reception desk with views of the theater space

Our Work > Case Story

Performing Arts

Performing arts venues are an inextricable part of the experience of the performance itself. LPA|A has been designing and renovating performance spaces for decades and continues to eagerly take on the challenge of designing high caliber venues throughout Central Massachusetts. Whether on a college campus, in the context of a public school, or in a highly visible downtown location like the Hanover Theatre, LPA|A brings our experience and thoughtful approach to our work to create the best possible experience for everyone who will use that space.

Key Contacts

Eric D. Moore

Principal

AIA

Sean W. Brennan

Marketing and Business Development Director

AIA, NCARB

Christina S. Bazelmans

Programming and Sustainability Director

AIA, LEED AP BD+C

“The greatest theater that I have ever seen...a perfect theater.”

– Vincent Dowling, Former Artistic Director and Lifetime Associate Director of the Abbey Theatre in Dublin,
the national theatre of Ireland, speaking about the Eagle Hill Performing Arts Center

Cultural Center Links the School and Community

A private high school in rural Hardwick, Massachusetts, Eagle Hill emphasizes the arts in their curriculum and is geared toward students with learning disabilities. They wanted a signature campus building to enhance their unique curriculum and encourage public involvement with the Cultural Center. The Center features a professional proscenium theater for 450, campus dining hall, visiting artist studios, performing arts, as well as wood shop, graphic arts, fine arts, music, recording, and photography classrooms.

Hanover Theatre

Having a theater like the Hanover Theatre in Downtown Worcester has been an immeasurable asset to the neighborhood and the city, revitalizing the area and bringing Broadway performances to Central Massachusetts. The preservation and renovation of the theater was many years in the making and ultimately served to make the Hanover Theatre the destination and landmark that it had been in an earlier era.

Performing Arts Spaces for Everyone

Many of our public school and higher education clients have been the beneficiaries of LPA|A’s award-winning experience in the design of world-class performing arts spaces. Performing arts spaces present a complex and intricate design challenge and LPA|A’s success in that realm serves as a resource as public schools think about their own venues. Doherty Memorial High School in Worcester, slated to open in 2024, will offer students and the broader community the opportunity to learn and come together in a space that provides a professional-level performing arts venue.

In Service to the Community

LPA|A began working on renovation projects for the historic and renowned Mechanics Hall in the 1990s and appreciated all that the concert hall and performance venue brings to the region. Katie Crockett was invited to join their Board of Trustees offering her expertise initially on their property committee, but eventually serving as president of the board helping them with their strategic planning. The thriving nonprofit offers an unparalleled multipurpose space, preserving a piece of Worcester’s history for generations to come.