Since 1969, Krannert Center for the Performing Arts at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has served as one of the nation's premier educational and professional performing arts complexes. The New York Times called the facility “one of the most ingeniously worked out art complexes anywhere,” and a writer for the Christian Science Monitor noted that “the performing arts now have a home equal to the gilded science-palaces that adorn other campuses.”

Krannert Center is dedicated to the advancement of education, research, and public engagement through the pursuit of excellence and innovation in the performing arts. Embracing the art of the past as well as the art of our time, the Center supports the belief that creativity is a core human characteristic and that the arts hold uniquely transformative potential. Presenting over 200 performances per season, Krannert Center features nationally and internationally significant guest artists as well as performances and productions by students and faculty in the School of Music, Illinois Theatre, and Dance at Illinois; activities for elementary and high school students through its Youth Series performances for schools; programs to increase the interaction of youth of all ages with the arts, and multiple community engagement opportunities such as Dance for People with Parkinson's, inspired by the work of the Mark Morris Dance Group. Made possible by the generous gift of Herman and Ellnora Krannert, the Center continues its vision of “education through participation in culture.”

MMDG made its Krannert Center debut in 1987 and has appeared annually in the Center's Marquee Series since 2001. In 2007, Krannert Center was officially proclaimed MMDG's Midwest home. Several of Morris' most popular works such as Gloria, Grand Duo, V, Mozart Dances, and Dido and Aeneas have been performed there. Krannert Center was co-commissioner on Mark Morris' production of Sergy Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet: On Motifs of Shakespeare. MMDG's engagement with the Urbana community has been equally successful with the Dance for PD® program and the Shadow Program launched with the University of Illinois-Urbana/Champaign's dance performance students in the Spring of 2007; students selected as shadows receive unique opportunities to interact with the company both in Champaign-Urbana and in New York City.