A large crowd turned out for the opening of Penn Charter’s new Performing Arts Center on Jan. 28. (Photo by Michael Branscom)

The new $15 million performing arts center at the William Penn Charter School is groundbreaking in many ways for the 320-year-old institution. Situated just off Henry Avenue in East Falls, the school has enjoyed a stellar reputation for most of its existence.

As an academic and athletic tour de force, the Quaker school is considered among the top educational institutions in the city. Surprisingly, it took Penn Charter centuries to admit girls, becoming coed in 1980 under the leadership of Earl Ball.

When Ball retired in 2006, making the school co-ed was just one of his proudest achievements. But Ball also is largely responsible for making the performing arts a vital and valuable part of the school’s academic experience.

The David L. Kurtz Center for the Performing Arts is the culmination of more than a decade of planning and fundraising. When it opened officially on Jan. 28, Ball and the current head of school were there with students, alumni, faculty and guests to usher in a new era at Penn Charter.

Until now, the school’s dozen or so performing arts groups’ meetings, as well as all productions, took place in the Meetinghouse. While steeped with tradition, the Meetinghouse is a small, poorly laid out space for choral concerts or stage productions.

Jessica Bender, the new theater manager in charge of the Kurtz Center and an alumna of the school, recalled her own experience.

“When I went to school here (7-12 grades) there were maybe two performing arts groups or classes,” she said. “It really was heavy on sports.”

These days the groups practically match the number of performances each year, although there are many minor shows throughout the year that increase the total number.

The Kurtz Center also represents an advance for the East Falls community, even, perhaps, for the Northwest since the structure is “green” from its local schist stone on the exterior and foyer, to its green roof. The architectural firm of Voith and Mactavish created what Penn Charter hopes will become East Falls’ first LEED certified building.

The center utilizes wind energy and architectural features – such as cupolas – which both relate to the schools historic buildings and provide a natural ventilation pattern for cool and hot air.

The center features state-of-the-art sound, lighting and technology, including a recording studio, choral room, orchestra room, practice studios and a four-level orchestra pit in the main amphitheater. Its main theater also features set design technology to raise and lower sets with ease, create various sound patterns, depending on the performance, and three catwalks.

“We now have a facility to match the level of programming at the school,” Ford said. “It’s a world class facility.”

In fact, it is the only such facility in Northwest Philadelphia. The Earl and Pam Ball Theater seats 650, and the smaller choral room can also be used as a recital space.

Bender said the theater would not be able to hold the entire Penn Charter community.

“The decision was made to keep it as somewhat intimate,” said Bender of the seating. “It can fit half at a time.”

Named for David L. Kurtz, who was an East Falls resident and broadcaster, the center will be open to the public. Kurtz went “on-air” for the first time in 1963, broadcasting as WDVR on Chelten Avenue in Germantown. In the mid-60s, Kurtz and partner Jerry Lee grew the station into local radio powerhouse B101. The two men are considered pioneers of FM radio. Kurtz family members are lead donors to the new center.

Bender, who taught drama and performing arts at Springside School for 10 years before moving to Penn Charter to run the Kurtz Center, is looking forward to utilizing the theater’s advanced technology to enhance the curriculum.

“It will allow us to do more, provide more ways to showcase the abilities of the students,” she said.

Bender said Ball was prescient in his recognition of the arts as a necessary part of the academic curriculum.

“The performing arts encourage confidence, expression and creativity,” she said.

Ford is hoping the center will have a similar affect on the community and encourage more local productions and events. The center will also be open to the community for concerts, plays and other productions. The school’s first major performance in the new theater will be “The Wizard of Oz” later this year.

“We are excited that this is East Falls’ first green building and the only theater of its kind in Northwest Philadelphia,” he said.

The Kurtz Center will open its doors for tours on March 6 for the Penn Charter community and on March 7, from 12-1:30 p.m., for the community-at-large, followed by a one-man show “Presenting Frederick Douglas” at 2 p.m.