Miniaci Sets the Stage for an NSU Eclectic Extravaganza

Theatre. Numbers. People.

These are the three ingredients in life that bring joy to Shannon Hall, the general manager of the Rose and Alfred Miniaci Performing Arts Center. Hall has been with the Broward Center of the Performing Arts for more than 15 years and GM for the Miniaci PAC for five of those years.

The Miniaci PAC, a venue affiliated with the Broward Center of Performing Arts, is a 498-seat seat theatre that is part of the Alvin Sherman Library, Research, and Information Technology Center on Nova Southeastern University’s main Davie Campus. This gem is in its 22^nd season and supports many NSU academic engagements as well as promoting and contributing to the cultural life of the NSU community and of the community at large.

The Miniaci family, led by the late matriarch Rose and her late husband Alfred, inspired their family to generously support NSU and the South Florida community, helping create the Rose and Alfred Miniaci Performing Arts Center.

The world has been a stage for Hall since she was a young girl, getting cast in shows in elementary school and capturing the lead role in a Girl Scout production as “Daisy,” the affectionate nickname of Juliette Gordon Low, the founder of the Girl Scouts. From there, Hall took part in numerous high school production and received a theatre scholarship and graduated with a Bachelor in Fine Arts in Theatre.

“Fresh out of college, I was fortunate enough to get a job with Broadway Across America, the largest Broadway company of touring shows in Fort Lauderdale as an assistant bookkeeper,” she says. “From there I worked for Live Nation Concerts and eventually found my way back to my first love, theatre, and then took a job as the settlement accountant working with numbers, my second love.”

Now Hall calls herself “lucky” to be the GM of the Miniaci PAC, where she enjoys working on a “beautiful campus and building some exciting programming and partnerships.”

Hall beams when asked about the joys of her job.

“You know what’s great?  Being surrounded by young adults just beginning their life journey,” she says. “I feel like we are in a new beginning here too at the Miniaci PAC, especially post-COVID. The passion that each collaboration affords me feels refreshing, fun, and energetic.”

Over the years, the Miniaci PAC has been home to some top acts. In collaboration with the Division of Student Affairs, the center held an NSU Life 101 Speaking Series with artists such as John Legend, Jason Taylor, Vanessa Williams, Anthony Bourdain and Dwayne Johnson also known as “The Rock.”  It also has held sellout concerts such as the Peruvian superstar Eva Ayllon and Matisyahu, as well as a mix of iconic groups such as the doo wop group The Coasters, popular Irish folk group The High Kings, and Ken Block and Drew Copeland of Sister Hazel.

And the future continues to be bright, when it comes to upcoming acts, Hall says.

The dance company Dimensions Dance Theatre of Miami returned with two ballets this season, the first “Falling for Dance” and a soon-to-be announced Mother’s Day brunch and ballet event. Miniaci PAC also is introduced its first-ever comedy series featuring HBO and BET’s Shang, Greek American LGBTQ+ stand-up comedian Gus Constantellis, Netflix’s Abby Hatcher, and the jaw-dropping Samantha Ramsdell, known for earning the Guinness World Record for the world’s largest mouth.”

“With a new team and outlook here, we are looking forward to recreating what we do at the Miniaci PAC,” Hall says. “It’s so heartwarming to see patrons moved by the performing arts when they watch or learn from an event – with every spectrum of emotion.”

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE MINIACI PAC AND ITS UPCOMING PERFORMANCES.

Posted 10/22/23