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Northwest Missouri State University

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Department Facilities

Wells HallWells Hall Picture

The academic department office and most classrooms are in Wells Hall, which also houses the the Department of Mass Communication and the English as a Second Language program.  Classrooms are outfitted with state-of-the-art digital presentation equipment and Internet access, for use by instructors and students.   

Ron Houston Center for the
Performing Arts

Offices of the theatre faculty and three performance venues are located in the Ron Houston Center for the Performing Arts, which opened in 1984. 

The Mary Linn Auditorium in the Ron Houston Center for the Performing Arts seats 1,100 and is large enough to accommodate a symphony orchestra or a major ballet company.  The theater's modern lighting and sound systems allow students to learn with the latest technology.  The theatre includes two sound booths, a large scene shop, several dressing rooms, a green room, costume shop, prop rooms and wardrobe areas. 

A black box studio theatre, located directly under the main stage of the Mary Linn Auditorium, is a flexible space for staging innovative and experimental productions and is also used for classroom activities. Many of the lab series performances take place here.

Rendering of Studio TheatreDuring the Fall of 2007 the University was able to break ground on a new studio theatre, due to a $1 million anonymous donation to the Northwest Foundation and a $2.8 million match by the University.  The new studio theatre, to be used for student and departmental performances, is being constructed on the south side of the Ron Houston Center for the Performing Arts, connected to the existing building. The theatre will seat about 200 people and have a full lighting and sound system. Rigging will consist of a three-part, automated truss system. There will be a dressing room/makeup lab for up to 18 people and storage facilities.  The theatre is slated to open during the Fall of 2008.  Check out pictures of the construction progress of the theatre here.

Charles Johnson Theatre

Theatre students also perform in the Charles Johnson Theatre located in the Olive DeLuece Fine Arts Building.  This space can accommodate most major productions and seats roughly 600. Charles Johnson is also home to many of the lab series performances, especially those directed by upperclassmen.