Watson Fine Arts dedication
On Saturday, Oct. 19, 2002, the opening of Watson Fine Arts* was celebrated with a dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony. The gathering included remarks from President Dale Rogers Marshall and Professor of Theatre David Fox. The following remarks are from Professor Fox, in appreciation of the new facilities:
One of the nicest compliments I received last spring, after A Midsummer Night's Dream had officially opened the renovated Weber Theatre, came from faculty colleague Tim Barker, who praised the production for showcasing in a creative manner all that was new and improved about our performance space. Being the self-effacing theatre guy that I am, I immediately shunned any credit as director of the production and, believe it or not, my modesty was at least partially genuine! Because, as we discovered during rehearsals and the actual run of Midsummer, the reconstructed theatre--redesigned specifically to encourage audience/actor interaction--really does do the bulk of the work. No longer a cavernous auditorium, it is now an intimate and dynamic place that invites spectator literally to participate in a show. Watching rehearsals yesterday for Antigone reaffirmed these architectural advantages: We are indeed fortunate to have such a first-rate facility.
Since the completions of improvements to Watson and the creation of Mars across the way, I have noted many things: an ever-escalating interest in the arts from prospective students, a deeper intellectual and emotional investment from our current students in classroom projects and productions, more majors, more minors, more people simply wanting to get involved, more interest from the citizens of Norton and surrounding communities in what we do here, and--probably most gratifying of all--a boost in morale that seems to have permeated most of the faculty, staff and student populations on both sides of this courtyard.
The face of the arts at Wheaton has certainly changed for the better. Aside from everything else, these buildings are important symbols. They represent a new era for the college, an era of raised expectation and, hopefully, even greater artistic achievement.
Watson's sister building Mars Arts and Humanities(pdf) completes the center for the arts. Mars opened in fall 2001.
Coming to the show?
Dial up the Arts Information Line at 508-286-3300 for updates, cancellations, and ticket reservation instructions (when admission is restricted).