Note from the Director
Welcome to a new season at the Fine and Performing Arts Center. The past several years have been exciting. This spring, we wrapped up a three-year initiative called Mosaics: Muslim Voices in America. This project highlighted the artistic and cultural diversity of Muslim artists in the United States. We presented performances, art exhibitions and special events designed to both educate and entertain while helping rewrite negative cultural stereotypes.
Now that the initiative has concluded, we feel that the concept of exploring artistic and cultural diversity needs to be a stronger part of what we do here at the Fine and Performing Arts Center. This season, we have increased programming related to cultural expression from many different world regions. This new initiative is called Global Expressions. Each performance that is part of this initiative is noted with a special logo. Those performances will include additional programming, including workshops, lectures and master classes.
New this season! To make our programming more accessible, tickets for Mainstage and Sunday Salon performances will be free for children and students with ID. A ticket still will be required to reserve the seat. It is our hope more young people will join us
to experience the excitement of live performance and learn more about the rich cultural diversity available all around us.
Our nation has stood with pride in the fact we are a diverse culture – a melting pot. This increased focus on exploring world culture will help remind everyone we are all one, that human experience and artistic expression are universal, and that we are all stronger when we treat each other with dignity and respect.
All the best,
Tommy Hensel
Managing Director
Facilities
Dorothy Menker Theater
The 575-seat Dorothy Menker Theater is the center’s main attraction. This proscenium theater is equipped with a mechanically controlled orchestra pit that can be raised and lowered to fit performance needs. Balcony and main floor seating is augmented by four exclusive box seat areas. The theater also features a massive fly tower for elaborate scene changes, and both first- and second-floor lobbies.
John and Angeline Oremus Theater
The John and Angeline Oremus Theater is a fully equipped black box theater with flexible seating to accommodate a comprehensive range of performances, from traditional to experimental. And like the Dorothy Menker Theater, this 150-seat theater has direct access to expansive support areas, including scenery and costume shops, and rehearsal and dressing rooms.
Robert F. DeCaprio Art Gallery
The Robert F. DeCaprio Art Gallery showcases works in a wide variety of media by Moraine Valley students and faculty, as well as local, regional and nationally known artists.
Atrium
North and south entrances to the Fine and Performing Arts Center open to a two-story, glass-enclosed atrium showered with natural light that highlights display cases for student, staff and community artwork.
Other Facilities
Additional facilities in the Fine and Performing Arts Center include a recital room, choral/band room, music practice rooms, digital piano lab, computer graphic design labs, graphic design studio, ceramics studio, sculpture studio, painting studio, photography studio, printmaking studio, drawing studios, a 55-seat lecture hall, and classrooms.
Rentals
The Fine and Performing Arts Center facilities are primarily used for college and professional series events. Space is also available for rent to outside organizations on a limited basis.
Please note college events always receive first preference, and rental contracts may not be finalized until space-usage requirements for academic programs, Fine and Performing Arts Center events, and other college programs have been scheduled and confirmed. Facilities are never available for rent during time periods when the college is officially closed.
For additional questions and information, email boxoffice@morainevalley.edu.
Staff
Tommy Hensel
Managing Director
henselt2@morainevalley.edu
Feel free to contact Tommy for general information about the Fine and Performing Arts Center.
Katie Norton
Box Office Manager
Nortonk7@morainevalley.edu
Feel free to contact Katie for information on volunteering and space rental.
Sean McIntosh
Technical Director
mcintoshs4@morainevalley.edu
Feel free to contact Sean about technical and backstage management.
Amanda Hantson
Assistant Technical Director
hantsona2@morainevalley.edu
Mary Ann Luciano Smith
Secretary II
lucianom2@morainevalley.edu
Feel free to contact Mary Ann about accounts receivable and payable.
Leah Cassella
Music & Arts Assistant
cassellal@morainevalley.edu
Feel free to contact Leah about individual credit and non-credit music lessons
Ensemble Directors
Douglass Bratt
Academic Music Coordinator; Jazz Band, Concert Band and Percussion Ensemble director
bratt@morainevalley.edu
Craig Rosen
Academic Theater Coordinator
rosen@morainevalley.edu
Nicholas Thomas
Concert Chorale and Chamber Singers Ensemble director
thomasn@morainevalley.edu
Tammi Carlson
Flute Choir director
carlsont@morainevalley.edu
MaryAnn Flock
Orchestra director
flock@morainevalley.edu
Policies and FAQs
All programs, dates, times, prices and artists are subject to change without notice. All performances begin promptly at the published times. Latecomers will be seated at the management’s discretion.
FAQs
Moraine Valley is a smoke-free campus, this includes but it not limed to tobacco products, including any cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos, pipes, hookah products, as well as electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) or vapor devices. There is a fine of $30 associated with this offense. However, smoking is permitted in one’s personal vehicle
We do not have a paging system in our auditorium. If there is an emergency, contact the Moraine Valley Police Department at (708) 974-5555.
Yes, you can request a seat and the Box Office associate will do their best to honor that request for non-general admission performances. If a patron has a special request in regards to their seats such as wheelchair accessibility, we ask that patrons please inform the associate upon ordering.
Yes, we offer discounts for groups of 20 or more. See our Group Sales page.
- Hyper link to group sales page
Every performance has a different running time. Most performances are about two hours in length, including intermission. Call the Box Office at (708) 974-5500 the week of a specific performance for the running time.
Found articles should be left with the Box Office or the Will Call window. If valuable items such as keys, wallets or jewelry are found, they will be reported and picked up by the campus police. All other items will be held within the FPAC’s lost and found. To determine whether a personal item has been turned in to the lost and found, contact the Box Office at (708) 974-5500 or the Moraine Valley Police Department at (708) 974-5555. Any items lost or presumed stolen are not the responsibility of the Moraine Valley Community College.
We are so happy to hear you want to give back to the Fine and Performing Arts Center. Our Usher Program is a great way to meet new people, learn new skills and catch some free shows. To learn more about our Usher Program, visit our Volunteer page.
