Lawrenceville and Aurora Theatre celebrate “Topping Out” of new Lawrenceville Performing Arts Center

To commemorate the placing of the final structural beam for the expanded Lawrenceville Performing Arts Center (LPAC), the City of Lawrenceville Mayor and Council; Downtown Development Authority; representatives from the Aurora Theatre; Carroll Daniel Construction; Croft and Associates; and Community leaders gathered for a Topping Out Ceremony at the site of the new facility in Downtown Lawrenceville.

“The completion and grand opening of this facility will be a visual representation of Lawrenceville’s commitment to the arts,” said Mayor David Still. “A 15-year partnership with Aurora Theatre and many years of hard work on the part of numerous determined individuals have delivered a one-of-a-kind project placing Lawrenceville in the spotlight as an arts-centered community.”

Construction began on the $35-million facility in June 2019 and continued throughout the recent pandemic. The 56,000 square-foot Lawrenceville Performing Arts Center will house a 500-seat theater; Cabaret; indoor and outdoor civic spaces; and rooms for office and educational programming. It will be home of the second largest professional theater company in Georgia and Gwinnett’s only professional performing arts organization, Aurora Theatre. In October 2020, the City of Lawrenceville approved an additional $4-million in facility upgrades to improve air quality, offer hands-free devices, create a safe physical environment and provide appropriate sanitizing equipment for patrons, performers and staff.

Anthony Rodriguez, Co-Founder and Producing Artistic Director of Aurora Theatre shared, “The City of Lawrenceville believes in the power of art as a force multiplier that can transform community, and as the Lawrenceville Performing Arts Center prepares to open, the region will see that vision tangibly expressed … none of this would be possible without what is truly a remarkable and unprecedented partnership with the city that should serve as a model for communities nationwide.”

Aurora Theatre is home to the highest level of artistic excellence in the region, serving communities and offering performing arts experiences that nurture a love of theatre in a multigenerational space. Leading the way as a performing arts venue despite industry challenges posed by the 2020 landscape, the regional theater has managed to find new platforms and open-air venues to host meaningful live events at a safe distance. While the theater is currently dark due to coronavirus concerns, Aurora Theatre continues to engage with audiences through alternative programming, including its Digital Series and Our Stage Onscreen performance initiatives.

Construction on the expanded facility is expected to be complete in the spring with a target date for opening in May 2021.

For additional information about the City of Lawrenceville, please visit lawrencevillega.org or follow the City on social media. For more information on Aurora Theatre, call the Box Office at 678.226.6222 or visit auroratheatre.com