Salem State Theatre Performance Spaces

Salem State Theatre Performance and Production Spaces

At Salem State University, our state-of-the-art performance spaces allow students to rehearse, learn, explore and create professional productions from start to finish.

The department produces four Mainstage productions and two staged readings a year, utilizing a four-year rotating cycle of theatre genres for our play selections, ensuring our students receive a comprehensive exposure to both classic and contemporary theatre styles.

In the Sophia Gordon Center, Callan Studio Theatre, Rehearsal Room, Performance Classroom, Theatre Computer Lab, Costume Shop, Prop Shop, and Scene Shop spaces, students practice and perfect their crafts in acting, stage management, directing, lighting design, allied crafts, and dramaturgy. Learn more about our theatre spaces below.

Theatre Transformation

The Sophia Gordon Center for Creative and Performing Arts transformed the former Mainstage Theater built in 1958 into a new focal point for the university’s North Campus. A centerpiece of the theater program, the facility provides a contemporary theater for faculty and student performances and for the use of the larger community.
Great Seats, Anywhere

Retaining the existing shell of the building, the redesigned center houses a 432-seat theater notable for its intimate feel and good sightlines.
Innovative Design

The public enters the glass and perforated metal structure via an exterior courtyard leading to a lobby and art display area.
Sustainably Renovated

The Sophia Gordon Center was awarded LEED Gold certification in 2018 for integrating sustainable features into a challenging renovation. While retaining 75 percent of the existing structure, the building was improved with insulation, shading and other features that reduced energy use by 32 percent and water use by 40 percent.
Designed for Theatre Artists

The Sophia Gordon Center includes a balcony, rehearsal room, and several performance support spaces.

Black Box Theatre

The Callan Studio is a black box theatre. The Callan Studio is a versatile “found space” in the historic Sullivan Building on Salem State's North Campus.
Immersive, Intimate Experience

The 90-seat black box theatre provides an intimate experience that allows theatre-goers to immerse themselves in the show and view performers up-close.
Rehearsal and Learning Space

The Callan Studio Theatre provides a perfect space for theatre students to rehearse, learn their craft and perform for live audiences.

Behind-the-Scenes Learning

Performance stages are not the only place where our theatre students shine. Behind the scenes, students become expert technicians, designers, stage managers, and stagehands to make productions the best they can be.
Costume Design

Costume designing is an important part of any production. Students can learn and practice costume design at our on-site workshop spaces. Our facilities include professional scenic and costume shops; a costume stock with over 75,000 costumes, shoes, hats and accessories, as well as craft and dye rooms.
Technical Design

From lighting and props to special effects, students can learn to become expert technicians that make the stage come alive. Our theatre spaces include a light lab; a sound computer lab; and a properties workshop.
Set Design

Designing the set of a live performance is an important and time-consuming task that requires an expert eye. Learn the tricks and skills of set design in theatre workshop spaces while collaborating with costume designers and technicians.