As a premier arts venue, the Dana Center for the Performing Arts is home to the Aaron Tolson Institute of Dance as well the college’s dance and music programs and the student theater group the Anselmian Abbey Players.
Walking into the Dana Center lobby, visitors are greeted the box office and two galleries used to showcase fine art students’ or visiting artists’ work.
The Koonz Theatre is the building’s main attraction with a capacity of 582 seats. The stage is a safe, softwood tongue-and-groove floor that is 25-feet deep and 40-feet wide with an additional 11 feet on the orchestra pit. The main theater, it has a state-of-the-art light and sound system including brand new LED lighting.
Located behind the main theater is a scene shop and two large community dressing rooms featuring mirrors, makeup lighting, open space to rehearse, and restroom facilities including showers. There is also a newly renovated green room.
On one side of the building is a performance space with a 100-seat lecture hall as well as a newly renovated dance studio with mirrors, bars, AV equipment, and a wood sprung floor.
On the right side of the Dana Center are rehearsal spaces including seven piano practice rooms, a classroom rehearsal space, and the robust piano lab with 15 keyboards, a Steinway piano, and a George S. Hutchings Opus 347 pipe organ originally built in 1894. Additionally, the building offers a storage room with personal lockers of all sizes for music, theater, and dance majors. Throughout the Dana Center facilities there are a total of four Steinway Pianos including one in the main theater for on-stage performances.
In addition to campus recitals and programs, the Dana Center welcomes renown theater, music, and dance performances throughout the year.
Additional space for the performing arts including the fitness center, black box, and spaces with mirrors and barres, can be found in the Carr Center and Comiskey Center.
Tour the Koonz Theatre and various arts spaces through our virtual tour