The building will be ready in fall 2005, and that gives us three months to get the kinks out before any public appearances. That evening, we will have a very traditional black-tie event, which will be our last big effort to raise the money to pay for this building.

The opening night gala will be Saturday, Jan. 14, 2006. The star of that evening will be international opera star and distinguished Titan alumna Deborah Voigt. We’ll have a traditional volunteer committee overseeing the event, which will include a dinner beforehand in the Titan Student Union –decorated like a formal ballroom.

The concert will be “Deborah and Friends” in the Vaughncille Joseph Meng Concert Hall. She has developed a cabaret show and it’s going to be directed by Dean Hess. The University Orchestra will be involved, as well as the University Singers. We’re expecting to sell out well ahead of the event.

We have three other performance venues that we’re going to premier the next day. It will involve performances in the James D. Young Studio Theatre, the Hallberg Black Box Theatre and the McGarvey Family Dance Studio.

We’ll have the building dedication Friday, Jan. 13, a campuswide
open house and a community open house, so the opening isn’t just the black-tie gala. There will be several events that will get people involved.