The Jay and Susie Gogue Performing Arts Center at Auburn University opened in 2019. The Gogue Center has proudly presented numerous award-winning Broadway productions, well-known musicians and dance companies.
Jonathan Osborne, the director of communication and marketing, explained that the Gogue hosts diverse performances and partnerships.
“We have different artists that we like to work with to sort of create different partnerships that we'll work on, not just as performances, but with community engagement with campus activities. [Jason Isbell] has performed at the Gogue Center. I think it's been three times that he's performed here. He performed as part of our opening festival back in August of 2019, then he came back with his band, the 400 Unit — I think it was in the third season,” Osborne said.
The Gogue is dedicated to community engagement and helping audiences connect to the arts. These engagements include master classes, workshops and even discounted student tickets.
“Ballet Hispanico came back in January and we hosted a big Latin social dance workshop. We had almost 60 people who attended and then one hour after the workshop, we were able to provide dinner. We were able to just talk about the experience and really talk and gather together, and just hang out for a little bit and get to know all the community members. They were able to engage with the artist on a more personal level,” said Ashley Pope, campus and communities program coordinator at the Gogue.
Will Green, a junior at Auburn, has indulged in the unique experience that the Gogue provides. He explained his experience watching a show.
“Last spring, I saw a performance by the Paul Taylor Dance Company. My art class partnered with the Gogue to create works inspired by the company’s performance. We were lucky enough to get to do this again this year with Dorrance Dance and their ‘The Center Will Not Hold’ performance. For this collab, we got to meet and present to the performers, which made the performance even more special,” Green said.
Many students and the surrounding community have yet to experience the incredible atmosphere of the Gogue. From the dance companies, artists and more, the audience will be entertained and might even learn something new.
“I would definitely recommend the Gogue, especially for dance performances. Lots of young people have not been exposed to the different dance styles the visiting groups perform, and I think this makes people a little wary of going to see them. But I had a great experience and discovered something that I never would have thought I’d enjoy,” Green said.
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