Although the theaters may not be up and running just yet, the classrooms in the Simonsen Performing Arts Center are open and being utilized as construction continues on the theaters.

The halls stream with students from the BC Theater Club as they wait for an acting class instructed by Department Chair Randall Messick to be taught in the infamous black box room. Professor Jennifer Garrett’s choral department can be heard throughout the halls, with the most perfect acoustics.

The PAC building, once known as the SAM building, has been under construction for two years, but now classes have returned from other areas on campus since the work inside the classrooms has been completed.

When the outdoor theater is finished, the plan is to open with the classics “Taming of the Shrew,” directed by Messick, and “Macbeth,” directed by Kevin and Kody Ganger.

“We are extremely excited to get back to production,” said Messick.

“We are getting the boxes put away, but we are here now,” said professor Kimberly Chin.

When Messick exits the classroom, he says that students are utilizing the space to run lines, which Messick said is really an important part to the renovation.

“The space that we have now is incredible. The black box connects to the green room and is ready for smaller, more intimate plays,” he said.

“The green room is an official one,” said Chin. “We will experience a technical upgrade that BC hasn’t seen in decades.”

When asked if the theater program for BC will be expected to grow, Chin replied, “Oh, yes, with the productions that will be put on, more students will come out to see the new space, and more will have an interest in the subject.”

The classrooms that were being used for adjunct courses will still be held in Fine Arts rooms 30 and 65. “There were some wonderful upgrades to the indoor theater in FA 65,” she said. “I believe that room will best suit me for the film class that I still will be offering. There was the upgrade to the DVD player, with the added function of a Blu-ray option, which I plan to utilize the most.”

FA 65 offers an ideal theater setting with chairs that are comfortable enough for the prolonged duration of film study classes.

Chin and Messick will also share their offices with John Gerhold and Garrett, with hopes to ensure the seamless stream of productions.

“It’s important to get back to the basics, like found theater production, but the production itself needs the fundamentals,” said Messick.

BC theater student Joy Wheat has starred in and had roles in past performances.

“I think that the new theater means a home for our productions,” she said, commenting on the indoor theater under construction in the PAC building. “In the last two plays I participated in, they were both outside.”

Wheat played the lead in the springtime production of Trojan Woman, as character Queen Hecuba.

“I had so much fun doing the plays that I have, in spite of both being done outdoors. With my major being theater and my passion is to do children’s theater, so I am really excited to see what other avenues that will be open.”

She continued to note definite pitfalls in not having a permanent theater.

“When we did the Henry the 5th, as actors, we really dealt with things that a professional level actor may not have to because they have a home theater,” she said. “Then again, everything is about being able to be able to just go with it, that’s acting.”

With the new theater and new classrooms, courses like costume design and technical support will be available in the spring 2015 semester.

“We stand to gain a completely new crowd of students. Whereas before BC theater majors may have had to go to another school to complete their major’s graduation requirements, now we will host these courses that we had not previously been able to do so,” said Messick. “It’s really satisfying to get the opportunity to use new equipment.”

Among hopes for new productions, the black box classroom will offer an additional space in which to perform smaller and intimate productions. The BC Theater Club, to which Chin is the adviser, will host its one-act plays in the black box and are taking submissions for one-act plays, along with auditioning roles soon.

Club president Blake Clendenen is most excited about the opportunity to use different spaces in which to perform. There will be official dates set for meetings for the club, at least once a month, in the BC Fireside room until the PAC theater opens entirely.

The new green room is attached to the black box, and host huge mirrors along the walls with ample seats available for the actors and actresses.

The indoor theater in the PAC building will offer opportunities to the community, with the space available for rental use.

“The lighting and seating in the indoor theater is immaculate,” said Messick. “There is perfect acoustics, the staging and now the seats are staggered to ensure everyone in the audience a clear view of the stage. The previous stage was too low and the seats were too closely seated together, making it hard for the audience to see the stage in its entirety.

“The overall anticipation is at all levels, from students to instructors. Our hopes now are to bring the excitement to the community.”