DOROTHY AND DEXTER BAKER CENTER FOR THE ARTS

The Paul C. Empie Theatre is the principal theatre space in the Baker Center for the Arts. Major productions of the Muhlenberg Theatre Association, Muhlenberg Dancers and concerts of the Muhlenberg Music Department as well as the summer season of musicals produced by the Muhlenberg Summer Music Theatre are housed in this flexible space with excellent acoustics, a large orchestra pit and sophisticated computerized lighting system.

The Empie Theatre has 392 seats and an open ground plan that allows for productions seating from 50 to 700 spectators. Well-equipped scene and costume shops, dressing rooms, and music rehearsal rooms support the professional level of production work that is a trademark of Muhlenberg College. The Empie Theatre is also home for the Lehigh Valley Chamber Orchestra, a professional orchestra in residence at Muhlenberg College.

The Baker Center also houses a studio classroom for theatre and dance, orchestra and individual practice rooms, a photography studio classroom, and a 125-seat recital hall which support faculty and student activities of the College, including concerts, recitals, lectures, films and readings.

The Martin Art Gallery is located adjacent to the building's spacious galleria, a corridor that stretches the length of the building beneath an arched glass roof. The lobby of the Baker Center at this level will be connected by glass corridor to the new Performing Arts Building.

TREXLER PAVILION FOR THEATRE AND DANCE

The brilliant new facility was built to meet the demands of a growing academic program, to expand the potential of the summer theatre program, and extend additional performance and presenting opportunities for the entire campus and the regional community. The department of theatre and dance hosts its administrative and technical offices in the new building, which has allowed for renovation of the spaces in the Baker Center to give the music and art departments room to expand those programs as well. The facility includes:

The Dorothy Hess Baker Theatre,
an elegant but intimate, Broadway-style proscenium stage with 350 audience seats on two levels. Fully equipped with state-of-the-art stage sound and lighting systems, orchestra pit and fly system for productions of the Muhlenberg Theatre Association, the Muhlenberg Dancers Association, and the Muhlenberg Summer Music Theatre as well as special presenting programs and concerts.

The Studio Theatre, a 50-square foot performance space that allows flexible staging for classic and innovative productions of the Muhlenberg Theatre Association's subscription series and supports the informal Black Box Series of student-directed and experimental works. Home for the Muhlenberg Summer Music Theatre's productions of musical theatre for children.

The Dance Studio Theatre, which houses public performances of faculty, guest artist, and student dance concerts as well as dance masterclasses and community workshops by faculty and artists in residence.

The Trexler Pavilion Box Office located in the lower level lobby.

The facility also includes a classroom dance studio, expanded scene and costume shops, and a full stage-sized rehearsal hall. The facility serves the more than 300 theatre, dance, and music students on the Muhlenberg campus who perform, design, direct, and produce work for the stage as part of their liberal arts education. The addition of multiple styles of performance spaces also contributes to the quality of their experiences as artists and the diversity of skills they can develop during their years at Muhlenberg College.

2007-2008 Season