac
nnlnteinnce stouige aieas
along wall piacticc and diess
ing looms A chssroom with a
mirrored wall for choreography
and a second smillcr class
room also w ill oecuji) the base
mem
I he second and top story
illli we a wall of glass on tlie
Most structural work is done now for the Williams Performing Arts Center
shape during the Christmas break This view is from the top of Sikes Hall
Optimist Wednesday March 6 2002 3
CHERESE ARCHIE
A construction worker fits a beam on the west entrance to the
center to the rebar that will hold it in place
mostly studio offices and practice rooms
south end looking toward
Judge EI Boulevard and East
Nortli 16th Street Bridges that
overlook the first floor will
connect a studio office area
with practice areas and a
CHERESE ARCH E
piano lab
The center will completely
house the Music Department
while the Theatre Department
will continue to use Sewell
Theatre along with Willnms
BRADY tANE
observers began seeing it take
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The Optimist (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 90, No. 41, Ed. 1, Wednesday, March 6, 2002, newspaper, March 6, 2002; Abilene, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101759/m1/3/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Abilene Christian University Library.