Picture yourself seeing an energetic, live musical with bright lights, crisp sound, enormous sets, and room for a 465-seat audience in freshly-upholstered chairs. The newest theater planning for big, live shows isn’t on Broadway, it’s in New Brunswick — and the brand new $172 million venue is dressed to impress.

NJ Advance Media got a sneak peek of the space, which is officially opening Wednesday. It seats a total of 720 between its two theaters and plans to start its inaugural season in 2019. Not only does the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center span two theaters, rehearsal studios, and public parking, it also includes a 207-unit residential tower.

Walk into the main lobby of the performing arts building at 11 Livingston Avenue and you’ll see an open space with walls lined with mesh-like black panels, which light up and change color from behind. To your right is a glossy, full-service bar, with nearby standing tables.

Large video boards display the center’s logo and other multimedia elements, including a timelapse of the center’s construction. A donor wall highlights the project’s contributors, while a desk to the left welcomes visitors. All of the surfaces are covered in sleek, black stone.