A celebration of fine arts that has been 40 years in the making will occur Sept. 25 as the Hamilton School District dedicates the new Hamilton Fine Arts Center. Dedication ceremonies for the center that features a 750-seat auditorium will begin at 6:30 p.m.
Participants will be greeted with trumpet fanfare and the Hamilton High School Choir will sing the “Star-Spangled Banner.” Hamilton High School Principal David Furrer and Hamilton School District Superintendent will make brief comments before the facility is officially opened. Cutting the ribbon will be School Board President Gabe Kolesari, referendum information committee co-chairperson Janet Paterson and four Hamilton students representing the fine arts areas of drama, instrumental music, choir and visual art.
Following the dedication ceremony, the Hamilton High School Jazz Band will perform at 7:15 p.m. as the opening act for the Streetlife concert. The Hamilton Education Foundation is sponsoring Streetlife’s performance. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students and senior citizens. They are available at school offices throughout the Hamilton School District, Majdecki’s Sentry in Menomonee Falls, and Sussex locations of M&I Bank, Associated Bank and Piggly Wiggly.
Voters approved the $6.75 million Hamilton Fine Arts Center addition in a November, 2002 referendum. The new auditorium is three times the size of the high school’s Little Theater that has served the school since its original construction in 1962. The Little Theater will continue to be used for lectures, rehearsals and small-audience performances. The 35,000-square-foot addition, which began in the spring of 2003, included new music rooms, a full-fly stage, orchestra pit for live musical accompaniment, ticket booth, dressing rooms, restrooms and costume-prop storage. In addition, parking was extended and a new exterior canopy was built to replace the original 40-year-old canopies that were rusted and leaking.
Hamilton High School is located at W220 N6151 Town Line Rd., Sussex.