The Performing Arts District

Transforming Arts

In September, SDSU raised the curtain on the Performing Arts District. Below, you'll find a behind-the-scenes look at everything the new space has to offer students and regional arts patrons.

SDSU's New Performing Arts District

WHEN JOYCE GATTAS, THE DEAN EMERITUS FOR THE COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES AND FINE ARTS, OUTLINED A FEASIBILITY STUDY in 2016 for what she called an “SDSU Arts District,” she’d already had her aha moment. The time was now to present a bold vision and create a geographic space for the arts.

The renovated SDSU Main Stage Theatre and the Ruth Anna, Louis F., Dorothy Cable Stage have long been vibrant hubs for artistic innovation.

Seven years later and with the support of both the late Interim President Sally Roush and President Adela de la Torre, that outline became the provenance for a philanthropy-driven, multi-building project that will forever change the SDSU landscape.

Inside the Main Stage Theatre, there is enhanced audience seating and acoustic tiles for exceptional sound quality. The striking ADA–compliant Julia R. Brown Family Lobby and the Luby Lift, a bridge for the inclusion of people with disabilities, break down barriers that hinder full engagement with the arts.

In addition to the SDSU Main Stage, which was built in 1967, the Performing Arts District includes four new performance and patron structures: the Prebys Stage, the Dean Joyce M. Gattas Pavilion, the outdoor Bill and Evelyn Lamden Stage and the Ben and Nikki Clay Stage.

The Dean Joyce M. Gattas Pavilion encompasses all patron services, including the Alice and Doug Diamond Box Office and a concession area.

The district opened in September with the musical “Ziggy, Stardust, and Me” and is set to become a regional powerhouse in training and performance and a vibrant hub for collaboration. It brings together various disciplines and provides students with state-of-the-art facilities to nurture their talents and thrive.

The Prebys Stage, made possible by the Conrad Prebys Foundation, is a flexible second stage space featuring a spring floor vital for dance, cutting-edge design technology and a high-quality sound design lab.

Naming Opportunities

Performing Arts District Naming Opportunities

Main Stage Theatre
Main Stage Auditorium

Technology/ Back Stage

Sound Design Studio
Main Stage Lounges (2)
Main Stage Dressing Room
Main Stage Orchestra Pit
Box Office
Main Stage Sound Booth
Dressing Rooms (4)

TAKE A SEAT SPONSORSHIP

Producers' Circle Seats
Artists' Circle

BENCHES

Lamden Stage Benches (5)
Prebys Stage Loggias (2)

OUTDOOR SPACES

Performing Arts Walk
Courtyard

Take a Seat Campaign

Take A Seat

We Saved You a Seat in the Spotlight!

SDSU performing arts invites you to take part in an exciting opportunity to support its new Performing Arts District in a meaningful way by participating in the Take A Seat campaign. Your sponsorship will support performances, students, faculty, and the greatest needs of the SDSU performing arts program.

More Information

For more information about opportunities to support the Performing Arts District vision, please contact:

Adrienne Vargas, [email protected], 619-594-4562
Mary Darling, [email protected], 619-594-8299
Elise Moersch, [email protected], 619-594-9640

About SDSU Performing Arts

Attracting talented students and guest artists, SDSU has trained and launched numerous successful careers on Broadway, in the TV and film industries, and in academia. Examples include Darla Anderson (Academy Award nominated Pixar producer, SDSU ‘82), Destin Cretton (Sundance award winning director, screenwriter, producer, SDSU ‘11), Kathleen Kennedy (President of Lucasfilm LTD., SDSU ‘04), and Kathy Najimy (television and film actress, SDSU ‘76).

SDSU’s Musical Theatre Master’s program is the first MFA of Musical Theatre in the nation. It combines performance training and academic study.

PSFA : Upcoming Events

Stay up to date about PSFA events, including theatre productions, recitals, concerts, screenings, artistic performances and more.