For nearly 60 years, LMU’s Strub Theatre has been a beloved and prolific creative space on campus, home to the mainstage productions from our theatre arts and dance departments, equating to around five large-scale performances a year, in addition to serving as a classroom space. This theatre is currently undergoing an extensive renovation which will transform the space, allowing it to accommodate a wider range of productions with larger casts and ensembles, providing audiences with an enriched viewing experience.
Thanks to support from donors, including major gifts from the Fletcher Jones Foundation and Bill Hannon Foundation, the renovation will transform the space into a black box theatre—known for its flexibility and simple design. This upgrade makes it possible to dramatically alter scenes through flexible staging and lighting configurations and connects the audience to the performers in purposeful and innovative ways. The renovated theatre will accommodate a wide range of seating configurations and productions, from intimate plays to large musicals and technical courses. In this versatile performance space, on par with most modern theatres, more students will gain invaluable hands-on experience in an array of roles, including actor, dramaturge, set/sound/lighting designer, stage manager and director.
The new state-of-the-art black theatre will provide the infrastructure for nurturing the next generation of creative performing artists, grounded in LMU’s Jesuit traditions and values, to build the skills to succeed in their careers and contribute to their fields. The renovation will also expand LMU’s impact beyond the bluff, bringing the power of the arts to diverse Los Angeles audiences.
Construction is expected to actively continue through much of June, with a slated re-opening of the space in time for the start of LMU’s fall semester in late-August.
