The Arts Center
The Paul Mellon Arts Center
The Paul Mellon Arts Center was designed by award-winning architect I.M. Pei, who is perhaps best known for the East Wing of the National Gallery, for which the Arts Center served as a prototype, and for the pyramid-shaped entry to the Louvre Museum in Paris. Dedicated in 1972 to bridge the girls at Rosemary Hall with the boys at Choate, the building was a gift from benefactor and alumnus Paul Mellon 1925.
The eastern portion—or triangle wing—of the Paul Mellon Arts Center, provides gallery space and several floors of fine arts studios. The building's studio spaces were designed with natural light for painting, drawing, mixed media, computer graphics, architectural design and with two balconies over the gallery providing additional flexible space for the creative process.
The Paul Mellon Arts Center galleries offer ample space for exhibiting the work of students, alumni, and professional local and visiting artists. Throughout the school year, there are multiple exhibitions of work, granting the School and surrounding community the chance to see both new and emerging art as well as work from established artists.
The William T. Little '49 and Frances A. Little Theater is housed in the western wing of the complex. Slated for renovation in 2025, the refurbished Little Theater will be an intimate theatre designed to support drama and dance performances. In addition to making the space fully accessible, reduced seating capacity will bring the audience closer to the stage, improving sightlines and acoustics. Modern theatrical technology, including a new lighting control system, fully motorized rigging, and an optimized audio system, will also enhance the new performance space. The facility will be supported by an updated orchestra pit, scene shop, costume shop, dressing rooms, Katz Family Green Room, and the Chase Bear Experimental Theatre.
Ann and George Colony Hall
Dedicated in October 2019, Ann and George Colony Hall is a 51,000-square-foot academic and programmatic complement to the Paul Mellon Arts Center. Designed by Robert A.M. Stern Architects, Colony Hall features a performance hall that can accommodate both large and small audiences.
Colony Hall provides an acoustical setting suitable for the spoken word or amplified music, as well as a more reverberant sound for symphonic music. The west side of the auditorium includes a music classroom wing with a Recital Hall seating up to 100 people, providing rehearsal space for music ensembles. Surrounding the Recital Hall are practice rooms, faculty offices, a percussion studio, and a Green Room for performers. The backstage area contains musical instrument lockers and storage for music. Open stairs in the lobby lead both to the auditorium's balcony and the dance studio.