PAC almost finished: Faculty prepares for art performances

In the spring semester of 2017, the ground was broken to make way for a new Sue & Frank Mayborn Performing Arts Center on campus.

Now, construction on the building is close to being finished and performances are being planned.

The building is quickly becoming the new pride and joy of many and after $20 million, months of hard work, and seeing the building’s result, it is easy to see why.

The new Sue & Frank Mayborn Performing Arts Center will be able to seat up to 546 people in the performance hall, which is 246 more than the 300 seats in the Hughes performance hall.

This new feature on campus will bring students live cinema, plus it will be equipped with a spacious lobby and a box office with a walk-up window. The Sue & Frank Mayborn Performing Arts Center will also hold classes for students looking to broaden their performing skills.

“We don’t have an official date for the dedication ceremony at this time, but it will be in October. At that event, which will be open to the public, there will be a ribbon cutting and tours of the facility,” James Stafford, Director of marketing and Public Relations, told Belton journal during an interview.

Director of Operations & Technical Director for the Sue & Frank Mayborn Performing Arts Center, Erik Vose, believes the new addition to campus will be extremely beneficial and will open more options for the College of Visual and Performing Arts to offer the student body.

Shyanne Hoffman, a freshman forensics major with a music minor, says she is excited for the new opportunities the building and the class will have in store for her.

“I think it’s going to be a great addition to UMHB and I’m excited to see what amazing things it has to offer,” Hoffman said.

Freshman music education major, Makaila Showels, believes the newest addition to campus will be able to give her a new sense of responsibility. “I am very excited. I never had a chance to perform or work in a brand new Performing Arts building. “This building will provide music and performance students with a professional level performance space that will help them gain better experience as performers,” Vose said.

“The rest of the student body will also have a beautiful new venue to visit for their Fine Arts Experience credits. Hopefully, they will enjoy the experience enough to come back even when they don’t need credit.”

The Sue & Frank Mayborn Performing Arts Center is the last project of the 2011 Campus Master Plan and will pave the way for more innovative plans to come.