WELCOME TO OUR 10TH ANNIVERSARY YEAR
It’s hard to believe we’re already celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Ashwaubenon Performing Arts Center opening its doors. So many have experienced the venue, and still so many others have yet to discover this great gem in the heart of Ashwaubenon.
We chose “A Decade of Applause” as the theme for this anniversary year, as enthusiastic ovations have been a regular and welcomed occurrence since the theater’s 2016 inauguration. While that theme is fittingly celebratory, we also considered the theme of “Unexpected” because, in many ways, unexpected is exactly what these first ten years have revealed themselves to be.
When people learn that a performing arts center is affiliated with a school district they frequently underestimate the space, envisioning the small auditoriums and gymnatoriums common to our past experiences at many schools. It may also be assumed that the events occurring within are amateur in nature, but the visionaries of the Ashwaubenon Village and School District imagined so much more for our students and community.
Through thoughtful design, our Center provides the ability to train students on state-of-the-art venue technologies; professionally host a myriad of youth performances; serve as a launching pad for regional talent to expand their artistry and reach; and present some of the best entertainment from across the globe. Perhaps the greatest highlight of the Center is its ability to act as a welcoming space for our friends, neighbors, and community to come together in shared learning, conversation, and experiences.
I have had the privilege of steering the organizational development of the Center since before it opened its doors, and I am immensely proud of the venue’s successful growth during these first ten years of its life. I look forward to the Center’s next Decade of Applause, and I hope you will experience it along with me.
-Kate Williams, Ashwaubenon Performing Arts Center Executive Director