Ashland’s first-ever auditorium
to offer unique opportunities
Staff Writer
WITH SEATING FOR 380 PEOPLE, Ashland District School’s new auditorium is quite impressive. The $1 million auditorium features a large stage and a sound room located upstairs at the back of the facility. Plays and musical performances will be held in the air-conditioned facility.
ASHLAND – For the first time ever, Ashland students now have an auditorium of their own.
Included in the blueprints for the new Ashland District School was a 5,700 square foot, state-of-the-art auditorium.
“Neither the Ashland Central School nor the Ashland Community High School ever had an auditorium before,” said SAD 32 Superintendent Gehrig Johnson. “We had no gathering place for the student body except for the gymnasium in either school. Ashland puts a certain level of importance on its music program and drama, but they’ve never had a facility to showcase it. We wanted to change that.”
In addition to band concerts and plays, school-wide assemblies will originate from the facility.
The auditorium, which carries a $1 million price tag, was paid for locally.
“There was a real interest in the community to support that,” Johnson said.
With seating for 380 people, the auditorium features a large stage and a sound room located upstairs at the back of the facility. The auditorium is also air-conditioned which will be beneficial should events be held there during the summer.
“It’s an oversized stage,” said Johnson. “We did that purposely because we wanted it also to be used as an education space if needed. You could easily fit a classroom on the stage.”
Recognizing that there’s an informal drama club at the middle school, Johnson said he expects the interest in class plays to be “re-energized.”
“There’s already quite a bit of buzz about utilizing the auditorium for plays,” he said. “The auditorium is everything we had hoped for. It’s unique, one-of-a-kind, and we’re especially pleased with the lighting and the color scheme.
“There are no primary colors,” he said. “It’s more cream colors and off-whites with oak trim work and white Roman pillars. It’s very attractive.”
Sheila Lyons, SAD 32 board chair, said she’s “thrilled” with the school’s new auditorium.
“I think the kids are going to be given an opportunity to do things they’ve never done,” she said. “The community and the kids are going to be able to see things performed in their own town that most of them have never been able to take part in or see. I’m so pleased our new school has an auditorium. I know our students and the community will love it.”
FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, SAD 32 students now have an auditorium of their own. In addition to band concerts and plays, school-wide assemblies will originate from the facility. With seating for 380 people, the auditorium features a large stage and a sound room located upstairs at the back of the facility. The auditorium is also air-conditioned which will be beneficial should events be held there during the summer.
