Performance Spaces and Facilities

Performance Spaces

Larson Memorial Concert Hall – 1,000 seats
Oscar Larson Performing Arts Center Larson Memorial Concert Hall

The Larson Memorial Concert Hall is a beautiful 1,000-seat hall featuring custom acoustics which adjust to meet the needs of all groups performing there. It is fully equipped with its own percussion equipment, risers, acoustical shells, professional sound and recording equipment, along with Fazioli and Steinway concert grand pianos.

Specifications:

  • Audience: 1,000 seats
  • Overall Stage Dimensions: 60'W x 43'D
  • Seats on Stage: 132 seats
  • Audio Equipment: Console - Behringer X32
  • Video System: Panasonic PT-D5500U - 5,000
  • Lumens Screen - Da-Lite 15' x 20'
  • Lighting: Console - ETC Express 48/96 -96
  • Equipment: Percussion equipment Risers Acoustical shells and curtains Professional sound and Recording equipment
  • Grand Pianos: 9 ft. Fazioli Concert Grand 9 ft. Steinway Concert Grand
Oscar Larson Theatre – 850 seats
Interior view of the Oscar Larson Theatre

A series of blue, pine board chevrons surround the 850-seat audience chamber in the Oscar Larson Theatre. This vibrant and memorable space brings warmth to any event. The theatre serves as the home of State University Theatre, Prairie Repertory Theatre and SDSU Opera and is the locale for visiting and community artists, lectures and university ceremonies. The performance space includes state-of-the-art lighting and sound, an orchestra pit, an expansive stage and several support areas. The theatre’s grand opening was April 2019 and featured a national tour of "Chicago, the Musical."

Specifications:

Proscenium Opening: 42'W x 24"H

Overall Stage Dimensions: 95'W x 37'D

Grid Height: 64'-6" 

Grand Drapery: 61'W x 27'H

  • Cyclorama: Light Blue Leno, 59'W x 32'H
  • Scrim: Light Black Sharktooth, 59'W x 32'H

Stage Deck: Sprung deck, 1/4" tempered hardboard surface painted black over three (3) layers of 3/4" plywood on 7/8" resilient pads.

Fly System: 64 single counterweight line sets.

  • 9 line sets dedicated to travelers. 
  • Batten length: 61' 

Audience: 860 seats 

  • Orchestra Pit: remove 32 seats. 
  • 42'W x 8'-9"D 

Green Room and Dressing Rooms: 

  • Star: Two (2) dressing rooms (toilet, sink and shower) 
  • Chorus: Two (2) dressing rooms (toilets, sinks and showers) 
  • Green Room: One (1) green room (AV system, kitchenette, toilet, sink and shower) 

House Audio: House mix position located in orchestra seating, right of center. 

Performance Lighting: ETC Ion 1000 Series 

Intercom System: Clear-Com HelixNet system and Clear-Com FreeSpeak II digital wireless system. 

Video and Projection Systems: House video network is accessed through SDI connections on wall panels. 

  • Projector: Christie Crimson WU25 laser projector. 
  • Screen: 24' x 13'-6", flown on line set.
Founders Recital Hall – 224 seats
Image for Senior recital

Founders Recital Hall reflects the exceptional tradition of music education and performance. The name honors the words and intention of benefactor Horace Fishback III, who grew up in Brookings and went on to become a professional organist, composer and professor. The 224 seats create an intimate and interactive space for musicians and visitors. Over 100 annual recitals by music faculty, students and visiting artists are presented each year. In describing the space, architect Malcom Holzman said, “Four slim wood columns, two large beams and an inverted woven wood basket shelter the audience. Silver leafing, zinc shingles and pipes add sparkle to the earth tones.”

Specifications:

Audience: 224 seats

Overall Stage Dimensions: 35'W x 15'D

Organ: 2848 pipe Salmen-Reuter Organ

  • Refurbished and expanded to 41 stop, 51 rank configuration by David Reuter
Fishback Studio Theatre – 180 seats
Fishback Studio Theatre

Opened in 2003, this 180-seat black box-style theatre has an adjustable seating system and grid-styled lighting to allow for a great deal of flexibility and theatrical experimentation. Retractable acoustical curtains can cover the entirety of three walls. A large-screen and high-definition projector allows for large-scale video enhancement for performances and presentations.

Specifications:

Audience: 180 seats

Overall Stage Dimensions: 40'W x 18'D

  • Stage and Audience Size is adjustable with the retractable seating. 

Overall Room Size: 50’x57’

Lighting: ETC Ion console, 144 Strand dimmers.

Sound: Behringer X32 console.

Facilities

Dr. Scotty and Margaret Roberts Lobby

Dr. Scotty and Margaret Roberts Lobby honors longtime Brookings physician and arts patron Dr. Scotty Roberts and his wife, Margaret. Roberts worked behind the scenes on the initial plans for the performing arts center and established an endowment which provides a source of ongoing support for needs within the facility.

Ernest J. and Mildred K. Hugghins Lobby

Ernest J. and Mildred K. Hugghins Lobby celebrates the exceptional belief in and support of the performing arts center project and honors the lifelong enjoyment and musical performance by Mildred K. "MK" Hugghins and her husband, Ernest, who served as professor of biology for 33 years and four years as department head.

Dance Studio

Designed to the exacting standards of professional rehearsal spaces, the SDSU Dance Studio boasts an isolated sprung wood floor, a mirror wall with barre and exceptional natural light. The 2,500-square-foot studio with a 20-foot ceiling height is a very specialized instructional space and more. It is equipped with a full pipe grid, allowing the space to be easily transformed from a teaching environment to an intimate performance space. Multiple overhead lighting positions, curtains to darken the room and cover the mirrors, flexible audiovisual equipment and a few live musicians permit a variety of formal and informal activities.

Large Ensemble Rehearsal Facilities

Two spaces are dedicated to large instrumental ensemble rehearsals — a choral rehearsal room and an instrumental rehearsal room.

Multiuse Rehearsal Facilities
Multi-Use rehearsal facility

Multiuse rehearsal facilities are used for smaller ensembles, sectionals, studio ensembles and evening theatrical rehearsals.

front of Oscar Larson building
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Contact Us
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Oscar Larson Performing Arts Center
Physical Address
1601 University Blvd.
Brookings, SD 57007
Mailing Address
Performing Arts Center 189, Box 2830
Brookings, SD 57007
Hours
Mon - Fri: 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
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