The proposed improvements to the Century High School auditorium are not about cosmetics. They are about function, access, and providing equitable opportunities for students.
Right now, the CHS space was not designed to support a full theatre program, and those limitations are impacting students and our community today. It lacks key elements that are standard in performance spaces, including stage wings for entrances and exits, an orchestra pit, and flexible space like a black box for instruction and smaller performances. It also does not have fly capacity, which is the system above the stage that allows curtains, scenery, and lighting to be safely raised, lowered, and stored out of sight, making set changes more difficult and limiting what productions can realistically include.
These design limitations affect both learning and performances. The current rigging and lighting systems are outdated and difficult to adjust, restricting the use of modern stage design. There is no scene shop, so sets must be built on the stage itself and taken down daily, reducing instructional opportunities and limiting what can be created. Musicians perform from another room because there is no orchestra pit, and the sound booth is not enclosed or properly located, impacting overall production quality. Even audience access is affected—last year, during Elf the Musical, over 75 patrons were turned away from three of the four performances due to limited seating.
As CHS Drama Director Shelly Kinn shared:
“We are extremely limited in what we can build, how we can teach, and what our students can experience. Our students are doing incredible work, but the space does not allow them to fully learn or perform at the level they are capable of.”
There are also important accessibility considerations. Currently, individuals using a wheelchair are often forced to position themselves in the main center aisle, the same pathway used by others to enter and exit the auditorium. There is no designated seating area that allows family or friends to sit alongside them, meaning they often experience performances alone or separated from their group. That is not the experience we want for members of our community.
When we look across our district, students at BHS and LHS have access to spaces that fully support their programs. Our goal is to ensure that students at CHS have that same opportunity, not something extra, but something comparable.
This project is about aligning our facilities with the expectations we have for our programs and the experiences we want for students. It’s about equity, functionality, and community access, not aesthetics.