Missouri State University Breaks Ground on Amphitheater, Arts Park

  • By Matt Jones
  • 04/21/21

Missouri State University broke ground recently on a new, $6.4-million amphitheater and arts park. The open-air John Goodman Amphitheatre, named after the St. Louis alum and famous comedian, will feature a permanent stage and 350 removeable seats. Slated to be built in a campus plaza adjacent to Craig Hall, the outdoor space will transform into the Judith Enyeart Reynolds Arts Park.

“This new arts park and permanent amphitheater are much-welcome additions to our historic Tent Theatre,” said Missouri State President Clif Smart of the longtime campus theater company. “Our campus and larger community will have a vibrant and comfortable space to enjoy not only Tent Theatre and other productions, but also many special events for years to come.”

The structure will have a tension membrane roof and cover 7,700 square feet. Construction is scheduled to finish in 2022. The project also involves renovations to the landscaping and hardscape surrounding the area.

John Goodman himself serves as a campaign chair for the project. He’s an MSU and Tent Theater alumnus who happily reflected on his college days. “The nights in Springfield, in the summer doing Tent Theatre, for me are unmatched anywhere else on Earth,” he said in a campaign letter. Fundraising for the project is still in progress, although $3 million has come through private gifts.

“This infrastructure that started as B Blackwood’s dream will evolve into a real structural centerpiece designed to serve everyone,” said Dean of the Judith Enyeart Reynolds College of Arts and Letters, Dr. Shawn Wahl. “This structure and surrounding arts park will help support student learning across all academic programs.”

Patterhn Ives is the design architect and architect of record on the project. The contractor is Carson-Mitchell, Inc., based in Springfield, Mo.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Ancient Resilience: How Indigenous Intelligence Shapes the 4Roots Education Building

    As climate change intensifies, educational spaces must evolve beyond basic sustainability toward true resilience – we must design environments that can adapt, respond, and thrive amid shifting, and intensifying, climate hazards. Drawing on indigenous wisdom and nature-based strategies, integrating resilient design offers a path to create learning environments that are not only functional but deeply in tune with their natural surroundings.

  • Image courtesy of MiEN Company

    6 Ways to Pull Off a Major District Construction Project

    Designing and building a large-scale project on a K–12 campus is a monumental undertaking that requires the right blend of ideas, funding, design and execution to get it right. The process also relies on multiple partners, each of which has to handle its respective aspect of the project while also keeping the district’s broader mission and goals in mind.

  • New Jersey PreK–12 School Breaks Ground on New STEM Building

    Saddle River Day School (SRDS) in Saddle River, N.J., recently announced that it has broken ground on the new Dr. Kristen Walsh Hall of Science & Entrepreneurship, according to a news release. The school partnered with DIGroup Architecture for the design of the new facility, which will provide the school with space to expand its STEM and business education classes.

  • California District Starts Construction on New Robotics Facility

    The Fremont Union High School District (FUHSD) near Silicon Valley, Calif., recently announced that construction has begun on a new Robotics Facility on the campus of Cupertino High School, according to a news release. The 14,500-square-foot facility will serve students at high schools across the entire district, providing purpose-built spaces for student creativity and collaboration.

Digital Edition