Lyman Hall was Brown's first gymnasium. It was first renovated in the 1970s as part of an effort to expand the performing arts at Brown with new facilities including Leeds Theatre, Becker Library, Ashamu Dance Studio as well as office space, dressing rooms, rehearsal spaces and classrooms. It was renovated again in 2008.

Address and Directions

Ashamu Dance Studio serves as the home for the Dance Program at Brown. Measuring approximately 30x80 feet and equipped with mirrors and sprung floor, it is well-equipped for performance with seats, lights, sound system, Marley floor, and curtains. It has a seating capacity of 105 (75 seats and 30 floor spaces) and is also the home of the Department's annual alumni cabaret, produced each year on Commencement weekend.

Address and Directions

Leeds Theatre, one of our two mainstage theatres, is located in Lyman Hall.  Its lobby is the covered breezeway (between Lyman and Solomon Halls) which has two entrances. One doorway opens opens onto Simmons Quad across from the Marcus Aurelius statue. The other entrance opens onto the Dill Center for the Performing Arts courtyard and is visible from Waterman Street between Stuart Theatre and the Building for Environmental Research and Teaching. The Leeds Box Office is located in this breezeway.  The courtyard entrance is wheelchair accessible. The flexible theatre space seats 140 and can be set up as a three quarter thrust stage or in the round.

Address and Directions

Stuart Theatre, our proscenium space and one of our two mainstage theatres, is located in Faunce House. It was originally built in 1931 as the Faunce House Theatre. It was restored and reopened in 1995 as the Stuart Theatre. The Festival of Dance and the department's commencement ceremony are held in Stuart. It seats 240 and is wheelchair accessible.  

Faunce also houses the department's costume shop, one of our smaller scene shops, and Strasberg Studio. Strasberg is accessed via the Dill Center Courtyard. The stairs are located to your right as you face the Leeds Theatre Waterman Street entrance. Strasberg seats 50 and is not wheelchair accessible.

Address and Directions

The John Street Studio is the focal point for the department's design initiative, and provides classrooms, studio space and support for designers at Brown and beyond. Imagined and formed to create a student driven resource for art and design at Brown University, our goal is to encourage a spirit of collaboration among a divergent group of students. At its core the John Street Studio is a home for experiential learning. Our design initiative is committed to fostering cross disciplinary, collaborative art and design across the Brown and RISD community, including RISD/Brown Design for America, Archaeology, the RISD Sculpture department, A Better World by Design and Brown Opera Productions. John Street is a 15,000 square foot building that includes a wood/metal shop, drafting tables, painting spaces, and open workshop/meeting areas.

Address and Directions