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from the issue of June 14, 2007
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Carson School of Theatre and Film dedication is Oct. 12
Temple 'Sneak-a-Peek' is June 22
BY KATHE ANDERSEN, FINE AND PERFORMING ARTS
The Johnny Carson School of Theatre and Film will be dedicated Oct. 12 during UNL's Homecoming weekend. The public's first chance to see the renovated Temple Building will be at the Nebraska Repertory Theatre's "Sneak-a-Peek" event June 22, as well as during the Nebraska Rep's 40th anniversary season, which begins July 5.
| | TEMPLE TOUR - (From left) Paul Steger, director of the school of theatre and film, and Jeff Stozing, president of Carson Entertainment Group and nephew of Johnny Carson, discuss the Temple Building renovation with Kelly Spaulding, project manager for Weitz Construction, during a June 8 tour. Photo by Kathe Andersen/Fine and Performing Arts.
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Entertainment and television icon and University of Nebraska alumnus Johnny Carson announced in November 2004 a gift of $5.3 million to the University of Nebraska Foundation. The gift was to support the renovation and expansion of the Temple Building at 12th and R streets (home of the Carson School), and to create an endowment to keep performance spaces equipped with the latest advances in lighting and sound technologies.
Following Carson's death in January 2005, the NU Foundation received an additional gift of $5 million from Carson's estate for endowed support of programs in theatre, film and broadcasting. Annual income from the endowment provides support to the Carson School in the Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts and the broadcast program in the College of Journalism and Mass Communications.
In August 2005, the University of Nebraska Board of Regents renamed the UNL Department of Theatre Arts in honor of Carson.
"The dedication gives homage not only to the 100 years of history the Temple Building has had and all the creative people who have come through here," said Paul Steger, director of the Carson School, "but it also pays homage to its most prolific son, Johnny Carson. And just like this building was a starting point for him, his generosity will make it possible for another 100 years of people to come through here and be able to have opportunities that they couldn't have anywhere else."
The renovation project, which began in June 2006 and will be completed this month, is the first work done on the building in 25 years. The renovation included a new combination black box theatre and film sound stage for students to use in productions, a newly remodeled and expanded scene shop and updated lighting facilities, new computer-aided design and theatre class lab space, enhanced storage facilities, and an updated lobby for Howell Theatre.
The new black box theatre has a state-of-the-art lighting grid custom designed by the Shalleck Collaborative in San Francisco and built and installed by StageCraft Industries of Portland, Ore. The grid features nine independently motorized studio lighting box trusses with integral lighting circuits and control that will provide professional level lighting capabilities for theatre performances, education, TV and film production. The grid is the only one of its kind in the Midwest.
The renovation work is scheduled to be completed in stages through June 15, with some additional work continuing throughout the summer, such as touch-up painting in other areas of the building and moving in equipment.
Additional information on the Oct. 12 dedication will be released as the date nears.
GO TO: ISSUE OF JUNE 14
ARTS HEADLINES FOR JUNE 14
Temple 'Sneak-a-Peek' is June 22
American Life in Poetry
Cornhusker Summer Music Games are July 25
'Everything's Gone Green' at the Ross June 22
'Fountain Frolics' offered Thursdays
Movies on the Green open July 12 with 'Kramer vs. Kramer'
732841S37114X
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