Schuster Performing Arts Center



The Benjamin & Marian Schuster Performing Arts Center (Schuster Center) is located in Dayton, Ohio and was built in 2003 to serve as Dayton's principal center of the lively arts. It is owned and operated by Dayton Live and occupies the former site of Rike's department store on a block comprising North Main Street, West Second Street and North Ludlow Street. It is named for local philanthropists Dr. And Mrs. Benjamin Schuster who donated the lead gift for the project.

The Schuster Center houses the 2300-seat Mead Theatre, the ticket office for all Dayton Live venues, a Starbucks café, a glass enclosed lobby called the Wintergarden, and the multi-purpose Mathile Theatre hosting performances, events, and rehearsals. Attached to the Schuster Center is Performance Place Tower, a 15-story residential and office condominium.

The Schuster Center opened as an additional venue to house Dayton Live's larger touring Broadway productions and presentations. The Dayton Philharmonic, the Dayton Opera, and the Dayton Ballet rent the building for their performances. The Schuster Center and the Metropolitan Arts Center, occupying the former Metropolitan Company department store building next to the Victoria Theatre, stage a variety of performances and form the basis of the performing arts district in downtown Dayton.

History
The Schuster Center was designed by architect Ceasar Pelli. Built on the former site of the Rike-Kumler department store, construction commenced in April 2000 and was completed in February 2003 for a total cost of $121 million. Dr. Benjamin Schuster and his wife Marian donated $8 million to the project.

The opening weekend of February 28, 2003 brought together Dayton-born artists as well as national celebrities for the opening, billed as the "Gala Evening of Stars". Attendees and performers included Walter Cronkite, Ray Charles, and Allison Janney.

Architectural Details
The Schuster Center's main performance space is the 2,300 seat Mead Theatre. The fiber optic starfield on the ceiling of the Mead Theatre is a callback to the sky when the Wright Brothers first took flight in 1903, showing the stars that were there that night.

In addition to the Mead Theatre, the Schuster Center includes several other notable spaces. The Mathilde theatre can be used for rehearsals, meetings, and smaller productions. The Kettering Wintergarden is a block-long glass atrium with live and preserved palm trees. The AES Foundation Stage is often used for gala events, weddings, and receptions/preperformance area.

Since its opening, the Schuster Center has hosted a number of top musical shows, including Hamilton, The Lion King, Les Misérables, Wicked, Jersey Boys, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Beauty and the Beast.