| Barnstable High School Performing Arts Center | |
|---|---|
| Address | 744 West Main Street |
| City | Hyannis |
| Country | United States |
| Owned by | City of Barnstable |
| Capacity | 1,440 |
| Type | Performing Arts Center |
| Opened | 1999 |
| Years active | 1999-Present |
The Barnstable High School Performing Arts Center, is located at Barnstable High School, in Barnstable, Massachusetts. It was built in 1999 with the sponsorship of the Cape Cod Symphony Orchestra. It is one of the largest performing arts centers in New England, seating over 1,400 people.
As Barnstable High School was being renovated in the late 1990s, the need for a new theater for the school became apparent. The old theater which is called the Knight Hall was only build for a capacity of 760 people (the population of the school at the time) when the school opened in 1959. This led to the inclusion of a new Performing Arts Center into the plans. The Cape Cod Symphony Orchestra supported its construction because they wanted to move out of a smaller auditorium in Yarmouth so they could have less shows so they could save money paying the musicians. For their support the symphony got a substantial break in the rental of the facility. The new PAC was built with a capacity of over 1,440 people. John Sullivan the Drama Advisor and National Teachers Hall of Fame member, was instrumental in working with the designers from the start of the project to ensure that the Center would be good for both music and dramatic performances. The stage consists of an orchestra pit with a "scre-drive lift" (the only one in the New England area which holds the orchestra during the drama club's performances. The PAC is also used by the Chatham Woman's Chorale, and other Cape Cod organizations. It also hosts musical performances such as the All Cape and Southeast District music festivals. In 2008, the drama club produced The Wizard of Oz[1] and they were recorded by Warner Bros. Company for webisodes of a real high school musical from start to finish.
After it was built, it was noticed that the acoustics of the theater were not what they were built to be, leading many to believe that the contractor took shortcuts when construction was being undertaken. This led to the proposal to tear down the Hyannis Armory on nearby Sea Street and build a new performing arts center. The symphony supports this move because they will have less scheduling issues with the music and drama departments at the school. Some think that the move is because they want to serve alcohol on school grounds due to the fact at numerous times they have gone to the school committee and asked if they could sell alcohol and in 2008 they were approved to sell wine until the school lawyer said it was against the law.