The Pablo Center at the Confluence

The Jamf Theatre is the largest flexible theatre in the Midwest and one of the five largest of its kind in the nation. Among U.S. universities that offer undergraduate theatre programs exclusively, UW-Eau Claire is the only school to have a flexible performance space of this kind. With this blank slate, Blugolds can let their creativity flow and push design boundaries — resulting in unforgettable experiences both for them and their audiences.

Three times the size of downtown’s old State Theatre and twice the size of UW-Eau Claire’s Gantner Concert Hall, the RCU Theatre opens up amazing opportunities for new shows and cherished annual performances, such as the UW-Eau Claire’s Holiday Concert, in the heart of downtown. Theatre arts students as well as Blugolds in university music ensembles perform in this beautiful venue that serves as both a concert hall and theatre space.

Just inside Pablo Center’s southeast entrance and running the full length of the first floor is the Graham Avenue Walking Gallery for display of wall art by an ongoing rotation of featured regional artists, including UW-Eau Claire students. Likewise, Blugold art students are among those whose works, including wall art and sculptures, are featured in the James W. Hansen Gallery, also on Pablo Center’s first floor.

Pablo Center helps create an atmosphere where Blugolds can easily connect with creatives from the Chippewa Valley. This is possible because the offices of community and regional art groups are co-located in the facility.

Blugold faculty showcase their skills and entertain the public in a space that is deserving of their talents. Make sure to stop in and catch a performance of the faculty recital series in this top-floor venue with a view.

Theatre students have access to a dedicated costume, millinery, and wig instructional space that replaces UW-Eau Claire’s cramped and outdated former costume shop in the basement of the university’s old Kjer Theatre. The new shop includes private fitting rooms, separate laundry and costume-distressing rooms, a dye vat for custom fabrics dyeing, embroidery machines, and ample costume storage.

This lab is equipped with technology, grids and more so Blugolds can test out and perfect their lighting and sound design ideas before running them in the main theatres. UW-Eau Claire offers the nation’s sole undergraduate-only theatre program with a lab like this — meaning Blugolds are getting practical experience sooner than others in this field. As if this lab needed to do anything else amazing, Blugolds also can bring their lighting designs to life by programming and running in real-time the lighting elements found outside the Pablo Center on the building itself as well as on surrounding bridges and the arts center plaza.

Blugolds who are passionate about scene design have a dedicated space equipped with advanced technology including an in-house paint booth and welding and CNC machines. This new shop, one of the largest in a performing arts center in the Midwest, is overseen by UW-Eau Claire theatre program staff and replaced outdated on-campus facilities.

Eau Claire has always been a city that loves music, and Blugolds play an important role. This state-of-the-art studio, equipped with top-of-the-line Focusrite RedNet technology, can record live music and distribute audio between all rehearsal and performance spaces through the arts center. And UWEC’s recording arts certificate program through which UW-Eau Claire students will hone their skills in this space alongside both seasoned UW-Eau Claire faculty and local award-winning recording artists.