Center for Performing Arts
Department Offices
Ives Hall 206 and Green Music Center
Interim Dean
Ed Beebout, School of Arts and Humanities
Department Chairs
Christine Cali, Theatre Arts & Dance
Andy Collinsworth, Department of Music
In addition to its broad spectrum of course offerings in music, dance and theatre, the Center for Performing Arts coordinates the performance activities of the music and theatre arts & dance departments by providing technical support in scenery, costumes, makeup, lighting, and sound, as well as marketing, facility management, and ticketing services. An estimated 16,000 people attend the Center’s annual presentation of more than 140 student and guest artist workshops and performances.
The Center for Performing Arts is home to a variety of performing ensembles comprised of both students and community members, including Drama Ensemble, Dance Ensemble, Symphony Orchestra, Symphonic Chorus, Chamber Singers, Music Theatre Production, Music Theatre Scenes Workshop, Chamber Music Ensembles,Student Composers, Symphonic Wind Ensemble, Concert Band, Brass Ensemble, Guitar Ensemble, Percussion Ensemble, Concert Jazz Ensembles (2), Latin Jazz Ensemble, Technical Theatre, Theatre Studies, and Jazz Orchestra. In addition, a number of student-initiated projects in music, dance, and theatre are presented each semester, including senior recitals and projects.
In addition to the regular performances of its resident ensembles, Performing Arts’ departments and programs each year host and present a variety of special events and activities. The Music Department’s Collage Concert, presented each October as part of parent visitation weekend, is soon followed by the annual Scholarship Showcase for scholarship and endowment donors, which features highlights of Fall music, dance and theatre productions. Other Fall events include the High School Invitational Choral and Jazz Festivals and the annual vocal teacher’s workshop presented by the local chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing. Throughout the year, the choral, Jazz and symphonic wind programs host a variety of regional clinics and festivals, all of which bring high school and college ensembles to SSU. Trio Navarro, Faculty Jazz Ensemble, and Sonoma Musica Viva are the Music department’s resident professional ensembles and each presents a concert series. Finally, the Theatre Arts & Dance and Music departments and their many programs present each year a varied season of guest artist residencies, workshops, and concerts that introduce students to intensive, hands-on creative work with top-ranking professionals. The Center’s guest artist series and the departments’ many talent scholarships are made possible by the Evert B. Person endowment, established in 1991.
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The center manages a variety of distinct performance venues:
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Schroeder Recital Hall. This 240-seat recital hall houses a Magnificent Brombaugh Opus 9 Organ and functions as an intimate venue for choral performance, chamber music, and Jazz. It is equipped as a “smart” classroom and functions as a well-appointed lecture hall.
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Evert B. Person Theatre. Opened in 1990, this beautiful, state-of-the-art, fully equipped and accessible 475-seat proscenium theatre features excellent sight lines, a complete fly system, movable thrust with orchestra lift, large stage, computerized lighting board system, well-equipped scene and costume shops, and actor-friendly dressing rooms and makeup facilities. It is used for most large-scale theatre, dance, and music theatre productions, as well as for concerts, lectures, and special events;
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Warren Auditorium. Our 200-seat proscenium auditorium is a venue for Jazz concerts and other music and theatre events. It is equipped as a “smart” classroom for lecture-style classes and is the home of the Sonoma Film Institute;
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A 125-seat flexible drama theatre and rehearsal space.
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A 50-seat black box studio theatre suited to small-scale, intimate productions;
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Alumni Amphitheater, a small outdoor space surrounded by trees, used for a variety of performances;
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State-of-the-art sound engineering studio allowing for a one-year certificate program.
In addition to its own concerts and productions, the Center provides venues and support for a variety of campus activities, including convocations, lecture and film series, conferences, and events sponsored by Associated Students Productions. Many off-campus groups also rent the Center’s performance facilities for meetings, conferences, dance, theatre, and music performances.
Information about performances and tickets is best accessed online on the Department of Music web page and Theatre Arts & Dance web page. Tickets to all CPA performances can be reserved or purchased weekdays at the main campus box office located in the University’s Student Center. Tickets can also be obtained at three campus box office outlets 30-60 minutes prior to the performance: 1) the Evert B. Person Theatre Box Office; 2) Ives Hall box office (main floor outside Warren Auditorium); and 3) the lobby of Schroeder’s Recital Hall at the Green Music Center. Discount rates on all tickets for students, senior citizens, and groups in effect for all performances. Free admission tickets are available to all SSU students.
Green Music Center
The Green Music Center is the performing arts presenter at Sonoma State University. As a cornerstone of Sonoma State University’s commitment to the arts, the Green Music Center is a place to witness artistic inspiration through year-round programming, serving as home to the Sonoma State University Music Department, the Santa Rosa Symphony, and Sonoma Bach.
The mission of the Green Music Center is to present the most compelling artists of our time, to investigate ideas, and to provide access to diverse artistic experiences that educate, connect, and inspire Sonoma State University and neighboring North Bay communities.
Built to bring together artists, students, families, music-lovers, and more, the Green Music Center at Sonoma State University is a gathering place for our diverse communities in Sonoma County to explore and enjoy the things that move and inspire us. The center includes the 1,400-seat Weill Hall, with a rear wall that opens to lawn seating for a unique summertime experience, and the intimate 240-seat Schroeder Hall.
The Green Music Center is committed to connecting the artists we present in our concert halls with academic partners across campus. Artists participate in activities such as lectures, demonstrations, workshops, and conversations with students, faculty, and staff, all of which aim to foster deep engagement with diverse artistic experiences that explore a variety of themes. Activities are designed to develop creative capacities, critical thinking skills, and encourage participants to investigate communal and personal values while building empathy for the experiences of others.
Sonoma State University students can purchase $10 tickets to most shows or receive 50% off regular single ticket prices.
University Art Gallery
Art 101
(707) 664-2295
Interim Director
Dr. Jennifer Bethke
Opened in 1978 as part of SSU’s new art department complex, the University Art Gallery is a large and well-equipped facility with almost 2,500 square feet of exhibition space in two adjoining galleries. The Art Gallery serves the campus and surrounding communities through ongoing presentation of exhibitions, publications, and lectures, featuring work by local, national, and international contemporary artists.
Throughout its existence, the Art Gallery has organized and displayed museum-quality exhibitions, ranging in focus from experimental installations and multimedia works to more traditional styles and techniques. Some of the artists featured in Art Gallery exhibitions are Mari Andrews, Robert Arneson, Chester Arnold, Squeak Carnwath, Laurie Fendrich, John Yoyogi Fortes, Mineko Grimmer, Mildred Howard, Robert Hudson, Marc Katano, Annie Leibovitz, Judith Linhares, Hung Liu, Judy Pfaff, Peter Plagens, Sabine Reckewell, Dana Schutz, Luis Silva, Tomas Vu, and Cate White, among many others.
During each academic year, the Art Gallery presents five exhibitions, including work by graduating Bachelor of Fine Arts students and the annual Juried Student Show, which is open to all SSU students and is selected by two art professionals from off-campus. Work by the SSU Art Department faculty is also shown in the gallery every two to three years. In addition, the Art Gallery hosts a variety of programs and events, chief among them the annual Art from the Heart Auction, featuring affordable works of art by more than 100 local and nationally recognized artists, the proceeds from which directly benefit the gallery’s programs.
In addition to its public programs, the Art Gallery serves as a teaching facility, providing art history, art studio, and other students with hands-on experience in the fields of museum and gallery work and arts administration.
The Art Gallery is open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesdays through Fridays, and noon to 4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Admission is free.
University Library Arts and Events Program
Jean and Charles Schulz Information Center
(707) 664-2375 (Info/Checkout Desk)
http://library.sonoma.edu/about/gallery
The Library’s Gallery and Events Program showcases faculty, student, staff, and community art and scholarship through a variety of events and programs promoting cultural awareness and lifelong learning. Visit the Library website for more details and current events.
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