On Sept. 13, the Sacred Heart University Performing Arts program officially opened their new wing, named the John & Sabina Petillo Center for the Performing Arts. The event included an open house style walk through of the new facilities and performances from each performing arts cohort, including band, dance, choir and theatre.
According to the Edgerton Center for Performing Arts website, “a portion of all tickets will go toward the Performing Arts Endowed Scholarship.” In addition, the event allowed for multiple sponsorship opportunities for their attendees.
Members of Sacred Heart University’s Band and
Orchestra program speaking with Dr. John Petillo
(center right) after a performance in the new Band and
Orchestra Hall.
Source: Daniel Greene, Staff Photographer
Keith Johnston, Director of Band and Orchestra, spoke about the department’s humble beginnings. “When I started, the band room was the old boys locker room,” said Johnston. He goes on to say how as the size of the band increased, the facilities became too small. Students had to walk on chairs to get from one side to the other in an already packed room.
“I can remember when Dr. [John] Petillo guest directed the pep band and he looked in the room, with all these kids in there and said, ‘We have to do something about this,’” said Johnston. “This space that we have now is the kind of space that my colleagues say ‘Wow I wish we had this.’”
“It is a dream come true for the dance program,” said Kari Williams, Director of Dance. “These studios are designed with the needs of our dancers in mind, offering the right environment to inspire creativity, encourage collaboration and push the boundaries of what we can achieve.”
She hopes the event showcased the talent of the performing arts community and celebrated the growth to come in the future. “We have a community that thrives on artistic exploration, and these new spaces provide the perfect outlet for that,” said Williams.
“The performing arts department with all four of its cohorts have grown to truly national recognition despite not having proper rehearsal spaces,” said Jerry Goehring, Executive Director of the Performing Arts. “Our performing arts students now have a proper space to grow and learn at the collegiate level.”
“I am excited to bring people from the outside community and those that are here on campus to the new Center for the Performing Arts, to experience the talents in all areas of the student artists on campus,” said Goehring. “It’s not the bars, it’s not the open food, it’s not the ribbon cutting or to listen to me or Dr. Petillo, it’s that we get to watch the students perform.”
Jessica Balogh contributed to this article.
