Grand Opening

The arrival of summer officially marked the completion of Middlesex’s first full semester in the Bass Arts Pavilion and Danoff Center for the Visual Arts. Throughout the spring, students and faculty filled these magnificent new facilities with their boundless creativity, energy, and artistry. The largest new space, the Kaye Main Stage, hosted all-school assemblies, renowned guest speakers, and, most notably, the Theatre Departments’ production of Kiss Me Kate. Scroll through the gallery below for photos of the spectacular performance, and click here for a full list of the cast and crew.

For smaller productions, rehearsals, and theatre classes, students and faculty can use the new Fortmiller Studio Theatre. Below, Performing Arts Department Head Tom Kane works with his Advanced Acting students in what’s affectionately known as “The Fort.” A gift of James and Leslie Dolce, along with their son Eric ’15, this black box theatre is named for retired Associate Head of School Hugh Fortmiller, who taught drama early on during his 40-year tenure at Middlesex.

Fortmiller Studio Theatre
Fortmiller Studio Theatre

Just past the Fortmiller Studio Theatre’s upper entrance (at right, top of stairs), the Bass Arts Pavilion connects with the Danoff Center for the Visual Arts.

To the Danoff Visual Arts Center
To the Danoff Center for the Visual Arts

In her spacious, light-filled studio for drawing and painting, Visual Arts Department Head Stacey McCarthy has a central work table, ample room for easels, and individual cubicles for the students developing portfolios during her yearlong Advanced Placement Studio Art course.

Visual Arts Studio
Visual Arts Studio

Student art is featured throughout the building in open galleries:

Upstairs Galleries
Upstairs Galleries

Students in Ryan DuBray’s Video Production course can use the studio end of the classroom for filming. A separate classroom next door is dedicated to digital photography.

Video Production Green Screen
Video Production Green Screen

In the large studio area, faculty member Danielle Potwin (second from left) teaches her Ceramics courses; two adjoining rooms provide places for glazing and drying pieces, and for firing them in the kiln.

Ceramics Studio
Ceramics Studio

Providing plenty of benches for seniors, the Kettell Plaque Room was given by the late George Senkler ’52 to honor former faculty member Russell H. Kettell (1910), who taught plaque carving and geography (among other subjects) from 1921–1956.

Plaques Room
Plaques Room

Doug Worthen ’96 leads an Introductory Mindfulness course for new faculty and staff in the Loring W. Coleman ’38 Mindfulness Studio, which overlooks Bateman’s Pond and the Warburg Library. Given as a 50th reunion gift by members of the class of 1968, the space is named in honor of Middlesex’s longtime art teacher (1948–1972) who was also a daily practitioner of meditation.

Mindfulness Studio
Mindfulness Studio

From the upstairs lobby of the Bass Pavilion, windows offer a glimpse of a garden labyrinth. This outdoor spot for contemplation was given in memory of James Freeman Clarke (1906) by his son, the late Eliot C. Clarke ’47, and Eliot’s daughter, Victoria A. L. Clarke ’85.

View out to Labyrinth
View out to Labyrinth

Next to the Mindfulness Studio is a flexible space for classes or meetings that has been dubbed the “Best Room on Campus” for its unique view. Beside this are two art history classrooms: One was named for the late Stephen B. Boutwell ’73 by his widow, Trustee Mary Lou Boutwell, and their sons, Rob ’02 and Charlie ’06; the other is the gift of Lanford and Kathy Liu, parents of Nick ’16 and Lillian ’21.

"Best Room on Campus"
“Best Room on Campus”

With beautiful globe lights hanging overhead, the stairways in the atrium of the Bass Arts Pavilion lead down to the main level of the Kaye Theatre and to the Ishibashi Gallery. A 50th reunion gift of Hiroshi Ishibashi ’66, the gallery is further supported by his classmates, who created an endowment fund to assist with programming expenses. This spring, the Ishibashi Gallery showcased work from alumnus Rachel Perry ’80.

To the Ishibashi Gallery
To the Ishibashi Gallery