CONTACT
Kristen Mathias, Marketing Director, Theatre Projects Consultants
T +1 203 307-2948 kmathias@theatreprojects.com
James Casciato, Marketing Coordinator, Theatre Projects Consultants
T + 1 203 307 2957 jcasciato@theatreprojects.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 5, 2014
Pittsburg State University opens Bicknell Family Center for the Arts
NORWALK, CT
When the Bicknell Family Center for the Arts at Pittsburg State University opened its doors on
December 7, those in attendance may have been surprised to know—after looking over the stunning
glass edifice, setting foot in the beautiful wood-trimmed auditorium, and exploring its numerous
versatile facilities —that the entire building only cost a remarkable $33 million.
Cost–effective planning and design by Theatre Projects went a long way in creating the first
performing arts facility on the Pittsburg State University campus since 1978. The long-overdue
building is a collaboration between Theatre Projects, ACI/Boland (executive architect), and William
Rawn Associates (design architect).
At the heart of the 96,000 square foot center is the Linda & Lee Scott Performance Hall, a 1,100-seat,
multi-purpose theatre that can accommodate symphony, opera, drama, dance, amplified music and
more, providing the university with countless opportunities for both student performances and outside
touring groups.
With a flexible mainstage theatre, adjustable acoustics, and a sizable seating capacity, the university
can anticipate a myriad of rotating events throughout the year, enhancing the school’s cultural
influence and drawing revenue from outside patrons.
Down the hall from the Linda & Lee Scott Performance Hall sits the Bicknell’s courtyard theatre, a
flexible and intimate 250-seat space, which will serve as the mainstage for the university’s drama
department. With a comfortable setting, the young actors-in-training are provided the perfect
environment to gradually find their voice, learn their range, and step out onto a modest stage rather
than into a cavernous auditorium. The courtyard theatre features an adjustable stage, which can be
arranged in endstage or thrust configurations.
In an effort to keep costs down, the facility was built in large part with pre-cast concrete panels,
affording the construction team the luxury of not pouring concrete on site. The quick and cost-effective
method was used in two previous Theatre Projects buildings: the Shaw Center for the Arts in Baton
Rouge, Louisiana, and the Acadiana Center for the Arts in Lafayette, Louisiana.
The modest price tag of the Bicknell Center is all the more astonishing when taking into account all the
other facilities included in the building. A scene shop, costume shop, dressing rooms, and technical
rooms provide a robust infrastructure for a constant stream of shows and events, while a 3,000 square
foot multi-purpose rehearsal room doubles as a warm-up room for waiting performers. Additionally,
the center features an art gallery, donor display room, donor lounge for private receptions, and a
workshop for artists-in-residence. Future plans call for a garden courtyard and reception area to the
south of the building.
The center’s expansive glass edifice, grand lobby, and the natural light pouring into the courtyard
theatre, scene shop, and costume shop, may belie what was at heart a very carefully-planned and costeffective design. The design team worked intensively to create a beautiful, modern and deceptively
simple building that could not only be built efficiently, but also function flawlessly.
With the opening of the Bicknell Family Center for the Arts, Pittsburg State University aims to take a
spot as one of the Midwest’s premier destinations for music, theatre, art, lectures, and more. Not only
will the center provide a lasting home for student-actors and artists, but it will enrich the surrounding
community and be a catalyst for the arts and culture of Pittsburg, Kansas for decades to come.
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Notes for Editors:
Theatre Projects is an international team of theatre designers and planners creating extraordinary
performance spaces around the world. For over 55 years Theatre Projects has provided creative design
solutions and technical innovation and expertise to more than 1,200 projects in over 70 countries. Theatre
Projects provides strategic planning, theatre planning and design, and theatre equipment design and
specification. The Theatre Projects team is based in Connecticut, London, Los Angeles, and Shanghai. For
more information please visit theatreprojects.com.
The press release is available for download in the Theatre Projects Media Room.