More than 25 years ago, Urban administrators recognized the need for a new performing arts and community space to satisfy the needs of a growing student body. As the Performing Arts + Community Center (PACC) unlatches its doors to students on Nov. 11, perhaps none are more excited to explore its facilities than members of the performing arts department.
“There are a lot of opportunities to expand what we can offer in terms of education, but also what we can offer in terms of cultural experience and community bonding,” said Claudio Silva, theater technical director and newly appointed PACC manager. As PACC manager, Silva’s new responsibilities include spearheading events in the space and instructing students and faculty on using new technology.
The space has some technology and equipment that differs from what the department has used in the past. For many students working in technical theater for productions, the walkable tension grid for hanging lights is particularly exciting. The metal grid allows people to walk across the ceiling of the space and hang lights from the grid itself, rather than needing to climb a ladder.
Avi Katzman ’26, a member of the T1 Technical Theater class, reflects this excitement. “[The] tension grid will make hanging lights … a lot easier,” he said. “[We can] focus on the interesting intellectual art and design art, rather than on climbing a ladder.”
Beyond the tension grid, many students are excited to use new lighting equipment in the space. “I’m looking forward to using color-changing LED [lights] and movers,” said Harper Lind ’27, who participates in technical theater and stage management. “It’s a really exciting opportunity to learn on real equipment that we would use in a professional theater.”
Many anticipate that the PACC will help bolster and expand the performing arts program at Urban. “I think it will elevate the appeal to [prospective] students with an interest in performing arts,” said Dan Miller, the head of school.
Some faculty in the performing arts department are hopeful that the extra space will allow for additions to the department’s courses and curriculum.
“I think it gives us room to grow,” Silva said. “I’m really excited about the possibility of creating a theater tech class. I think [the class] would open up performing arts to people who don’t consider themselves artists, which is actually really important, because we all have an artistic side.”
Above all, many look forward to seeing the PACC integrate into Urban as a new part of the campus community and culture. “I hope to see students feeling like the space is their own,” Lind said.
Although the prospect of incorporating an entire building into the school can feel daunting, Silva emphasized the joy of this undertaking.
“There’s a whole process of breaking in a theater space, like the way you break in shoes,” he said. “They say it takes six months to a year to really make it feel like home, and I hope that can be a collaborative process: What do we have, and what do we want it to be?”
