The much-anticipated Noorda Center for the Performing Arts began operations with the start of the spring semester. Though the official ribbon-cutting ceremony will not take place until March, faculty and staff have already moved in and classes and rehearsals have been held in the new teaching spaces.
The Noorda Center adds 130 thousand square feet of performance and teaching space to UVU. Among those new additions are seven new performance venues and a production and recording studio.
“There is only one room in the building that is designated a classroom,” says Kim Taft, a Noorda Center representative. “As arguably one of the most engaged colleges, most of our classes are held in multi-use spaces. All faculty offices, performance venues, dressing rooms, recording studios and costume and scene shops are used as classrooms.”
In the Gunther Technology building, the previous home of the arts departments, there was limited space to rehearse and teach. Now students and faculty have 27 soundproof practice rooms and 27 one-on-one teaching studios.
The first theatrical production in the new building opens this week: The Laramie Project runs Jan. 18-26.
The official ribbon cutting for the Noorda Center will take place March 25 and will be followed by a week of performances by the School of the Arts. This will be in conjunction with the inauguration of UVU President Astrid Tuminez, taking place that same week. Additional information and tickets to these events can be found herehttps://www.uvu.edu/president/inauguration/.
