KEYSER, W.Va. — After being shuttered for eight months, the curtain — and the hopes of staff and faculty in the Church McKee Arts Center building on the campus of Potomac State College — are about to rise as phase one of the ambitious and comprehensive renovation was completed this week.
It’s an occasion Brian Plitnik, associate professor of music and producer of Potomac State College Theatre, is nearly giddy about.
“For the first time in maybe 30 years — or at least as long as I can remember — there has not been a spring musical at Church McKee,” Plitnik said, during a tour of the theater last week with renovations still underway. “But this week, the curtains get hung and that will be the final phase on stage one, and we can get the theatre back open for productions.”
The first production scheduled in the theater is the April 8 performance of the Potomac State College Jazz Invitational — a collective performance of jazz musicians from area high schools. Following that, the PSC Community Concert Band will perform on April 21, and then the PSCO Community Jazz Ensemble hosts a concert on April 29. The “big event” following that trio of musical performances will be commencement on May 9.
“There are other phases of construction and renovation yet to come,” Plitnik said. “But we can at least be having performances in the theatre while those other renovations are continuing.”
Phase one of the renovations included a complete overhaul of the theater’s rigging system. That system had been declared antiquated 15 years ago, according to Plitnik.
“And yet, somehow, we still managed to do big shows and musicals in the theatre during that time period,” he said.
The fly system and entire rigging for the stage, including all the battens, lift lines, and arbors were completely replaced.
“These were desperately needed renovations and such a positive move for Potomac State College and PSC Theatre,” Plitnik said. “We are also very excited to be in the process of securing additional funding to go toward further updates and renovations to the stage and auditorium.”
The rigging system of a theater is the system that supports any prop or item suspended above the stage — from heavy layers of curtains weighing 200 pounds each that rise and fall to backdrops during productions that need to be moved sideways and up and down.
Other needed improvements in phase one included updates to the building’s heating and cooling system and a new roof to the theater portion of the building.
“When it would rain, it would actually rain and leak right over the stage area so that needed done first, I think,” Plitnik said, adding the second phase of renovations — which includes a new stage floor and a new lighting system for the theater — will commence once commencement ends.
“The stage floor is the original floor since the theatre was built in 1968 and I think the lights in the lighting booth are probably that old as well,” he said. “We put down what we thought would be a temporary floor over the stage for Little Mermaid because the actors would come off stage with splinters. Little Mermaid was in 2019. And I think there is at this point only one other person alive who knows how to run those lights.”
The Pittsburgh Stage Company is completing the work — a professional Sewickley, Pennsylvania-based business that specializes in renovating and updating historic and old theaters. The goal of the renovations was to update the equipment and the stage without changing the aesthetics of the theater much.
“Most of the renovations are improvements the public probably will never even see but they will experience it when they come here to see shows,” said Plitnik. “And of course, the people involved in the shows — from actors to crew – will notice a huge difference. That will be immediately felt.”
Plitnik credits interim campus president, Paul Kreider, for spearheading both the renovations at Church McKee and the ones underway this week inside Science Hall. Plitnik said Kreider came from an arts and entertainment background and saw value in the arts center and campaigned and helped raise and find the funding for the improvements.
“Paul Kreider took a big interest in this campus and looking at buildings that needed work,” Plitnik said. “He came from an opera background and so the arts were important to him. He started looking at all the buildings on campus where maintenance had long been deferred.”
In March 2024, Kreider was named interim campus president of WVU Potomac State College, balancing his time between the Morgantown and Keyser campuses. He continued in that role until October 2024 when Jerry Wallace was named President of Potomac State College.
“The Church-McKee Auditorium is so important to the PSC campus and our local community,” said Wallace. “We are very thankful for the opportunity to make these much needed upgrades.”
Plitnik said the CMAC is not only invaluable to the campus, but it serves an important need in the community.
“With 900 seats, this is the biggest performing arts center in the tri-state area,” he said. “And the theater is not only used by PSC, but also by the area schools for performances and we rent it out when the community has a need for a large-scale space. It will be good to have it reopen and celebrated again. It is long overdue.”
Officially opening in 1968, the Church McKee Arts Center hosts a wide range of noteworthy events, from commencement ceremonies to musical performances, and theater productions to arts showcases. It has long served as a place where students and community members come together to experience, create and engage.
The Church-McKee Arts Center serves as a growth space for students who are learning to develop their craft in music, theater and other interests. Whether working on or performing in play productions, concerts, or collaborative projects, students can display their talents while also building confidence. Having access to high-quality performance spaces and mentorship opportunities helps students gain real-world experience.
Additionally, the Arts Center serves as a gathering place where creativity fosters cultural performances by engaging viewers and strengthening the local arts scene. Yet, the Arts Center is more than just a vibrant space where students and community members come together; it also plays a vital role in shaping both the individual and collective experience of our community, as well as supporting local artists and contributing to the region’s cultural and economic growth.
The project was approved by trustees in August of 2025 and went out for bid in September.