The Benjamin & Marian Schuster Performing Arts Center, opened in 2003, is Dayton's principal venue for the performing arts — home to the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, the Dayton Opera, and the Dayton Ballet, as well as touring Broadway productions. The building is the centrepiece of the downtown arts district, connected by an elevated pedestrian bridge to the adjacent Mead Theatre.
The main hall, the Mead Theatre, seats 2,300 and has strong acoustics for orchestral and operatic programming. The design by César Pelli & Associates gives the building a presence on Fifth and Main Streets that announces itself clearly as a cultural anchor. Check the calendar before arriving — programming runs September through May, with a summer schedule.