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Dr. Joe Kreizinger, associate professor of theater at Northwest Missouri State University, and other theater faculty worked with architects for a year to design the newly finished student theater. The $4.3 million theater is an addition to the Mary Linn Performing Arts Center on campus.

MARYVILLE, Mo. — Northwest Missouri State University lost its student theater when a fire destroyed a wing of the administration building in 1979.

From the ashes rose a plush new theater in the Mary Linn Performing Arts Center that seats 1,000-plus. Despite the luxury of the new digs, students were left without an intimate venue, often referred to as a “black box” theater, to learn their craft.

But after a $4.3 million addition to Mary Linn, students and faculty now have their “dream” theater and will put on their first major production this weekend.

Large productions and concerts will still have a home at Mary Linn. But like a large percentage of professional and regional theater, students will have a flexible and intimate venue at the new student theater, which seats about 150.

The lobby, decked in wood and metal with stage-light lighting, has a glass wall that looks out onto a grass slope leading to the entrance. The slope creates a natural amphitheater with slabs of sandstone to serve as seating.

The theater, with four black walls, semi-decked in black curtains, is truly a black box. The black ceiling is draped with elaborate light rigging that production students alter with every production.

Dr. Joe Kreizinger, associate professor of theater at Northwest, said some styles of theater were difficult to pull off on the big stage of Mary Linn or in the basement storage room that inadequately served as a student theater for the past 20-plus years.

Dr. Kreizinger and the five other faculty members toured many student theaters at area universities and got the “to dos” and “do nots” from their faculty. They were also part of weekly meetings with architects over the past year and made decisions down to the type of light bulbs used in the bathrooms, he said.

University officials recognized Ron Houston and DST Systems, each long-time supporters of the theater department, Friday with a reception at the new theater. Mr. Houston, a Maryville resident and former Northwest Foundation board member, and DST Systems each were major donors to the new addition. The university and the foundation also contributed to the construction costs.

Jimmy Myers can be reached at jimmym@npgco.com.