Our History
The Maurice K. Townsend Center for the Performing Arts is the performing arts center for the University of West Georgia, opening in 1989 as the Performing Arts Center for the then West Georgia College. When it opened, the TCPA was the first performing arts center in the west Georgia region, giving the residents of the surrounding community and college students a state-of-the-art venue to see top tier performances without having to travel to Atlanta. The TCPA consists of a 459 seat Main Stage Theatre and a Black Box Theatre. While bringing in a wide variety of programming to the West Georgia region, consisting of a mix of a cappella, dance, classic rock, country, jazz, puppets and bluegrass, the TCPA also provides a home to both the theater and music departments for the University of West Georgia and for many local performances and recitals.
The Performing Arts Center project began in 1984, with the official vote taking place in the Georgia State Legislature in spring of 1985. Due to budget issues and governmental procedures, the planning and preproduction persisted for many more years than anticipated. During this time, the fundraising continued and support amongst the university and community never wavered. Construction finally began in early 1987 and lasted almost 24 months. The Performing Arts Center opened the week of April 10, 1989, with it’s first performance being Atlanta native and Metropolitan Opera’s mezzo-soprano Brenda Boozer on April 10. The official dedication ceremony was Tuesday, April 11, 1989, where the president of West Georgia College, Maurice Townsend, received the building from the Chancellor of the Board of Regents, Dean Propst. At this dedication ceremony, the West Georgia College concert band played many pieces, including “The Builders,” a canata written by Georgia native Curtis Bryant. This was the first time West Georgia College had a work commissioned specifically for performing groups at the college. The first college-produced play in the Performing Arts Center was “Brigadoon,” opening the week after the dedication ceremony. The opening year also included the three-day Susan Hayward Film Festival, honoring the former film star and Carrollton resident.
Maurice Townsend was the fifth president of West Georgia College, serving from 1975 until his death in 1993. During his tenure, the college went through tremendous growth in enrollment, programs offered, athletics and campus expansion. The Performing Arts Center was one of the new buildings on campus built during his tenure and was his top priority and largest single construction project. Due to his important role in the creation of the venue, less than a year after his passing the Performing Arts Center was renamed the Maurice K. Townsend Center for the Performing Arts in early 1994.
Townsend was greatly assisted by his colleague and friend at West Georgia College, Dr. Richard Dangle, former Dean of Arts and Sciences at West Georgia College and the State University of West Georgia. Dr. Dangle was the chair of the building committee for the Townsend Center for the Performing Arts. While he held a doctorate in physics, Dr. Dangle was an avid lover of the arts on campus, rarely missing a student or faculty performance. Dr. Dangle passed in 2003 and four years later, the Black Box Theatre at the Townsend Center for the Performing Arts was renamed The Richard L. Dangle Theatre.
The Townsend Center for the Performing Arts is home to the Michael P. Steed Endowment for the Performing Arts, to honor the legacy of Michael Steed; longtime supporter of TCPA, CEO of Steed Company, and founder of the Bowdon Sertoma Concert Series. The endowment funds traditional music acts, including blues, traditional country, bluegrass, jazz, new acoustic and comedy.
As the university has grown and evolved from West Georgia College to the State University of West Georgia to the current University of West Georgia, the Performing Arts Center has evolved to the Townsend Center for the Performing Arts, while remaining a constant for both the students, faculty and staff and the surrounding community. The TPCA has become a cornerstone of the university, hosting the theater and music departments of the University of West Georgia, local dance recitals and competitions and world renown performers such as Travis Tritt, the Wynton Marsalis Septet, and Mandy Pantikin. The Townsend Center for the Performing Arts looks forward to being a cornerstone for the performing arts for the University of West Georgia and the surrounding community for years to come.
