Six years ago, before Old Warren High School shut down, the district had a community performance center. But the district recently sold the building to the city, giving up rights to the performance space, Gilespe said. In addition to the auditorium, the facility will feature a costume shop, dance studio and 100-seat black box theater. Next to the stage will be a scenery shop, equipped with a fly system, which will be able to lift scenery into the air. The auditorium has continental seating, which is one big block of seats where the aisles between the rows are large.
All seats are at an angle, for better viewing.
A two-story lobby has separate doors from the school, so the two venues will not interfere with one another. The first production will take place at the new facility in May, when the theater group presents Peter Pan. Lynne Meredith Cohn is a Metro Detroit free-lance writer.