West Virginia Wesleyan College
The Virginia Thomas Law Center for the Performing Arts

West Virginia Wesleyan College has a longstanding tradition and reputation for contributing to the arts education and cultural enrichment of its students, its campus, the Upshur County community and the region by providing quality student productions and professional touring presentations.  In keeping with the mission of sharing our educational and cultural resources, the College makes available our facilities for use by community groups such as the local chamber orchestra, community theatre, and music classes.

Wesleyan’s department of theatre and dance has increased the number of courses to build a bold new program that competes with other theatre programs nationally, but that also surpasses them in the quality and breadth of educational opportunities available.  The program includes a musical theatre major, an arts administration major, a dance minor, and a bachelor of fine arts degree in musical theatre and theatre performance, the only one of its kind in the region.     

Current theatrical productions are staged in Atkinson Auditorium, a hall designed in the early 1900s for lectures and chapel services.  While the Auditorium served the College well in its early history, these facilities are not easily accessible to individuals with disabilities, and they are without adequate space for technical instruction, scene construction, and other important elements.

In light of this facility’s limitations and our ongoing commitment to serving our students and our community, West Virginia Wesleyan began construction of the finest performing arts facility in central West Virginia in the summer of 2007.