KCPA TD: SCENIC TECHNOLOGY @ ILLINOIS
KRANNERT CENTER FOR THE
PERFORMING ARTS
Welcome to Krannert Center for the Performing Arts
In the nearly 50 years since its opening, the Center and its resident academic departments of the School of Music, Illinois Theatre, and Dance at Illinois have welcomed hundreds of thousands of patrons from all walks of life—embracing the University of Illinois’ mission of education, research, and public engagement to establish itself as a classroom, laboratory, and public square for the exchange of ideas, the creation of new artistic work, and the life-affirming power of live performance.
Krannert Center for the Performing Arts is dedicated to the advancement of education, research, and public engagement through the pursuit of excellence and innovation in the performing arts.
Embracing the art of the past as well as the art of our time, the Center supports the belief that creativity is a core human characteristic and that the arts hold uniquely transformative potential.
Through its multiple and integrated roles as classroom, laboratory, and public square, Krannert Center serves as a touchstone for the exploration and expansion of human experience.
THE VENUES
TRYON FESTIVAL THEATRE
Home to Lyric Theatre @ Illinois, the Tryon Festival Theatre hosts operas, ballets, modern dance companies, musicals, plays, and concerts by soloists, small ensembles, and touring companies. Seating is available for 979 people in the balcony and on the main floor. Two large chorus dressing rooms, three star dressing rooms, and a green room provide accommodations for large companies, and the 40 x 35 stage allows for spacious productions. The theatre also includes a computerized lighting system, two HMI followspots, and sound reinforcement and recording capability.
COLWELL PLAYHOUSE
The Colwell Playhouse features seating for up to 641 patrons in the continental style, meaning there are no center aisles in the theatre. The steep seating bank ensures good sight lines for everyone, while the curved walls help carry sound to every seat in the house. Designed to have a short echo ideal for spoken word performances, the Colwell Playhouse features a 38 x 30 stage. Black walls and red seats enhance the dramatic feel of this space where many Dance at Illinois and Illinois Theatre productions take place.
STUDIO THEATRE
Whether they’re experiencing the performance “in-the-round” or club style, audiences in the Studio Theatre are treated to a intimate space for communing with artists. This completely flexible “black box" theatre allows for several seating configurations, and up to 200 people can enjoy performances in this 2,700-square-foot space. Ellnora Krannert wanted a performance space in Krannert Center which was smaller in scale and where students could be more experimental in their work. Today, we keep this intention alive by producing new works of theatre, music, and dance developed by both students and professionals.
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FOELLINGER GREAT HALL
A world-renowned acoustic treasure and the largest performance hall in Krannert Center, the Foellinger Great Hall seats up to 2,066 audience members. Architect Max Abramovitz and acoustician Cyril Harris designed the hall to create a perfect collaboration of sound, and every detail lends to the marvelous acoustics—from the shape of the ceiling, to the upholstery on the seats.
While it is primarily used for vocal and instrumental music concerts, dance and theatre events also take place in this venue. The full stage can accommodate a symphony of over 150 musicians or host intimate salon gatherings featuring emerging artists, with the performer and audience members both seated on the stage. Hand-selected Indiana butternut wood forms the walls, bringing a warm beauty to the hall and connecting the design to Ellnora Krannert's Indiana birthplace.
STAGE 5
Stage 5 is at once a bandstand, a grandstand, and a club stage. Set squarely in the center of the action—and located at the heart of our Lobby—it’s the home for musical events during Krannert Uncorked, casual Afterglow concerts, pumped-up Traffic Jam events, and the little recess during the day that an Interval concert promises. With plenty of space for special activities and the Stage 5 Bar next door, it can host small gatherings or handle wild throngs.
AMPTHITHEATRE
Krannert Center’s outdoor Amphitheatre serves as a performance space during the warmer months. Located on the west terrace and facing the university quad, the Amphitheatre is an inviting space for students, faculty, and visiting artists to perform for an audience of up to 560 in the curved steps of this Greek-inspired design. It’s also a lovely setting for lunch, coffee, or cloud-watching!
THE SCENE SHOP
Welcome to the Scene Shop. Our shop is over 5000 square feet and features a fully equipped woodworking, metalworking, fine woodworking and paint area. The Scene Shop also has a full size ShopBot CNC and two 3D printers. The Scene Shop is staffed by a Technical Director, two Associate Technical Directors, two professional carpenters, a Scenic Charge Artist and most importantly undergraduate and graduate students.
AUTOMATION WORKROOM
Coming August 2019
Over the past several years, the Scenic Technology program has been rapidly growing its inventory of automation equipment and technology. We have established several plug-and-play Creative Conners systems as well as built up our inventory of equipment to create custom designed automation effects. With all this equipment, we will be creating a 400 square foot automation workroom. This space will serve as a location for students to set-up and test automation systems for productions and classwork.
Stay tuned for updates!
ARMORY FREE THEATRE
The Armory Free Theatre is a fully student-run black box theatre located in the Armory Building outside of KCPA. It is the primary site for student driven productions of experimental theatre, original works, and interdisciplinary projects. Students can produce, write, direct, act, design, and manage their own work. Residencies are intended to give students the freedom to pursue their primary educational research as developing artists dealing with issues of topical relevance and contemporary social concerns. Students can submit proposals to the Theatre Department and receive a modest budget for their residencies.
St Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves, directed by Alexandra Smith and Ryan Luzzo. Scenic Design by Nicholas Schwartz. Lighting Design by Heather Raynie.
ADDITIONAL SPACES
Krannert also houses a multitude of other shops, rehearsal spaces, classrooms, a computers lab, light lab, drafting studio, conferences rooms and much much more!