Multipurpose venue will house jazz, dance and theatre events
With 250,000 visitors coming to Interlochen each year, an expanding Arts Camp curriculum, and a successful Shakespeare Festival for three years in a row, the need for another performance and rehearsal space at Interlochen is clear. Thanks to a handful of dedicated donors who have contributed a total of $460,000 in pledges to date, these needs can now be addressed by the addition of a new performance and rehearsal facility, the Upton-Morley Pavilion.
The 8,400 square foot space is projected to be complete for summer 2011. A versatile, outdoor facility, the pavilion will be the perfect site to hold a variety of events, including receptions, workshops, classes and rehearsals. It will also house the popular new Interlochen Shakespeare Festival. With 350 open-air seats and extra lawn seating, the new venue will accommodate substantial audiences. It will also incorporate modern lighting, sound, flooring and backstage facilities, making it a first-rate performance venue.
“This project is six years in the making,” said Beth Stoner, associate vice president in the Office of Advancement. “The plans have evolved from a simple outdoor venue to something that’s going to serve much more of the campus community.”
The jazz program is one of the expanding summer camp programs that will benefit from the new complex. The dance department will also be able to showcase performances in the inviting space, which will make summer dance concerts much more accessible to the public. Currently all dance concerts are held in the dance building, which doubles as a rehearsal and performance space. The new structure will hold an audience four times larger than the dance building’s maximum capacity, and allow the dancers to perform on a real stage—a crucial element that is currently missing from the dance program.
After its successful debut in the summer of 2008, the Interlochen Shakespeare Festival grew in 2009, selling out 14 performances. Now in its third season, the festival continues to draw crowds. This new cultural event is yet another reason for building the complex. The festival is currently housed in the 170-seat Harvey Theatre, which is half the size of the planned Upton-Morley Pavilion. The new three-season venue promises a Shakespearean atmosphere, using outdoor seating to evoke an open-air theatre of the Elizabethan era.
In addition to support from the Upton and Morley families, the lead contributors to the $1.6 million project, the Oleson Foundation has also provided support for this project. The Oleson Foundation is a philanthropic organization in Traverse City that is committed to improving the quality of life in northern Michigan. They have made contributions to Interlochen in the past, but their grant to the pavilion will be their largest award to Interlochen.
“The Oleson Foundation is delighted to be a funding partner for the Upton-Morley Pavilion,” said Kathy Huschke, executive director of the Oleson Foundation. “Interlochen is a jewel in our own backyard and the Oleson family is pleased to support the arts in our community.”
As a shared venue for theatre, dance and music presentations, the Upton-Morley Pavilion will help widen and enrich the educational, performance and event opportunities at Interlochen. Anyone who is interested in learning more about the project or who would like to make a gift, please contact Beth Stoner in the Office of Advancement at 231-276-7617.
