PAC nearing end of construction

Almost a year after breaking ground on its new $11 million facility, the Highlands Performing Arts Center is nearing the end of construction.

“I get chills every time I walk in here,” Highlands PAC director Mary Adair Trumbly said during a sneak peek of the new building. “Giving the tours is one of my new favorite things to do.”

The chairs in the new theater area have now been put in, as well as the acoustic paneling on the walls of the room.

“Our architects and designers did most of the design work on the inside of the building,” Trumbly said. “We picked out the colors that we wanted and we are excited to see the new space. The acoustics should be near perfect. It’s hard to get it right, but we have been working on that really hard, because we know it needs to be right.”

Standing on the edge of the new stage looking out across the new theater, PAC Board President Rick Trevathan said they have reached incredible new heights for Highlands.

“As far as, not only the arts are concerned, but the dreams for the town and how this facility is a culmination of dreams, initially of a select few people, but how they wouldn’t let those dreams die,” Trevathan said. “It’s amazing to look and see the result.”

Trevathan said everyone that has come up to him has been blown away.

“They can’t believe how beautiful it is and they can’t wait for the first event to be here,” Trevathan said. “I hope the first event is full. Secondly, I know that Bravo Avici will give a wonderful performance. I look forward to having an opportunity to recognize all of the people that have had an involvement in this. It’s been a huge group effort, not only from our volunteers, but from our board members who have been fabulous, from the communication that has gone back and forth with the other organizations that we will be sharing the facility with and the people that have spent so many hours that this came to pass.”

Some additional IT services that the new PAC will have is a video wall in the lobby; a 2x2 video display that can provide one show on four screens or four different presentations on four individual screens, conference room capability with network services, private WIFI, USB charging stations throughout, video projection, video conferencing, live streaming, mobile video display, wired and wireless  speaker systems. In the entire facility, there will be three seperate WIFI networks. In the dressing rooms, there will be video display of stage activity live broadcasted to the green room and dressing rooms for performers, and WIFI. In the meeting/gathering areas, there will be a mobile point of sale services (e.g. concession sales,) exterior video display, live stage, DVD, computer provided, and WIFI.

Looking to the future, there are already plans in place for connections for “Black Box” theater and Park Theater.   

The projected opening for the new PAC and its first show is scheduled for Sept. 17 at 7:30 p.m., with Bravo Amici performing.

- By Christopher Lugo