Holabird & Root provided programming and theater design consulting services for the theater component of the Forest Hills Public School District Fine and Performing Arts Center.

The 62,000-s.f. Center features a 1,200-seat theater, two rehearsal halls, and an artist-in-residence studio. The Fine Arts Center serves the 17 schools in the Forest Hills District and Western Michigan, providing Broadway traveling shows, symphony, ballet, school concerts, performances, and community education.

The design team paid special consideration to load-in and load-out capabilities and the ease of technical setup. Backstage support spaces include a green room and artist suites. The lower level has 36 make-up stations with flexible privacy partitions that can adapt to casts with various genders and ages, and are close to additional amenities. Other support areas include a scene shop and an audiovisual studio equipped for recording and broadcasting.