In June of this year, a fire broke out in the Performing Arts Center (PAC) at Glendale Community College. The fire started in one of the storage areas, above the auditorium, and thanks to the fast action of the Glendale Fire Department, it was quickly brought under control. A combination of fire, smoke and water damage, along with insurance and safety issues has kept the GCC PAC closed to students and faculty.
Usually, at this point in the semester, the PAC is buzzing with activity, including auditions, rehearsals, and set building. Now, the building sits silent, but the show must go on. In a quick pivot by the Theatre Arts faculty, the plays originally scheduled for fall semester were switched to performances that did not require large sets or elaborate lighting; keeping it simple so the cast and crew could literally take the show on the road.
Instead of two large-scale performances, the Theatre Arts faculty selected material that catered to younger audiences. Starting later this fall, the GCC Theatre Arts troupe will be visiting elementary and middle schools in the Peoria Unified School District to present Aesop's Fables. Another group will tour high schools in the Glendale and Peoria School Districts to present A Shakespeare Project. Both shows will also be presented in the Student Union at the GCC main campus on November 8, 2024. All these performances will be presented at no cost to the schools or students.