Student performers take the spotlight as RIT opens new state of the art Performing Arts Center on campus

Rochester, New York – A new chapter in the creative life of the Rochester Institute of Technology is about to begin. On April 10, the university will officially unveil its long-awaited Performing Arts Center, a modern venue designed to host theater productions, musical performances, dance showcases, and community events. The opening will be marked not only by a ribbon-cutting ceremony but also by a lively evening performance led entirely by students.

The new facility represents one of the most significant theater developments in the Rochester region in decades. Stretching across 50,388 square feet and featuring 747 seats, the Performing Arts Center stands as a major addition to the campus landscape. Its stage and surrounding spaces were designed to support a wide range of artistic activities—from orchestral concerts and dramatic productions to guest lectures and cultural gatherings.

The day of celebration will begin at 9:30 a.m. with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. By evening, the spotlight will shift to the students themselves. At 7:30 p.m., the first official performance will bring music, movement, and storytelling to the stage in a 75-minute cabaret-style showcase.

The show will feature 11 performances by RIT students, highlighting a mix of theatrical scenes, vocal performances, dance numbers, and instrumental pieces. Among the performers will be members of the 66-piece RIT Philharmonic Orchestra. A separate pit ensemble of 21 student musicians will accompany selected acts throughout the evening, adding depth and energy to the production.

The performance marks more than the debut of a building. It signals the arrival of a new focal point for the performing arts at the university.

“This building will serve as central stage in the already flourishing performing arts ecosystem, the largest of our performance venues on campus,” said Erica Haskell, director of RIT’s School of Performing Arts. “We anticipate productions and concerts in the Performing Arts Center will be infused with cutting-edge technologies enabled through cross-college interdisciplinary collaborations.”

That ecosystem has been steadily growing in recent years. In 2019, RIT launched a Performing Arts Scholarship program aimed at supporting students who wish to pursue creative passions alongside their academic studies. Since then, the initiative has expanded rapidly.

More than 3,000 students have received the partial scholarships so far. This year alone, 579 new students arrived on campus as scholarship recipients, bringing musical, theatrical, and dance talents from across the country and beyond.

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For RIT President Bill Sanders, the success of the program demonstrates something unique about the university’s culture: the natural connection between technical disciplines and artistic expression.

“Even before coming here, I knew RIT students had extraordinary performing arts talent,” said RIT President Bill Sanders. “Technology and the ability and desire to perform in the arts go hand in hand. We have thousands of students on campus who seamlessly blend performance with their academic pursuits, often in STEM disciplines.”

That blend of creativity and innovation is reflected throughout the design of the new building. The Performing Arts Center includes a range of spaces intended to support both performers and audiences.

Inside the structure, visitors will find a large performance hall equipped with two balconies that provide sweeping views of the stage. There is also an outdoor amphitheater that will allow for open-air performances during warmer months. Behind the scenes, a spacious rehearsal studio gives performers room to practice and prepare.

Additional areas include costume and scene shops where stage elements can be built and maintained, a dedicated box office for ticketing, and an operations office that will help coordinate the many events expected to take place in the venue. Food service space will also be available to support audiences attending performances.

One of the most unique elements of the new theater is its historic centerpiece. The building will eventually house an antique Barton Opus 234 theater pipe organ. The instrument is currently undergoing restoration and will be installed once the work is complete, adding a rare and distinctive feature to the venue.

The architectural vision behind the project was developed by Michael Maltzan, a Los Angeles-based architect known for designing cultural institutions and performance venues. Maltzan’s firm has built a reputation through projects involving museums, universities, and major arts facilities, as well as high-end residential architecture.

For the RIT project, Maltzan worked alongside SWBR, a Rochester-based architectural firm that served as the architect of record. SWBR previously collaborated with the university on the MAGIC Center, another innovative campus facility.

Maltzan is expected to attend the opening events on April 10, where the new building will officially welcome its first audiences.

“The Performing Arts Center will serve as a new gateway to the campus, and a destination supporting the extraordinary creativity that is fundamental to the culture at RIT now, and as a part of the dynamic future of the Institute,” Maltzan said.

The evening’s inaugural performance will also carry a deeper symbolic meaning. The show, directed by Christopher Ryan, assistant professor of performing arts, has been titled “Till There Was You.” The song comes from the classic musical The Music Man—a production that holds special significance at RIT.

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According to Ryan, the musical is a favorite of retired RIT President David Munson, who originally championed the idea of building a performing arts venue on campus. Munson played a key role in turning the concept into reality during his presidency.

For the production team, honoring that legacy was an important part of the opening night.

“This will be a celebration of all he did during his tenure as president, and a realization of his vision for the university,” said Ryan, assistant professor of performing arts. “We wanted to pay homage to Dr. Munson as well as Dr. Sanders for stepping up to carry on with this vision. Research is very clear about the benefits of the arts across all disciplines, and it’s also very significant that this was built for students who are non-majors of the arts, who are involved in the arts because they enjoy being in the arts.”

Interest in the event has already proven strong. Tickets for the opening performance sold out ahead of the show, signaling enthusiasm from both the campus community and the broader Rochester region.

For students preparing to step into the spotlight, the new venue offers something more than just a stage. It provides a place where creativity, collaboration, and curiosity can flourish.

And as the curtain rises on April 10, those students will become the first voices to bring the Performing Arts Center to life.