Montclair State University To Demolish L. Howard Fox Studio Theatre For VR Lab

Montclair State University's L. Howard Fox Studio Theatre will be replaced by a new virtual reality (VR) lab, according to a new report from the Montclarion.

According to a press release, “The project consists of the conversion of Fox Theater into a classroom, computer lab and virtual reality pod for Dreamscape Learn, including a new IT server room and accessible single-use restroom.”

There has been outcry from students in the school's theatre and dance program, as performance spaces become more scarce on campus.

One sophomore told the publication, “We recruit from all over the country for the musical theater program, our design tech management program is building up, our acting program is building up and still they are taking away more spaces. It’s hurtful because why are other majors more important than us? Why is one of our spaces getting turned into something for another major?”

According to university president Jonathan Koppell, the new lab will utilize virtual reality to foster empathy, ethics, self care, and equality in students.

Dr. Jennifer Urban, a professor of family science and human development, explained, “The goal of the project is to create an exciting general education course in the SEEDS curriculum that will broadly appeal to students from across [Montclair State], regardless of what college they’re in [or] what their major is,” Urban said. “It will focus on the aspects of the SEEDS curriculum that are not so much about skill development, but are about [questions such as] ‘How do I flourish as a human being?'”

According to an email from theatre and dance department chair, Kathleen Kelley, demolition of the performance sace is set to begin early January 2025.

The email to students also noted that the department is looking for alternatives for performing arts students.

“We have some short-term plans that aren’t perfect, but would fulfill our immediate space needs for both scenic construction and performances,” Kelley said. “We also have long-term plans that are in development to create a space that is hopefully even better suited to what we do than our current situation.”

The news has led to a revival of the Save The Fox campaign, currently organized by senior acting major Laura Jean McHale and senior musical theater major Carlita Vinciguerra 

“Because it’s a studio theater space, it has that malleability of it, which is unique to a black box,” Vinciguerra said of the theatre. “If they were to take that away, that’s taking away that opportunity to be able to have that in our education to be able to learn that style of theater.” 

“The workaround plan that they have in place right now is still going to be very complicated and really hurt the creativity and the drive and the passion of these technical theatrical artists,” McHale said.

Read the full story at the Montclarion.