"State of LA Danse" FA 08

FACILITIES

The Performing Arts Department utilizes Burke-Hawthorne Hall for its mainstage productions and McLaurin Hall for its main post of study and laboratory work for both Dance and Theatre.

Burke-Hawthorne Hall was first named for Walter Burke of New Iberia, a former member of the state Board of Education and was renamed Burke-Hawthorne Hall in 1997 in honor of Doris Hawthorne, a generous benefactor to UL Lafayette. McLaurin Hall was named for Miss Hugh D. McLaurin, a pioneer in the field of health and physical education in Louisiana who began teaching at UL Lafayette in 1902. Both buildings were completed in 1940.

Beginning in 2007, Burke-Hawthorne Hall and McLaurin Hall have both undergone multi-million dollar renovations positioning the UL Department of Performing Arts as one of the finest education facilities for arts education in the United States. Upon completion, the Department of Performing Arts will have primary use of five performance and rehearsal spaces as well as studio classrooms, support facilities and computer labs.

Burke-Hawthorne Hall is a 300 seat proscenium theatre which will be equipped with a computer lighting system and state-of-the-art sound system. Sound effects are mixed through a Diamond Pro 24-4-3 Studio Master mixer and cued through a Tascam DA-30 MKII DAT machine. Multi-track capability exists and recorded on a Alesis XT20 ADAT Digital Audio Recorder. Burke Theatre received a 100% renovation of its fly system in the spring of 1998.

Along with the support of fully equipped lighting and sound systems, all performance spaces are supported by professional costume, lighting and scene shops, as well as a production staff. In addition, all dance studios are equipped with sprung floors, mirrors, barres, pianos and sound systems.

Angelle Hall, home to the UL Lafayette School of Music, often works in collaboration with the Performing Arts Department for its yearly Dance Concerts and selected musical season. Angelle Hall received a 100% fly system renovation in the spring of 1998 along with a $150,000+ lighting system renovation in fall of 1999.

In support of the performing arts, the four-story Edith Garland Dupre Library is centrally situated on the main campus and houses a theater and arts library collective, a video library, as well as an audio/visual center.

UL Department of Performing Arts students also have the opportunity to perform in Lafayette's 2,220 seat Heymann Performing Arts & Convention Center as well as other performance venues in the Acadiana Region.