WEST ORANGE, NJ — For a quarter century, the Oskar Schindler Performing Arts Center in West Orange has honored its namesake's legacy of courage, while building an enduring legacy of its own. A new chapter was written in that history earlier this month when the arts center marked its 25th anniversary with a grand reopening celebration.
The Oskar Schindler Performing Arts Center (OSPAC), an open-air amphitheater located at 4 Boland Drive, hosts events like summer concerts, theater, dance performances, comedy shows and family movie nights.
Opened in 2001, the venue was named in honor of Oskar Schindler, a Sudeten German Industrialist who saved nearly 1,200 European Jews during the Holocaust. The story was chronicled in the Hollywood blockbuster film, "Schindler's List."
The arts center has been undergoing a series of grant and donation-powered renovations, including an expanded stage with a new rubberized floor coating, improved lighting and outdoor speakers, three rows of new stadium seating, an ADA-accessible seating area, decorative fencing, a storage shed, reconstructed retaining walls, upgraded walkways and patios, repaved driveways and new landscaping.
A reopening celebration was held for the OSPAC during the annual West Orange Jazz Festival on Sept. 19.
"For 25 years, OSPAC has been a place where music, culture, community, and history come together," Mayor Susan McCartney said.
"As we celebrate this milestone and the grand reopening of this special venue, we also remember the extraordinary legacy of Oskar Schindler and the timeless message of courage and humanity that his name represents," McCartney added.
Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com. Learn more about advertising on Patch here. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site.
Sign up for free local newsletters and alerts for the
West Orange Patch
Patch.com is the nationwide leader in hyperlocal news.
Visit Patch.com to find your town today.