Arts & Entertainment

If you have a passion for the arts, then Mason is the place for you. Although the museums, galleries, and theaters of Washington, D.C., are just a metro ride away, there is no need to leave campus for entertainment. A variety of films, music, dance, theater, and art exhibits on campus will always give you something to do. There are ample opportunities for you to get involved yourself—whatever your passion. The only limit is your own imagination.

The Center for the Arts attracts world-renowned performers and artists, including the Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra, the St. Petersburg Ballet, the National Acrobats of Taiwan, and the Virginia Opera. The center is made up of four performance spaces.

• Concert Hall—accommodates 2,000 people
• Harris Theater—a 500-seat traditional stage
• TheaterSpace—accommodates 150 people
• Black Box—an intimate 75-seat theater

Free or discounted student tickets are available for most performances.

University Life and the Film and Media Studies Program offer the Cinema Series, weekly films during the academic year—from Hollywood blockbusters to award-winning, independent cinema. Admission—and popcorn—are free for students, faculty, and staff with a Mason ID.

Mason’s own theater company, Theater of the First Amendment, has received Helen Hayes Awards and more than 30 nominations. The original children’s musical Perseus Bayou was awarded a Parents' Choice award for its soundtrack, placing it in stellar company that includes Tom Paxton and Schoolhouse Rock.

Rock to the rhythms of REM, Linkin Park, or David Bowie at the 10,000-seat Patriot Center, a nationally recognized arena that is also home to George Mason’s NCAA Division I men’s and women’s basketball teams.

Music education major Mark Metrinko had a “blast” recently as a cast member of the touring musicals Blast! and CyberJam. Metrinko took his talents and his trumpet on the road—spending six months in Japan, England, and parts of the United States

Getting Involved Student performances—from plays to animation festivals—are great ways to participate first-hand in the arts. Students can participate in designing sets for the Theater of the First Amendment or take master classes from international artists such as choreographer Mark Morris of the Mark Morris Dance Group. Art galleries across campus ensure that student work and professional artist exhibitions get seen by everyone. Learn to paint, sculpt, and photograph with instructors who are working professionals and who regularly exhibit in galleries nationwide.