After more than two years of construction, Aurora Theatre and the City of Lawrenceville are proud to announce that the highly-anticipated $35 million Lawrenceville Arts Center is ready to welcome the public for the very first time. In honor of its completion, the arts center will host “A Million Dreams Grand Opening Celebration” from Oct. 22-24. The spectacular event will feature tours, exclusive experiences and surprise performances. The weekend will be split into two distinct experience options: the Grand Opening VIP Experience and the Grand Opening Public Tours.
“Gearing up to program and manage this massive expansion while attempting to raise $5 million during a pandemic is not how I imagined this process would begin,” said Anthony Rodriguez, Aurora Theatre President and CEO & Co-Founder. “But none of this has dampened our enthusiasm for the Grand Opening Celebration. Small groups experiencing a personal and immersive introduction is much better than any rubber chicken gala. I am as excited as I have ever been about what the Lawrenceville Arts Center will mean for the community. The possibilities are endless.”
Since its relocation to Lawrenceville in 2007, Aurora Theatre has proven itself a vital economic engine for downtown Lawrenceville, bringing a taste of Broadway to local audiences and attracting over 80,000 visitors annually. Aurora continues to enhance the regional arts scene every year by producing season after season of memorable theatre alongside presenting exciting concerts, comedy and inspiring live events. With the grand opening of the anticipated Lawrenceville Arts Center, Aurora Theatre and the City of Lawrenceville continue an innovative model of public/private partnership that was initiated in 2005, when plans were first announced for the theater’s relocation.
The Grand Opening VIP Experience will take small groups of VIP visitors on an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the 59,500 square-foot campus. Together with the community leaders who made the new facility a reality, guests will enjoy a behind-the-scenes tour, as well as hors d’oeuvres, beverages and surprise performances from Aurora-favorite performers. These experiences will take place from Oct. 22-23. Tours times vary, beginning between 5:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $150, and space is limited.
The Grand Opening Public Tours will invite the community in for a special look at the new Lawrenceville Arts Center, with options for a Front of House Tour or a Backstage Tour. The Front of House Tour will take guests through the three new performances venues—the Bartow & Leslie Morgan Cabaret, The Lawrenceville Arts Center Courtyard and the 500-seat Grand Theatre— as well as the Grand Theatre Lobby with its picturesque views of the Historic Lawrenceville Courthouse and Downtown Square. Docents will be on-site to provide guests with facts and information about the expansion project and its community impact. The special Backstage Tour will allow a limited number of visitors to see the innerworkings of the state-of-the-art facility with visits to the Borders Rehearsal Hall, Thurmon Family Costume Shop and the catwalk over the Grand Theatre. These two experiences will be available on Oct. 24. Tour times vary, beginning at noon. Tickets are $10 for the Front of House Tour and $15 for the Backstage Tour.
For more information on Aurora Theatre, call the Box Office at 678.226.6222 or visit auroratheatre.com. For additional information about the City of Lawrenceville, please visit lawrencevillega.org or follow the City on social media.