University of Colorado Boulder performing arts students will benefit from a $5 million donation from graduate and donor Roe Green, whose gift will renovate the University Theatre, provide an endowed fund for its upkeep and support student scholarships and programs.
Green, who graduated from CU Boulder in 1970, previously donated funds for an endowed chair in the theater department and an artist residency program.
“I want to see a robust future for the performing arts,” she said. “I think there’s innovation in the theater of tomorrow, and where others see only challenges in performing arts today, I see potential.”
The impetus for the gift was the less-than-stellar acoustics in the theater, Green said, which she noticed from sitting in different spots around the theater while attending performances over the years.
Students learn to navigate the theater’s fickle acoustics with the help of faculty members, said recent graduate Elise Collins, but it can be difficult to project to the back of the space.
“Improved acoustics would allow students to better use techniques to get used to being in a theater that has structural support for that, and help them use their voices in a safe, healthy way that also benefits the audience,” Collins said.
Collins participated in several productions made possible by Green’s artist residency program, including “Twelfth Night,” directed in 2016 by Lisa Wolpe, and “Fiddler on the Roof,” directed and choreographed in 2015 by Gary John La Rosa.
“Her generosity fulfills different needs the department has, and has enriched hundreds of students’ learning experiences in a variety of ways throughout the time I’ve been at CU Boulder,” Collins said.
Green’s gift breaks down as $2 million to renovate University Theatre (which will be renamed in her honor), $1.5 million for student scholarships and $1 million for long-term building maintenance.
The remaining $500,000 will help students launching their careers with expenses such as trips to New York City or Los Angeles, headshots and conference fees.
“I want to make sure there’s an opportunity for students to work in a top-notch theater and have experiences that they might not normally have,” Green said.
The gift will provide many benefits to the campus, said Bud Coleman, professor and Roe Green endowed chair. While the upgrades to the theater have not been finalized yet, they will likely include replacing the ceiling and reducing noise from the heating and cooling system.
“This gift is not just going to benefit students, faculty, staff and patrons in fall 2023, but will benefit them in perpetuity. That kind of ongoing generosity is so exciting to be a part of,” Coleman said.
Theater renovations are set to start next August, with the space out of commission for the academic year with the goal of being ready for graduation celebrations in May 2023.
