Ipswich High School

Ipswich High School, 134 High Street, Ipswich, MA 01938

The Dolan Performing Arts Center (commonly referred to as the Dolan PAC) is located at Ipswich High School, 130 High Street, Ipswich, Massachusetts. The 600-seat auditorium is part of a modern middle/high school facility that opened in September 2000, built at a cost of $31.9 million. Since 2018, the Dolan Center has served as one of the two main venues for the Cape Ann Symphony Orchestra's full orchestra concerts.

History and Namesake

The performing arts center is named after John F. "Jack" Dolan (1922-2013), a distinguished Ipswich resident who served in the Massachusetts State Legislature for eighteen years and was a pioneering advocate for conservation in Massachusetts. During his tenure as State Representative beginning in 1957, Dolan filed the bill that became the Conservation Commission Act, enabling communities throughout Massachusetts to create conservation commissions to protect natural resources.

Dolan was a World War II Navy veteran who served on the transport vessel USS Pastores and later as a gun crew captain on the USS Chicago. After the war, he returned to Ipswich where he married Lucy Eustace and entered local politics, eventually serving nine consecutive terms in the Massachusetts Legislature. Beyond his political career, Dolan was also a local historian who wrote a series of historical articles for the Ipswich Chronicle in the 1990s.

The Facility

The performing arts center was described as "an exciting part of the new facility" when voters approved the new middle/high school project in 1996. The Dolan PAC has been in operation since the building opened and serves as a venue for school concerts, plays, musicals, ensemble performances, school committee meetings, and occasional town meetings.

Acoustics and Accessibility

The 600-seat Gerald Dolan Performing Arts Center provides a wonderful acoustic setting specifically designed for full orchestra performances and theatrical productions. As a modern facility completed in 2000, the auditorium features contemporary design elements and state-of-the-art sound and lighting systems that create excellent acoustics for both performers and audiences. The venue's careful engineering allows the full dynamic range of orchestral music to be heard with exceptional clarity, from delicate solo passages to the powerful sound of the complete ensemble. The Dolan PAC's technical capabilities include professional sound and video systems, sophisticated lighting, and versatile staging options that can accommodate everything from intimate chamber music to large-scale theatrical productions. Like all of the orchestra's performance venues, the Gerald Dolan Performing Arts Center is fully handicap accessible, with wheelchair seating and access available throughout the facility to ensure that all members of the community can enjoy the diverse artistic programming presented in this excellent venue named for one of Ipswich's most distinguished public servants.

Driving Directions

Driving Directions from the South to Ipswich High School

Destination: 134 High Street, Ipswich, MA 01938

From Boston Area (I-95/Route 1 North):

  1. Take I-95 North for approximately 30 miles
  2. Take Exit 20A for Route 1A North toward Newburyport
  3. Follow Route 1A North for about 6 miles
  4. Take the exit for Route 133 West toward Ipswich
  5. Follow Route 133 West into Ipswich center (about 3 miles)
  6. Continue through downtown Ipswich - you'll pass Brooks Drugs on your left, then Dunkin' Donuts on your left
  7. The high school will be on your left at 134 High Street, just after Shaw's Market

From I-95 North (Alternative Route):

  1. Take I-95 North to Exit 20B for Route 133 East toward Essex/Gloucester
  2. Follow Route 133 East for about 8 miles through Essex
  3. Continue on Route 133 as it becomes Route 133 West into Ipswich
  4. Follow directions above from downtown Ipswich

From Route 1 North (Direct Route):

  1. Take Route 1 North toward Newburyport
  2. Take the exit for Route 133 West toward Ipswich
  3. Follow Route 133 West for approximately 8 miles into Ipswich center
  4. Follow directions above from downtown Ipswich

From Route 128 North:

  1. Take Route 128 North to Route 1A North
  2. Follow Route 1A North to Route 133 West toward Ipswich
  3. Follow directions above from Route 133

Alternative Route via Linebrook Road:

  1. From Route 1, take Old Route 1 to the intersection of Linebrook Road
  2. Turn left onto Linebrook Road (from north) or right (from south)
  3. Follow Linebrook Road to School Street
  4. Turn left onto School Street
  5. Follow School Street to High Street
  6. Turn right onto High Street - the school will be ahead on your right

Key Landmarks:

  • Shaw's Market - The school is located just after Shaw's Market on High Street
  • Downtown Ipswich - You'll pass through the town center with Brooks Drugs and Dunkin' Donuts
  • The school building houses both Ipswich High School and Ipswich Middle School
  • Jack Welch Stadium and athletic facilities are located on the same campus

Parking:

  • Student and visitor parking is available on the school campus at 134 High Street

The school is easily identifiable as it's a modern facility (opened in 2000) that replaced the previous building, and it includes the Performing Arts Center as part of the complex.

Ipswich High School, 134 High Street, Ipswich, MA 01938