Williams College
'62 Center for Theatre & Dance
Project
'62 Center for Theatre & Dance
Client
Williams College
Location
Williamstown, MA
Completion
2005
Size
126,000 GSF
Category
The Arts, Renovations + Additions, Campus Innovations
The Class of '62 Center for Theatre & Dance supports Williams College theater and dance students in their pursuit of artistic excellence and has become a world class venue for the Williamstown Theater Festival. The new ’62 Center for Theatre & Dance includes four performance venues:
- The 550-seat MainStage Theater that maximizes intimacy and warm materials
- The 200-seat CenterStage Theater, a flexible space with a “point-of-view” that includes moveable balconies, a flexible lift, and a barn door opening onto the lobby
- The Dance Rehearsal Studio (50’x 65’) with three walls of glass with dramatic views to the Berkshire Hills
- The renovated Adams Memorial Theater, an intimate 250-seat “thrust” type theater
PERFORMANCE SPACES IN USE
Performance of "The Wolves"
Step team performs in MainStage
A ballet performance in the Dance Studio
Dance party fills CenterStage with laughter and music
The Williams marimba band performs in MainStage
Theatre Festival in CenterStage
Theatre class performance in the Directing Studio
"Tartuffe" transforms the AMT Theater
A socially-distanced video performance filmed on green screen in CenterStage
ARTS ON DISPLAY
Located in a prominent position on Main Street, the ‘62 Center for Theatre & Dance emphasizes the importance of connections between theatre/dance and other disciplines on a liberal arts campus. Campus pathways weave through the building giving visitors and students a chance to see theatre and dance activities as they walk about campus. Most dramatically, a giant 20’ high steel barn door opens to reveal the inner workings of the CenterStage Theater along this path.
THEATER FLEXIBILITY
Arena Layout
End Stage Layout
Thrust Layout
Transverse Layout
Awards + Recognition
2008 National AIA Interior Architecture Honor Award
2008 National AIA-CAE/SCUP Excellence in Architecture Honor Award for a New Building
2007 Prague Quadrennial Selected for Full Exhibition
2006 AIA New England Design Excellence Honor Award
2006 American Institute of Steel Construction IDEAS National Winner for $15M-75M Project
2006 BSA Interior Architecture/Interior Design Honor Award
2006 USITT Architecture Merit Award
2005 BSA Higher Education Facilities Design Award
2005 BSA Design Excellence Honor Award
2005 International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers Craft Award for Best Dimensional Stone Project
Project Consultants
Structural Engineer | LeMessurier Consultants, Inc.
Mechanical / Electrical Engineer | TMP Consulting Engineers, Inc.
Civil Engineer | Guntlow + Associates
Landscape Architect | Guntlow + Associates
Interior Designer | Lab [3.2] Architecture
Lighting Consultant | Horton Lees Brogden Design Group
Theater Consultant | Theatre Projects Consultants, Inc.
Acoustical Engineer | Acoustic Dimensions
Photographer | Robert Benson + Sam Sweezy + Keith Foreman + Brad Wakoff + David Dashiell