It's remarkable news! This spring, Temple University will break ground on a new facility for Temple TFMA as part of an expansion for the Center for Performing and Cinematic Arts and Klein College of Media and Communication!
In early 2025, construction is planning to start on the west side of North Broad Street directly across from the entrance to Polett Walk. When complete (projected completion date of Fall 2027) the 199,000-square-foot facility will expand and modernize teaching spaces and provide updated theater and film spaces allowing for improved collaboration, production and presentation!
In a letter from new Temple President John Fry, he calls the venture, "a community hub for gathering, learning and entertainment" mentioning how it will further engagement with North Philadelphia, offering modern spaces for live entertainment, educational experiences and cultural activities. The complex will include a new cluster of theaters, including a 375-seat proscenium venue, 180-seat cinema, flexible 140-seat black box theater and 63-seat screening room -- this means offering new ways to present and promote student work and bringing the public, as well as outside professionals, to state-of-the-art facilities.
In addition to updated theater and lobby spaces, Temple Film and Media Arts Chair, Chet Pancake is excited for the expanded Film and Media Arts possibilities for the facility which will provide "an array of new production experiences for our students including the ability to build and design film sets on our new Sound Stage.” Indeed, the new building will provide TFMA students with an industry-standard soundstage with adjacent directing lab and new media studio; an animation lab; and updated post-production facilities that include editing suites, a sound mix suite, Foley and ADR (automated dialogue replacement) studio, immersive audio and VR suite, color correction studio, and a DI (digital intermediate) theater/classroom. In the Theater, modern facilities will include expanded costume and scene shops and rehearsal spaces with natural lighting.
The building is designed to maximize, highlight and enhance the interconnection of the FMA and Theater programs allowing more space and facility to collaborate. Says Dean and Vice Provost for the Arts Center for the Performing and Cinematic Arts, Robert Stroker, "This project will bring our theater and film programs in closer proximity and provide them with facilities that will allow them to continue to grow and modernize while also finding new ways to work together."
Here's a link to more information surrounding this exciting project!
More to come soon! Keep a look out for updates as construction begins...