Mac Rating: 5.00 | Votes: 1 | Date: 10/07/2026 04:21:00

Dedicated on April 20, 1996, the Mary D'Angelo Performing Arts Center at Mercyhurst University in Erie, Pennsylvania was the first theatre in the United States to use geothermal energy for heating and cooling. The $3.6 million facility at 501 East 38th Street seats 792 in the main house plus 24 in six private opera boxes, totalling 816. Its chandeliers were manufactured in Austria from pure crystal and are identical in design to those hanging in the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City. The 3,400-square-foot performance stage accommodates a wide range of productions, from orchestral concerts and dance shows to lectures, films, and community events. A state-of-the-art computerized sound and lighting system supports professional-quality production values. The geoexchange HVAC system, designed by RMA, achieves near-net-zero energy performance while maintaining pin-drop acoustics -- a combination that was groundbreaking at the time of construction and remains a model for sustainable performance-venue design. The center is named to honor Mary D'Angelo, who, along with her husband Dr. George D'Angelo, has long supported the arts at Mercyhurst. Programming is managed through the Mercyhurst Institute for Arts and Culture (MIAC), which brings nationally touring performers and speakers to the Erie community alongside university music, theatre, and dance productions. Recent sound system upgrades include Powersoft amplifiers powering the main PA with separate mid/high, subwoofer, and balcony zones. Mercyhurst University is a Catholic liberal arts institution founded in 1926 by the Sisters of Mercy. The D'Angelo Center has served as a vibrant cultural anchor for both the campus and the broader Erie region for nearly three decades, providing world-class performance experiences in one of the most energy-efficient theatre buildings in North America.