Wharton Center for the Performing Arts

The Wharton Center for the Performing Arts stands as Michigan's largest performing arts venue, a landmark institution on the Michigan State University campus that opened in September 1982 with a performance by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Named after Dr. Clifton R. Wharton Jr., MSU's 14th president, and his wife Dolores, the center was designed by the architectural firms Caudill Rowlett Scott and Harley Ellington Pierce Yee to create a polished yet welcoming cultural destination. Housing the grand Cobb Great Hall, which seats over 2,200, and the intimate Pasant Theatre, the venue presents a diverse calendar of touring Broadway productions, classical concerts, dance, comedy, and speaker series. Known for its excellent acoustics and comfortable sightlines, the center offers an exceptional experience marked by warm hospitality and a commitment to making live performance accessible to all patrons.