When Sara Freeman joined the University’s Theatre Arts department in the fall of 2007, she embarked with her colleagues and students on a procession of traveling performances.
The department moved among local theater venues such as Lane Community College and Lord Leebrick Theatre for its productions, while Robinson Theatre and Villard Hall, buildings dating back to 1949 and 1886, were renovated and expanded.
“Around the World in 80 Days” marks Freeman’s first time directing a play at the Universityand the first performance in the recently completed James F. Miller Theatre Complex that connects Robinson Theatre and Villard Hall.
University Theatre celebrates its homecoming while gaining a new box office, lobby and the versatile black-box Hope Theatre, where “As You Like It” will premiere in late February.
“People need to be aware that it’s a new department,” John Schmor, department head of Theatre Arts, said. “The renovations coincide with a shift in faculty, just in time for our 100th birthday.”
The renovations, which began in March of 2007, added more than 18,200 square feet onto Villard Hall and Robinson Theatre, including a green room, extended scene shop, costume shop and state-of-the-art lighting and sound systems. Raked theater seating has improved Robinson’s sight lines and Schmor anticipated the theater’s acoustics would improve by 90 percent.
In 2001 the new complex’s namesake and benefactor, James F. Miller, made the renovations possible with a $1.5 million lead gift. All together, the project cost $7.8 million and was completed last fall.

Freeman said the themes of travel, change and returning home in “Around the World” fit well with the theater’s season kick-off. While Freeman will be the first to direct in the revitalized Robinson Theatre, her colleague emeritus, Jack Watson, will be the first to direct in the Hope Theatre.
“We’re coming home transformed,” Freeman said.
Janet Rose, senior instructor, technical director and lighting designer, has been a faculty member since 1987. With Watson, she created the plan and requested to replace the Arena Theatre, a “rebooted” studio theater in Villard 104.
“One of the main differences is the spaces are now built for what we use them for,” she said. “If you had been here two years ago, only the Robinson was what it was built for. The Arena Theatre was housed in an old classroom and the costume shop was in the basement. Now we have air conditioning and can do summer shows, which we could never do before.”
Though she was thrilled with the theater’s renovations, Rose joked that she feels like Granny in the “Beverly Hillbillies” as she learns how to work everything. Instead of 36 dimmers, now there are 96, and instead of 40-something instruments, there are now 100.
“We have all this technology in a new place – we gotta learn it now,” Rose said. “Really, it’s such an improvement. Even though the quality of shows is good, when you’re going to see a show in a crappy classroom with homemade risers and then switch to this beautiful lobby, it makes the ambiance so much better.”
“I call this my kingdom, but this is for the students,” she continued. “Students helped to get this done. They blitzed the administration with a letter-writing campaign about nine years ago.”
Schmor explained how the new renovations will change the theater department experience for both students and audiences.
“When new students come by with parents, their eyes get wide,” he said. “They used to see the dilapidated 104 theater and Robinson falling apart. There was not much enthusiasm and they used to say how their high school auditoriums were better. They won’t be saying that any more.”
Schmor is also excited that the new complex will be home to the Oregon Humanities Center’s lecture series, and he anticipates collaborations with the School of Music and Dance.
Schmor encourages University students and community members to not only walk in and look around, but “better yet, take a class.” Anyone is welcome to audition for plays, and introductory theater courses are available to all students.
Schmor said he hopes to see students at this Friday’s opening of “Around the World.”
“It’s a dress-up night and some of the guys are getting tuxedos. They should come and see what a real upgrade this is to the University’s usual standards in any other field,” he said.
Saturday’s performance is reserved for invited guests and includes a gala.
“With the construction done, I’d like (the theater) to be more of a public, interactive space,” Freeman said. “We have this square with Dad’s Gate, Lillis and the theater. I want people to come inside, see shows, work on them, take classes, and feel like this is a space for them to belong.”
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