Ahead of Their Time... 

In Fall, 2003, SMCC added a $10 million Performing Arts Center. The building faces South Mountain, a historic national preserve, and is part of SMCC's main campus. Divided into three major buildings that joined to create an outdoor arts court, the center houses SMCC's existing art, music, and liberal arts classes.

The new 43,000 sq. ft performance center contains a 350-seat theater, 100-seat black box theater, 75- seat dance studio, recording studio, scene and costume shops, a dressing room, make-up room, and green room, as well as faculty offices and two multi-purpose classrooms. The landscaped performing arts court is fully functional in order to accomodate impromptu rehearsals, group meetings, and scheduled performances.

The first and most prominent building, the performance hall, includes the lobby, house, and stage. An elevated exterior lobby provides a “stage” for audience members to mingle before and after performances. The second building houses the "back-of-house" functions, while the third blcok includes the black-box theater, a dance studio, multipurpose classrooms, and administrative offices.

In 2003, Maya Angelou, world-renowned poet, performed a reading during the heavily-attended dedication ceremony. Now a community focal point, the Performing Arts Center showcases the remarkable talents of its students and offers the community an opportunity to share a love of the arts.