Art, Music and Theatre

F.W. Olin Hall for Arts and Humanities, home of the Fine

Arts department, offers students a unique opportunity to

experience the energy and excitement of the arts.

Considered one of the best arts facilities in the state, Olin

Hall provides students with the opportunity for scholarly,

creative involvement in art, music, and theatre programs.

Olin Hall serves as a major cultural arts center for the

Roanoke Valley . Some of the outstanding facilities available in

Olin Hall include a 404-seat mainstage theatre with the latest

in computerized lighting and sound systems; a 125-seat

recital hall; a 500-seat outdoor amphitheater; versatile

classrooms; studios; a fine arts library; practice rooms; a special

media room equipped with slide, film, and TV projection;

comfortable student lounges; a 100-seat studio theatre; a

dance and rehearsal hall; faculty offices; a sculpture platform

garden; and a Concert Grand Steinway "D" piano.

In the visual arts, students in Olin Hall can develop their

creativity in modern and fully-equipped painting, drawing,

design, graphic art, computer, photography, printmaking,

ceramic, and sculpture studios and laboratories. Running

parallel to an active studio program for students is the Olin

Hall gallery program, which presents many art exhibitions

and events complementing the art studies, as well as national

touring exhibitions from such institutions as the Virginia

Museum of Fine Arts and the Smithsonian. In addition,

student works are exhibited annually in Olin Hall,

culminating in the senior art student exhibition held each

year in the Olin and Smoyer Galleries.

In music, a student may audition for the Roanoke College

Choir or Women's Chorus, which perform at special events

and on-campus and off-campus programs throughout the

year.A Spring tour is often a part of each choir's schedule.

In addition to voice training and performance, instrumental

groups include the Wind Chamber and Jazz Ensembles. Olin

Hall also provides opportunities to hear the College's resident

chamber ensemble, the Kandinsky Trio.

In theatre, students audition for parts in several theatrical

productions each year. Shows have included Twelfth Night ,

Crimes of the Heart, Fool for Love, Dracula, Extremities,The Glass

Menagerie,The Skin of Our Teeth, Hedda Gabler, Bus Stop,The

Heidi Chronicles, and Godspell . Participation in theatre at

Roanoke College gives students experience in acting, makeup,

set design, lighting, publicity, and other phases of

production.This experience is available to students from all

majors at the College.