Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center

Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center is a premier performing arts venue located at the University of Maryland, College Park, and is named after Clarice Smith, a renowned American University trustee and arts patron, and her husband, Robert H. Smith, a successful businessman and University of Maryland, College Park alumnus. The center is home to several University of Maryland, College Park departments, including the School of Music, Department of Theatre, and Dance Department, and hosts a wide range of performances, from Baltimore Symphony Orchestra concerts to Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater productions. The center has also collaborated with other prominent institutions, such as the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, National Symphony Orchestra, and Washington National Opera. With its diverse programming, the center has become a hub for artistic expression, featuring performances by acclaimed artists like Yo-Yo Ma, Itzhak Perlman, and Renée Fleming.

● History

The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center was established in 2001, with a generous donation from Robert H. Smith and Clarice Smith, and has since become a leading cultural institution in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. The center's founding was also supported by the University of Maryland, College Park, National Endowment for the Arts, and the Maryland State Arts Council. Over the years, the center has hosted numerous performances, including concerts by the New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, and Berlin Philharmonic, as well as productions by the Royal Shakespeare Company, American Ballet Theatre, and Martha Graham Dance Company. The center has also partnered with other organizations, such as the Library of Congress, National Gallery of Art, and Smithsonian Institution, to present unique and innovative programs. Notable performers who have appeared at the center include Lang Lang, Joshua Bell, and Wynton Marsalis, as well as companies like the Joffrey Ballet, Pilobolus Dance Theater, and St. Louis Symphony Orchestra.

● Architecture

The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center was designed by Moore Ruble Yudell Architects and Theater Projects Consultants, and features a unique blend of modern and traditional architectural elements, inspired by the works of Frank Lloyd Wright, I.M. Pei, and Eero Saarinen. The center's design has been praised for its functionality and aesthetic appeal, with a grand lobby that features a stunning Dale Chihuly glass sculpture, and a variety of performance spaces that can accommodate a range of events, from intimate Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center concerts to large-scale Cirque du Soleil productions. The center's architecture has been influenced by other notable buildings, such as the Sydney Opera House, Guggenheim Museum, and Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. The center's design team also drew inspiration from the works of Le Corbusier, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, and Walter Gropius, and incorporated sustainable design elements, such as green roofs and energy-efficient systems, to minimize the center's environmental impact.

● Performance Venues

The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center features a range of performance venues, including the Kay Theatre, Dance Theatre, Recital Hall, and Theatre and Dance Rehearsal Rooms, which are equipped with state-of-the-art sound and lighting systems, designed by Acoustic Dimensions and Theater Projects Consultants. The center's venues have hosted a wide range of performances, from Broadway musicals like The Phantom of the Opera and Chicago, to Ballet productions like The Nutcracker and Swan Lake, and from Jazz concerts featuring Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter, to Classical music performances by the Cleveland Orchestra and Boston Symphony Orchestra. The center's venues are also used by University of Maryland, College Park students and faculty, as well as by other local arts organizations, such as the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Washington National Opera, and Kennedy Center Theater for Young Audiences.

● Resident Companies

The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center is home to several resident companies, including the University of Maryland, College Park School of Music, Department of Theatre, and Dance Department, as well as the National Orchestral Institute, Maryland Opera Studio, and UMD Symphony Orchestra. These companies present a wide range of performances throughout the year, from Opera productions like La Bohème and Carmen, to Theatre productions like Hamlet and A Midsummer Night's Dream, and from Dance performances like The Rite of Spring and Appalachian Spring, to Music concerts featuring Leon Fleisher and Emanuel Ax. The center's resident companies have also collaborated with other prominent organizations, such as the New York City Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, and Martha Graham Dance Company, to present unique and innovative productions.

● Education and Outreach

The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center offers a range of educational and outreach programs, including the University of Maryland, College Park School of Music's Music Education program, the Department of Theatre's Theatre Education program, and the Dance Department's Dance Education program. The center also partners with local schools and community organizations, such as the Prince George's County Public Schools, Montgomery County Public Schools, and Washington Performing Arts, to provide arts education and outreach programs, including the National Endowment for the Arts' Arts in Education program and the Kennedy Center's ArtsEdge program. The center's education and outreach programs have been recognized for their excellence, with awards from the National Association of Schools of Music, National Association of Schools of Theatre, and National Dance Education Organization.

● Notable Performances

The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center has hosted a wide range of notable performances, including concerts by Elton John, Stevie Wonder, and Aretha Franklin, as well as productions by the Royal Shakespeare Company, American Ballet Theatre, and Martha Graham Dance Company. The center has also presented performances by acclaimed artists like Lang Lang, Joshua Bell, and Renée Fleming, and has hosted numerous Festivals, including the Washington, D.C. International Film Festival, Maryland Film Festival, and National Book Festival. The center's notable performances have been recognized with awards from the National Endowment for the Arts, Maryland State Arts Council, and Washington, D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities. The center has also been praised by critics from The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Baltimore Sun, and has been featured in publications like Playbill, Opera News, and Dance Magazine.

Category:Performing arts centers in the United States