A Home for Performing

Words Courtney Thomas | Photos Eric Morales

A Beautifully Designed Facility Puts Students First

AISD’s spacious Performing Arts Center is where student musicians, dancers, thespians, and artists come to pursue their dreams and where Eastsiders can go to enjoy free to nearly free shows while supporting Austin’s up-and-coming talent.

Since its inception in the Mueller neighborhood in 2015, the Austin ISD Performing Arts Center (PAC) has blossomed into a world class resource for fine arts. The center’s programs support students across the district and the state. When they come to perform in the space, students are given the opportunity to develop professionalism alongside their talents.

Throughout the school year, PAC hosts dance shows, band concerts, choir performances, UIL state competitions, musicals, and more. In the 2023-2024 season alone, PAC Coordinator and former teacher Brad Distelhorst says there are “180 separate events” on the calendar. These events, open for the public to attend, take place in the PAC’s main hall, black box theater, dance studio, multipurpose room, and lobby, which doubles as an art gallery.

Catch a Show!
AISD student performances at the PAC are open to the public. Tickets typically cost about ten dollars for adults and are discounted for students and seniors. When art is on view, the lobby gallery is open to the public free of charge on weekdays (typically 9am to 6pm). Details can be found on the PAC’s online event calendar.

A focus on education pervades every event at the PAC. Cole Rickman, PAC Production Supervisor and a former classroom teacher, says students who perform at PAC “get the best of the best when they come through here, no matter what.” The goal is to help students become comfortable working in a professional, quality performance environment to prepare them for their next steps, including college.
“We have started doing a lot of recordings here for college auditions,” Brad says. “In a couple weeks,” he adds, “a trumpet player is applying for Juilliard and needs a really great recording [to send in], so we’re helping him get to that next level.” Brad emphasizes that all the PAC’s resources, including the recording studio, are available at no cost to AISD students.

The PAC’s biggest annual event is the Summer Theater Series (STS), during which students produce a play and a musical, complete with a student orchestra. For students interested in exploring theatre, the PAC also holds a two-week Rising Stars camp during STS. This year, over 400 students have signed up to audition.

Did you know?
The PAC freely lends microphones, lighting, and costumes to campuses across the district, enhancing student performances beyond its doors.

This July, visitors can catch Shrek the Musical and The Twelve Huntsman, a play based on a Brothers Grimm tale.

Attending shows at the PAC are always quality in their beautifully constructed space that was designed to look like a piano from the exterior and from the inside mimics a cello. Creativity pulses through every part of the space all year long, but in the summer, it’s a great way to beat the heat while supporting Austin’s newest talent.