The Walker Auditorium Renovation

Theatre is an integral aspect of education at the Hotchkiss School including studio workshops, staging multiple plays and a musical each year. Students study theatre history and take part in all aspects of theatrical productions including acting, playwriting, producing, directing, and scenic and lighting design. The school sought strategic renovations to the existing Walker Auditorium to create a space which would help elevate the students’ learning, the faculty’s teaching, and to enhance the performing arts’ creation and presentation process. Upgrades to the front and back of the auditorium better accommodate various presentation styles and improve the auditorium’s accessibility for participants and spectators. We modernized the interiors with new finishes such as comfortable and stylish seating, innovative catwalks for lighting, a new HVAC system and made the stage handicap accessible. These advancements augment the performance experience and the work presented on stage by better connecting the performer and audience relationship.