Estrella Mountain Community College (EMCC), one of the the ten Maricopa Community Colleges, will open its doors to their new Performing Arts Center (PAC) with a grand opening celebration on November 6 and 7, 2015.
Tim Butterfield, EMCC Coordinator of Fine Arts Facilities, has announced a weekend of activities that highlight the new center's amenities as well as the benefits the center brings to the college and the community. The two days of festivities offer the community, potential donors, and dignitaries the chance to explore and celebrate this new state-of-the-art facility for the West Valley.
The grand opening weekend events will include an interactive tour of the facility that highlights the architecture and usability of the center’s classrooms, the 297 seat main stage, and 90 seat black box theatre. The interactive nature of the weekend’s event will highlight some of the educational and entertainment options made available through the center, including screen printing, ballroom dancing, drumming, photo editing, acting activities and make-up tutorials.
The official grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony is on Friday, November 6, 1:00 p.m. through 3:30 p.m., and is only open to students, employees, and invited guests and media. EMCC President Dr. Ernie Lara will pay tribute to Dr. Bryan K. Tippett, the Former VP of Academic and Student Affairs who passed away suddenly in February 2015. Dr. Tippett was one of the earliest and most enthusiastic proponents for the new center. Maricopa Community College District Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Dr. Maria Harper-Marinick will speak at the inaugural ceremony.
The Community Celebration will be on Saturday, Nov. 7, 11:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. The festival, which if free and open to the public, will bring original student works to the stage and host performances from local high school, community performers and professional performers on the main stage and an outdoor stage. Artistic works include dance, music, storytelling, art, and theatre. For more information on the PAC and the festival performances at www.estrellamountain.edu/arts/pac
Performance Schedule for Saturday, Nov. 7
(subject to change)
Main Stage (PAC Theatre):
11:00 a.m. - West Valley Youth Orchestra
11:30 a.m. - Tolleson High School Jazz Ensemble
12:00 p.m. - Dance Estrella
1:00 p.m. - Palm Valley Elementary Choir
1:30 p.m. - Westview Vocal Ensemble
2:00 p.m. - Edge of Sound (Desert Edge Mens Choir)
2:30 p.m. - Wight Noise
3:00 p.m. - Pebble Creek
3:30 p.m. - Coldwater Music School
4:00 p.m. - UFN - Alice Cooper's Solid Rock Band
Outdoor Stage:
11:15 a.m. - Sankofa Island Drumming – Interactive Drumming Activity
11:45 a.m. - Sankofa Island Drumming – Interactive Drumming Activity
12:15 p.m. - Desert Oasis Elementary Mariachi Band
1:15 p.m. - Emilio Roman
1:45 p.m. - EMCC Guitar Students
2:15 p.m. - EMCC Jazz Ensemble
2:45 p.m. - Brianna Milham, Amanda Nelson (AAEC)
3:15 p.m. - Adam Simons – Alice Cooper's Solid Rock Solo Artist
EMCC, serving the surrounding communities of Avondale, Buckeye and Goodyear since 1992, has seen a large increase in the student population in recent years. As the college student enrollment continues to grow, the demand for educational opportunities for children in the tri-community area has also doubled in the past year. Incorporating funds from the voter-approved 2004 bond for the campus’ capital improvements and expansion, the PAC is now more than a vision. It’s now ready to play a “center stage” role for expanding the art education in the West Valley. The Performing Arts Center is poised to offer more opportunities for community programs and college classes to help meet the rising demand for arts in education.