Plachta Auditorium to undergo renovations
The audience sits before the State of the University Address in Plachta Auditorium on Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025. (CMLife | Alivia Cranick)
Beginning this spring, the Plachta Auditorium will be renovated and its lighting will be upgraded because of safety concerns for staff, according to Associate Vice President of Facilities Management Jonathan Webb.
Construction of the new lighting is expected to start in April 2026 and end in August 2026. It's currently out for bid, meaning contractors for the project are being contacted.
“It's improving safety, mainly for our skilled trades and staff that operate the theater to be able to get to those higher places in the theater and do what they need to do,” Webb said.
The renovations will allow electrical skilled trade workers to safely access and change out the auditorium lights. Currently, Webb said a rigging company is needed to accomplish that job because of the specialized training they have.
“Riggers are people that know pulleys and ropes and can get to high places safely,” Webb said. “So, when we renovate the project, it'll be done in a way where our electrical skilled trades can safely get up there and not have to be a rigger to be able to safely access the lights to change them out.”
Considering Warriner Hall is 97 years old, Webb said the Plachta Auditorium lighting is well past its useful life. He said the new lighting system will include all energy-efficient LED lighting for the auditorium’s house and stage lights.
The new LED stage lighting will have moveable, color-changing lights programmed using new electrical control boards to support campus and community events. Improved safe access and fall protection for stage lights will also be installed.
Staff will eventually be able to access the seating area lights from either the floor or attic with proper fall protection. New emergency lighting and user-friendly house lighting controls are also a part of the renovations.
In addition to the lighting upgrades, Webb said the ceiling and walls will be painted. The dark wood beams inset into the ceiling will remain stained.
Webb said the scaffolding needed to accomplish these renovations is the reason the auditorium will be closed during construction. It will be installed throughout the theater to allow skilled trades safe access to the ceiling lights and electrical infrastructure throughout the renovations.
The whole project to renovate the auditorium will span over two years, and the auditorium will be closed during construction.
He said the project is being funded by the campus's Deferred Maintenance program with a total budget of $1.45 million. The project design was from 2024-2025.
