Special Collections Research Center, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA

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Special Collections Research Center, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA

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Official Archives of George Mason University. Sharing manuscripts, rare books, digital records, and so much more!

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10/21/2026

George Mason University's rise to a major player in support for the performing arts began in Our 4th president, George Johnson and wife Joanne began fundraising efforts for buildings and programs to support the arts at Mason in the early 1980s. In 1981 and 1982, Mason hosted an art auction in the atrium of Student Union 1.

Beginning in 1983, the Johnsons organized the annual Arts Gala, a night of dining, entertainment, and philanthropy to raise money for Mason arts programs. Joanne led a team in crafting an item they would later auction at each Gala to fund performing arts and cultural projects at Mason. Two of the more notable items they produced as part of this effort were the Mason Heritage Quilt in 1984, and an MG TB replica kit car in 1985. The gala was the first step in the Johnsons’ vision to connect the community to Mason through the performing arts. The Center for the Arts (CFA) was the culmination of the Gala's fundraising.

Overall, the CFA took ten years of fundraising and approximately three years of construction at a total cost of $10.6 million. The CFA was initially called Humanities III because it was the final building in Mason’s Humanities complex, which included the de Laski Performing Arts Building (Humanities I), completed in 1988, and the Music and Theater Building (Humanities II), completed in 1989. When the Center for the Arts opened, it was one of the most state-of-the-art theater facilities in the United States. It opened on October 6, 1990 with a black-tie event with award-winning composer Marvin Hamlisch as host. In a speech given during the event, Dr. Johnson expressed his hope that the venue would bring cultural enrichment and build strong community ties in Northern Virginia.

From the George Mason University Development and Alumni Affairs records (R0012) and George Mason University photographs collection (R0120).

Please join us for our Performing Arts Archives Celebration on Friday, October 23, 2026! Registration is required! Follow the link in our bio to learn more! George Mason University Libraries Mason Arts Center for the Arts at George Mason University George Mason University Alumni Association

10/15/2026

For today's , we're highlighting Robert Perdziola's original costume designs for the character of Alma in Tennessee Williams' Summer and Smoke!

10/14/2026

In the mid-1970s, Grease was the word! The first Broadway production opened in June 1972, and it toured on and off until 1980, totaling 3,388-performances. One of those was at George Mason University's North Campus Auditorium, a 300-seat venue that was part of the former Fairfax High School. The building was purchased by George Mason University in 1972 to create additional classroom and athletics facilities for the swiftly growing university.

In 1975, the national touring company of Grease was in between official touring runs and was actively playing regional theaters, summer stock houses, and colleges and at universities around the country, such as Bucknell, UMass, Illinois State, and Utica College. During the last week of October, the company had a free night and agreed to perform at Mason. Mason’s Student Government sponsored the event. North Campus, having just recently been a large regional high school, seemed the perfect site to house a musical about high school kids in the 1950s. It featured halls with rows and rows of lockers, a basketball gym, and a 300-seat auditorium for theatrical productions.

While the October 30th event played to less than a packed house, it was yet another step Mason would take to becoming a nexus for nationally recognized performing arts in the region!

From the Broadside student newspaper collection (R0128) and the Broadside photograph collection (R0135).

Please join us for our Performing Arts Archives Celebration on Friday, October 23, 2026! Registration is required! Follow the link in our bio to learn more! George Mason University Libraries Center for the Arts at George Mason University Mason Arts George Mason University Alumni Association Mason Student Government

10/09/2026

Couldn't make it to our event last week? Well then you're in luck, because this is going Medieval on this year's Archives Month theme "Remember Me: Death and Memorial in the Archives" by taking a closer look at some of our Monumental Brass Rubbings!

10/07/2026

The Center for the Arts (CFA) on the Fairfax Campus is George Mason University's premium performing arts venue. It is a cultural center for our region and hosts a wide range of live performances year-round. The CFA features a 2000-seat concert hall for presenting musical concerts, theater, Broadway-style shows, dance performances, opera and symphony productions. Internationally acclaimed artists and touring productions, along with university events have taken the stage at the CFA.

During the tenure of President George W. Johnson (1979-1996), the university expanded rapidly and aimed to serve not just students but the broader community. At the time, there was no major performing arts venue on campus capable of hosting large-scale cultural events. Johnson and his wife Joanne were strong supporters of the arts and advocated for a dedicated performing arts center. In 1988, the Virginia state legislature approved funding for the $10.6 million project.

George Izenour, the talented lighting engineer who became famous for his work in the Federal Theatre Project in the 1930s, designed the interior of the concert hall.

Since opening in 1990, the CFA has served as a primary cultural venue for the region and has expanded its role in student performances and academic programs, evolving from a primarily community-facing venue into a core part of the university’s arts education programs.

Here we have images of Attitude, a sculpture by Doris Catullo, an architect’s drawing of the CFA from 1988, construction of the 2nd tier above the main lobby, and photos of the completed building in 1994. Images are from the George Mason University photograph collection ( ) and the Broadside photograph collection ( ).

Please join us for our Performing Arts Archives Celebration on Friday, October 23, 2026! Registration is required! Follow the link in our bio to learn more! George Mason University Libraries Mason Arts Center for the Arts at George Mason University George Mason University Alumni Association
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09/30/2026

Hylton Performing Arts Center is the over 100,000 sq ft performing arts complex on George Mason University’s Sci Tech Campus. It opened May 2010, three years after groundbreaking and a decade after its original conception. It was designed to bring a first-class performing arts venue to Prince WiIliam County. Since its opening, the Hylton has been host to thousands of performances featuring national, international, and local artists.

The Center was the product of a unique multi-participant partnership of Prince William County, the City of Manassas, George Mason University, the Commonwealth of Virginia, and private donors. The most visible of the latter was the Cecil D. and Irene V. Hylton Foundation of Dale City, Virginia. Hylton, a land developer, and home builder who built many of the homes in Woodbridge and Dale City, Virginia during the second half of the twentieth century, was a prolific philanthropist in Prince William County. To Hylton, “the arts [were] very important to the quality of life throughout the Prince William Community, and we [were] very proud to take part in this special project". For their generosity and his dedication to improving the lives of county residents, officials decided to name the building after his family.

The Hylton Center has been a destination venue for quality performing arts since 2010. It brings nationally and internationally known acts to Prince William County each year. It also serves local adult and youth performing arts groups as a site for recitals and performances, and the center collaborates with local schools to provide educational programing for school groups.

In 2019 the Hylton Center opened its newly completed Education and Rehearsal Wing, which added 17,000 square feet of classroom and rehearsal space for artists and educators. From the Prince William Campus records (R0126), and the Hylton Performing Arts Center.

Please join us for our Performing Arts Archives Celebration on Friday, October 23, 2026! Registration is required. See our event listing for more information.

George Mason University Libraries George Mason University Alumni Association Center for the Arts at George Mason University Mason Arts

Hylton Performing Arts Center Prince William County Government, Virginia City of Manassas, VA - Government

09/28/2026

Celebrate the legacy, creativity, and impact of the performing arts at the Performing Arts Archive Celebration, a free event highlighting the Special Collections Research Center’s performing arts collections. Bringing together performers, scholars, students, and community members, this celebration of creativity showcases how archival materials continue to inspire research, teaching, and performance...
October 23, 2026 - 6:00pm - 8:00pm
Van Metre Multi-Purpose Room and Auditorium
Mason Square Campus, Van Metre Hall
3351 Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22201

Registration is required! See our event listing for more information!

09/25/2026

Lions, winged spirits, and skeletons. Join us next Wed. September 30 from 2-3pm as we celebrate the start of Virginia Archives Month by learning about the fascinating history of Monumental Brasses with guest speaker Dr. Jacqueline M. Burek, Associate Professor in Medieval Literature, and get a closer look at how these symbols are used!

No registration is required; all are welcome! Follow the link in our bio for more information!

09/24/2026

The Special Collections Research Center is excited to announce that the Zelda Fichandler papers (C0010) are now fully processed and reopened for access!

The Zelda Fichandler papers contain the working and personal papers of Arena Stage co-founder and Artistic Director Zelda Fichandler (1924-2016) covering circa 1930s-2016. This includes materials created and produced as part of her work with Arena Stage, including administrative and production materials, as well as materials related to her work at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts and general role in regional theatre throughout the United States and internationally.

Follow the link to access the full finding aid: https://aspace.gmu.edu/resources/c0010

Address

Fenwick Library MS 2FL, George Mason University
Fairfax, VA
22030

Telephone

(703)9932220

Website

https://scrc.gmu.edu/, https://www.givecampus.com/schools/GeorgeMasonUniversity/events/george-mason-university-libraries

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