Facilities

Lee Center for the Arts

Lee Building

Seattle University opened the Jeanne Marie & Rhoady Lee, Jr. Center on February 14 2006, our state-of-the-art performance and exhibition space on the corner of Twelfth Avenue and East Marion Street. The facility was designed to enrich the artistic experience of Seattle University students, foster the development of new creative work by Seattle artists, and strengthen the infrastructure for arts education serving youth and adults in Seattle’s Central District and wider community.  The Center houses the John Eshelman Stage, scene shop, costume studio, green room and dressing rooms.  It is also home to the Hedreen Gallery, a lobby art gallery for the public display of visual art by students and visiting artists visible through over 90 feet of plate glass windows along Twelfth Avenue. The exterior decor coordinates with the surrounding campus, while the lobby art gallery along Twelfth Avenue invites engagement from visitors and passersby and helps to make the facility accessible and welcoming to the public.

The John Eshelman Stage

Stage

The Eshelman stage is a 150-seat flexible theater space designed for drama, dance, and ensemble music housed in the Lee Center.  The theatre is equipped with state-of-the-art lighting and sound technology and an elevated control booth.  Designed in conjunction with the managing and artistic directors of local theatre and dance companies as well as with Seattle University faculty, the performance space is attractive to a wide variety of visiting artists by virtue of the flexibility of its seating and stage configuration. 

The theatre space is home to three annual mainstage productions, various Artist-in-Residency performances, Scratch, the directing class one-acts and Honors project performances.

DressingRooms

Supporting the theatre space are a scene shop, costume shop, prop room, green room, dressing room and ticket booth.

The Scene Shop

SceneShop

Scenery for the mainstage productions is constructed by students under the supervision of Technical Director, Bob Boehler in the scene shop which is located conveniently adjacent to the theatre and accessible through a high rolling door.  Students can develop skills in carpentry, scenic painting, welding and properties construction.

The Costume Studio

Costumers

The Costume Studio is a place for creative discovery, and development of costumes for the productions in the theatre program. Surrounded on two sides with a bank of windows on the edge of Seattle University's campus, the studio is equipped with cutting tables, sewing machines, laundry machines, and costume storage. Classes in costume design and costume history are also taught in the costume studio.   Students learn skills in sewing, and are introduced to patterning and draping techniques.

The Acting Studio

ActingStudio

The Acting Studio, housed in the Fine Arts building, is the main teaching studio for acting, movement and voice classes as well as being an alternative rehearsal space for student work.  Students learn techniques in mask work, stage combat, Stanislavsky and Shakespeare.

The Design Studio

DesignStudio

The design studio, located in the Hunthausen Annex, is home to introductory and advanced theatre design classes.