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History
 The unique, Award-Winning, State-of-the-Art performance venue designed by Boston based architect/developer Graham Gund opened in November 1996. In 1998 the NSCPAS was presented with the National Commercial Builder’s Award of Excellence Merit Award, Division IV. Open 365 days a year and capable of hosting a wide variety of Performing Arts, Corporate and Special Events, the NSCPAS is a multi-purpose, modern, efficient theatre facility with 68,000 square feet of space. World famous performers, tradeshows, and local productions are equally at home. The NSCPAS is home to three distinguished institutions: Centre East, Northlight Theatre, and The Skokie Valley Symphony Orchestra.
The facility was conceived in the mid 1980’s when Dorothy Litwin (former Executive Director of Centre East) applied to the State of Illinois for funding under the “Build Illinois Program”. The Village of Skokie supported the project as an economic stimulus to the area and as a cultural asset to the community.
The NSCPAS is a $20 million facility. The State of Illinois ($13.2 million) and the Village of Skokie ($3.4 million) funded construction of the facility in large part. The balance has been funded by various agencies including Northlight Theatre, Rice Foundation, DoubleTree Hotel North Shore, the NSCPAS Foundation and additional state grants. The Centre East Metropolitan, Exposition, Auditorium and Office Building Authority is the agency that legally owns the facility. Professional Facilities Management (PFM) manages the NSCPAS.
The NSCPAS hosted the pre-Broadway tryout and production of Charlie Brown in 1998 before it moved to New York. Two of its actors won Tony Awards on Broadway, and a Jefferson Award in Chicago. NSCPAS audiences have seen performances by world famous performers such as Marvin Hamlisch, Crystal Gayle, Joe Mantegna, Dennis Franz, Alan King, and Michael Feinstein to name a few. NSCPAS audiences have also seen performances by local Chicago favorites including Mike Nussbaum, E. Faye Butler, Jennifer Graham, Darryl Alan Reed, Northlight Theatre’s Artistic Director BJ Jones, The Hubbard Street Dance Company, and River North Dance Company. Chicago’s Channel 11 filmed the River North Dance Company in January 1999 at the NSCPAS. This program aired on Channel 11 in the fall of 1999. They filmed the Centre East Theatre stage, backstage area, and the front of the NSCPAS facility.
The North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie is also home to three distinct Resident Companies: Centre East, Northlight Theatre, and Skokie Valley Symphony Orchestra.
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