SUNY Potsdam Dedicates Lynne Boles '74 and John Priest Green Room in Performing Arts Center

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From left, John Priest and Lynne Boles ’74 accept the resolution naming the Performing Arts Center green room in their honor from President Kristin Esterberg.

POTSDAM, NY (05/16/2016)(readMedia)-- SUNY Potsdam dedicated the green room in the College's award-winning Performing Arts Center in honor of two longtime donors and supporters, with a ceremony and reception on Friday, May 13.

College officials unveiled the newly named Lynne Boles '74 and John Priest Green Room in the Performing Arts Center, with a gathering of theatre and dance students and faculty, as well as alumni and supporters.

As president of the Potsdam College Foundation Board of Trustees, Boles is accustomed to thanking other donors for their gifts. But as many speakers pointed out during the ceremony, they were thrilled to be the ones to finally thank her and her husband, John Priest, for their generosity and dedication to the College.

"Lynne had extraordinary extracurricular experiences while an undergrad at Potsdam, and both Lynne and John share a great love of the performing arts. Some of you might know that John actually spent decades acting in both professional and amateur theatre. So supporting the transformational experiences that take place in this building through our performing arts programs was a perfect fit," SUNY Potsdam President Dr. Kristin G. Esterberg said.

Boles and Priest have established the Performing Arts Center Programs Endowment, to support the array of theatre, dance and interdisciplinary performances that are offered in the PAC. In recognition of their generosity, the College named the green room in their honor.

"I can think of no better space to bear their name. It has been said that this room, this gathering space, is the very heart of the Performing Arts Center. Actors, musicians and performers use this space to transition, prepare and reflect. It's a space that's not often seen by the public, but is critical to the performances and productions we all enjoy," Esterberg said.

Dr. Steve Marqusee, dean of SUNY Potsdam's School of Arts and Sciences, thanked the donors for taking the lead to ensure that the PAC can continue to be home to incredible learning opportunities for years to come.

"Your gift is so incredibly timely, as we are just beginning to really grow and embrace this new facility and all it has to offer. We know that a facility is just an empty space if we don't have the resources to enhance programs and create even more opportunities for our students to grow and experience the arts," Marqusee said. "From set design to lighting, from costumes to choreography, this space offers world-class performance and learning opportunities for all."

Officials also took the time to thank Boles for her leadership throughout the successful Take the Lead Campaign, which has raised more than $33 million to date to support scholarships, programs and strategic priorities at SUNY Potsdam.

"Lynne and John, you have not only been a part of this fundraising success, but you lead by example -- making your own gifts in support of the College's priorities; priorities focused squarely on creating transformational experiences for our students. You have quite literally taken the lead, and today, it's our turn to say thank you," said Michael Galane, vice president of the Foundation Board and national co-chair of Take the Lead: The Campaign for Potsdam.

Earlier this year, the SUNY Potsdam Performing Arts Center was honored with a 2016 Architecture Merit Award from the United States Institute for Theatre Technology. This annual competitive award recognizes the best contemporary performance spaces in the world.

Since its opening in 2014, SUNY Potsdam's $55 million Performing Arts Center has earned a reputation as one of the best performance venues north of New York City. Home to the Department of Theatre and Dance, the facility hosts three specialized performance halls. The 350-seat Proscenium Theater hosts plays, musicals, film screenings and keynote addresses. The flexible Black Box Theater allows for seating and staging to be easily adjusted for intimate performances for an audience of 200. The Dance Theatre also holds 200, with sprung floors designed especially for dance. In addition, the Performing Arts Center also offers laboratories for digital/audio, design, drafting, lighting and education, as well as movement and recording studios and large technical shops for sets, scenery, costumes and crafts.

SUNY Potsdam was voted as having the No. 1 arts environment in the SUNY system, as rated by the students. Among the 27 state-operated campuses in the State University of New York, SUNY Potsdam was rated the top campus for student satisfaction with fine and performing arts facilities, services and environment in the 2015 SUNY Student Opinion Survey.

For more information about the arts at SUNY Potsdam, visit www.potsdam.edu/about/artscampus.

Founded in 1816, The State University of New York at Potsdam is one of only three arts campuses in the entire SUNY system. SUNY Potsdam's arts curriculum offers the full palette: music, theatre, dance, fine arts and creative writing. No matter the discipline, people from all backgrounds can find their creative compass at Potsdam, with myriad arts immersion experiences available for both campus and community.

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