Joplin East Middle School was destroyed by tornado. The new building was rebuilt on the original site with a flexible auditorium. The design team was challenged with the task to divide the auditorium into two parts; a smaller theatre and an event room. The front section is a bowl with seats attached to the floor. The rear portion of the room has pullout theatre seating forming a larger auditorium when the two rooms are combined. When desired there is an operable wall between the spaces for complete separation.
Peerbolte Creative designed a dead hung rigging system over the stage with the electrics on hand winches. The lighting and sound is controlled from a desk that can serve the front area and the full auditorium.