Misplaced Pages

Virginia Wadsworth Wirtz Center for the Performing Arts

The Northwestern University Virginia Wadsworth Wirtz Center for the Performing Arts exists as a for-profit operational and administrative body in association with the Northwestern University School of Communication with the specific charge of producing, managing, funding and administering the performing arts productions of the School of Communication, Department of Theatre and Department of Performance Studies, including programmatic responsibility for theatre, music theatre and dance. The Theatre and Interpretation Center was built in 1980, and renamed in 2015 to the Virginia Wadsworth Wirtz Center for the Performing Arts. The building contains a 450-seat thrust stage theater (Ethel M. Barber Theater), a 350-seat proscenium theater (the Josephine Louis Theater), two smaller black box theaters, a dance performance space, full theatrical production facilities, and offices for the center. Its plain white exterior walls and boxy, utilitarian shape stand in stark contrast to the nearby University Library, and earned it the nickname "The Box The Library Came In" among Northwestern students.

Productions

Each year, as many as forty productions are mounted in the Wirtz Center. Of those forty, approximately eight are main stage productions staged in the Ethel M. Barber Theater and the Josephine Louis Theater and are directed by faculty, third-year MFA directing students, and guest artists. These productions include both classic and contemporary plays, dance performances and musical productions. In addition, the Wirtz Center produces the annual Waa-Mu Show, an original student written and performed musical and also the Summerfest which includes a two to three play series that is performed during the summer. The center offers subscriptions for the entire season as well as for Summerfest. Currently there are over fifteen hundred subscribers who buy the season package. These patrons come from the University population as well as the neighboring communities.

References

1. Yue, Lorene (April 17, 2014). "Rocky and Marilyn Wirtz donate to Northwestern's theater program". Crain's Chicago Business. Retrieved March 24, 2017.
2. "About Us | Northwestern University School of Communication". www.communication.northwestern.edu. Retrieved March 24, 2017.

v t e Northwestern University
Located in: Evanston IL and various other locations
Academics	Music Management Engineering Journalism Medicine Theological Law
Research	Galter Pavilion Segal Design Institute McGaw Medical Center International Institute for Nanotechnology Northwestern Medicine Northwestern University Institute for Policy Research Argonne–Northwestern Solar Energy Research Center Infrastructure Technology Institute
Evanston Campus	Buildings Residences Block Museum Dearborn Observatory Deering Library The Lakefill Lindheimer Astrophysical Research Center Norris Center Technological Institute Old College Former Roycemore School building Pick-Staiger Concert Hall Shakespeare Garden Wirtz Center for the Performing Arts The Rock University Hall University Library
Chicago Campus	Buildings Residences Galter Pavilion Lurie Children's Hospital Northwestern Memorial Hospital Prentice Women's Hospital Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago
Qatar Campus	Northwestern Qatar
Athletics	Teams Baseball Men's Basketball Women's Basketball Field Hockey Football Women's Lacrosse Men's soccer Softball Venues Patten Gymnasium Rocky Miller Park Ryan Field Welsh–Ryan Arena Related Marching band Illinois football rivalry Willie the Wildcat
Media	The Daily Northwestern North by Northwestern Northwestern University Law Review Northwestern University Press TriQuarterly WNUR Northwestern Journal of Technology and Intellectual Property Journal of Criminal Law & Criminology
Traditions	Dance Marathon Dillo Day Dolphin Show Go U Northwestern History Student activism Schwarts Lectures Waa-Mu Show
People	Alumni Faculty Presidents John Evans
Founded: 1851 Students: 21,208 Endowment: 15 billion Category

42°3′7″N 87°40′22″W / 42.05194°N 87.67278°W / 42.05194; -87.67278

• Theatres in Illinois
• Northwestern University campus
• Tourist attractions in Cook County, Illinois
• 1980 establishments in Illinois