Schaeffer Theatre, with seating for more than 200, hosts a regular schedule of performances, including major productions from the Department of Theater and Rhetoric, events during the nationally acclaimed Bates Dance Festival, recitals of the Bates Modern Dance Ensemble, and performances by outside theatrical and musical groups and artists. In addition to the theater itself, the building features full set-construction and costume workshops, offices for the theater and rhetoric faculty, and the Black Box Theater, home to many smaller and experimental productions throughout the year.