First look at Lexington Two’s new Performing Arts Center, set to open May 1st

COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO) — Designed by Jumper Carter Sease Architects out of Lexington, the new Performing Arts Center set to open on Platt Springs Road will give students in Lexington School District Two the chance to take center stage.

As guests enter the building, they first take in the two-story grand lobby — filled with color changing lights that can be catered to any occasion.

But the main attraction is its 1,500 seat theatre — complete with a full orchestra pit, manual rigging, overhead catwalks, four dressing rooms, a green room, and catering kitchen.

The center’s Executive Director Jim LeBlanc says the state-of-the-art facility will primarily be used for performances, events, and district wide occasions for the students — but will also be rented out for conferences, conventions, and community events.

“This will be a catalyst for bringing our community even closer together than it already is. Lexington two is a close knit family, and we’re just thrilled to be able to bring folks across our district in here to showcase our own talents but also bring professionals in so that we can really build on the culture of the arts in Lexington Two,” he says.

The $52 million dollar Performing Arts Center and district office is the final phase of a 10-year, $225 million bond referendum that was approved by voters in 2014.

Superintendent Dr. Brenda Hafner says promoting fine arts remains one of her priorities and has always been a focus of the district.

“If I had had the opportunity to walk out on a stage of this magnitude, and look out into the audience and see my parents and community members cheering me on and clapping, it would absolutely give me a large vote of confidence. I believe it would further my interest in the arts which is what we want for our students. We believe that students who participate in the arts have a well-rounded whole child experience. It supports them as far as their critical thinking and collaboration with other students and really gets them involved in the great aspect of school that is-developing the whole child,” she says.

District plans include offering students behind-the-scenes roles and jobs with rigging and lighting and give them first-hand exposure to professionals in the industry.

“Because I believe that once a student sees this type of venue, they’re going to want to perform in every way that they can all the time throughout high school, so we’re just excited for them to have the opportunity,” says Dr. Hafner.

The Performing Arts Center will have its grand opening on May 1st, with a collection of performances by students and local artists.