The Shows Go On, and On, and On!
arts, cowan center, entertainment, performances, tyler,
For more than a decade, the curtain has been rising on quality local and national productions at the R. Don Cowan Fine & Performing Arts Center at The University of Texas at Tyler, and the future is looking just as bright for the facility that now serves as an arts hub for the city and region.
The Cowan Center opened in 1997 with one performing arts series, and now it has five: performing arts, Broadway, Braithwaite Intimate Gatherings, distinguished lecture and education. In addition, the 2,012-seat venue also is the stage of choice for local organizations, including Ballet Tyler and the East Texas Symphony Orchestra.
“We are a venue for the university, but we also serve the community,” says Susan Thomae-Morphew, the facility’s director. “That’s our primary purpose and our mission. Through that, we are able to present national and international touring performers as well as let local organizations use the building for their own productions and artists’ programs. It’s all about bringing high-quality performances to Tyler and serving the whole region.”
Special events are also an important aspect of programming, Thomae-Morphew says.
“We’re always looking at what the community wants, and trying to serve our audience,” she says. “We work to find out who our patrons are, what they want and need, what our community needs, and also make sure that we serve all kinds of audiences. Our programming goal is to have diversity in music, and dance and theater and in the whole package.”
From comedy to concerts, the Cowan tries to cover the range of community interests.
“We try to provide the whole gamut of entertainment and bring the highest quality possible to our region,” Thomae-Morphew says.
The Cowan seeks community input so that it can bring in the shows that people want to see.
“We’re very busy, but we’ve been able to bring great entertainment to the region,” Thomae-Morphew says. “That really is what we’re all about, and we think we continue to be very successful in doing so, thanks to our generous community and university support.”
Story by Joe Morris
Photo by Antony Boshier
Comments
Leave your own comment:
