Well, we just had a refferendum pass for our schools and a new auditorium/theater is in the plans to be  added to the high school. Wondering if anyone has any "must haves" or "must not" things you could tell me about. We are just in the begining stages of development and I don't want to find  something has been left out simply because we didn't think to ask for it. 

What I do know is it is planned to be 500 seats. There will be a scene shop, and a production booth. Right now that is all I know, and even that is not for sure, yet.

If you have any advice I would love to have it. Whether it be structural or equipment. As Technical Director I do know I need more storage, and more lights!

Thanks!

Aimee

This is from the audience member's point of view:  make sure you have the seating spaced so there is plenty of leg room.  Don't make the audience pack in like sardines.

Give some thought to the wiring and the quality of sound equipment you are going to install.

Space for a prop table and such.

Good pulley system to rig scenery.

For presentations, a projector screen and consider where you will project the image from.

On the stage, a dip trap that surrounds the acting area, along with an apron [forestage] stage.

All the dip traps should have general power & patch circuit outlets, along with patch audio point in/outlets.

If they go for a Fly Loft, ensure that the fly battens can be brought in to the stage floor & flown more than just the height of the proscenium, a rule of thumb, is twice the height of the pro-scene area, this allows for the grid, head blocks & gear ect.

A lighting patch system that can be expanded easily to accommodate upgrades.

Cat walks over the audience to make access to lighting equipment safer.

A mobile Stage Managers desk, that can be located easily on OP or PS of the stage. With in house programme monitors from colour house & infrared stage cameras, [programme monitors in front of house foyer & dressing rooms] performers call & tech talk back system .

Have standard off the shelf, sheet size masonite or similar, placed on the stage floor, which can easily be replaced if damaged, rather than just polished floor boards.

However it may be worth your while to gain information from local theatre venues & arrange to take the Architect, on a fact finding visit to them.

All the architects I have worked with, have really no idea what a theatre needs, other than from what they have gleaned as a member of the audience, then it was only because they got a comp ticket once!

 WONDERFUL RESPONSE! Thanks.

 Some are ideas I already had, some I hadn't which is GREAT. We have our first meeting on the 12th or 13th of this month. It will be nice to have a few more ideas inhand.

 I do work in another theater so I do have something else to compare to. Not that I think I'll get half of what we actually need or want. At least I can ask for it right and try to fight for it.

Thanks again for all the input.

Lots of good suggestions.  Here a couple more.

Do not let the number of seats determine where the sound mixer goes.  Many theatre put the sound in a booth with the lights.  It does give room for more seats, but it also makes it very hard to run the show sound.  I would suggest a permanent sound area at the center rear of the auditorium.

A suggestion on something you probably will not need is a Company Box (or Switch).  This is a standalone electric setup for traveling productions.  They can plug directly in to this box for show electric.  There are two high schools in the Detroit area that have brand new state-of-the-art theatre, and someone talked both into these $15000-$20000 options.  This much money could be better spent.

John

They will possible baulk at a fly loft & counterweight system, for various reasons, such as cost & safety. But you can counter this with the fact that it is much safer, than students messing about with pulleys, ropes & weird improvised systems. Also as Topper posted, the teatre will have a faster turn around, to accommodate other things, such as lectures & the like. Giving it a more flexible multi-user friendly venue.

Ensure that you are appointed as an advisor to the architect &/or have a consultant role, with all stages of the project. If nothing else you will be there to ensure that the school doesn?t end up with a white elephant.

Architects, administrator & bean counters have a tendency to view it ascetically & enjoy cutting costs, to justify their existence. [even if it works or not?]

Go in armed with a plan of the best main aspects & have alternatives, as a fall back plan, because your going to have to justify most of your wish list, with a big ?Y?!

Best of luck!

I am fortunated enough to work at another theater as well , so I see pretty much both ends of the spectrum here. The high school is like the relic that needs to be put out of it's misery and the college has what I'd love to have, but will never get. So I am already thinking of comprimise. Thanks again for all the input. This has given me alot to think about and ask the TD at the college too!

Are there any other alternatives to having a fly system? I'd love to atleast have something to bring the electric in and out easily. I agree with counter weights and kids, probaly not a good mixture.

The best counterweight system, is still the one controlled by a mechanist & not a motor, this system goes way back in history & is still used effectively;- http://www.gweep.net/~prefect/pubs/iqp/node54.html

Besides the hemp pin & rail, which is practiced far too often, as a quick cheap method, requires muscle even in it?s simplest form, of a rope & pulley. In most cases this system is used because of costs & even when counterweights are applied to the hauling line, can still be a dangerous operation.

Hall stage seems to have cracked the safety aspect, with it?s winch operation:- http://www.hallstage.com/winches.htm

The basic principle is to have easy safe operation.

As it always amazes me, why there are not a lot more accidents in theatre, we must charmed! Or Saint Ignatious of Loyola, who supposed to be the patron saint of Theatre, [who ever he was?] might be looking after us! - I doubt it & don?t believe that for one moment. It is rather that we tend to be more vigilant, as nothing is completely idiot proof. So we end up doing more ?Idiot Checks? than any other game - no matter when, what, where, why &/or with whom!  

It may seem silly to say this but do make sure they paint the backstage walls black. My university had the theatre redone and somebody painted it all a high gloss dove grey. The reasons this are bad are many.

Also, find out who is biding on your job and get to know them. They can bid in things you would like to have and may give you a discount on service and supplies in the future.

Our first meeting with the architect is this Friday afternoon. Can't wait to see what they have in mind for us

Again, thanks for all the input! so many great ideas. Wonder how many we'll get to put in use ?

So we have already eliminated a fly system....so what else is out there? I am speaking about the legs, borders, and electrics. I can live with out the fly system for scenery, but it makes the electrics real easy and so on. I am just unfamiliar with what else is out there. Right now I have an AWFUL track system (for the curtains) so that is a concern. I'd like to have some other ideas for the next meeting, more research

They probably will only entertain cosmetic changes to the building.

I assume they are thinking of a Proscenium arch space!

They will attempt to restrict the stage space to the usual 5 x 5 metre stage, with no wing space, & a restrictive ceiling over the stage?

Try to get the stage ceiling removed & the structure reinforced, as high as possible in the roof void, with RSJ Girders ?I? type.

Then have a grid set up with pulleys, light battens with an electric patch system, distributed in ducting, fixed above the light battens, with a patch bay in the bio control box. The on stage battens can be handled by a simple Pin & Rail system of which counterweights can be attached to the hauling lines - not the difficult & fairly cheap.

Try to avoid dead hanging battens, which they will suggest, as an alternative!

If you can get them to have a proscenium arch, where by the Teasers & Tormentors can be moveable & flexibly used, this will; help in mounting different productions. This could also include the House Rag tab track upgrade.

Also ask for an a decent size Apron [ForeStage] to work with.

Front of House lighting bars [I call these Lighting Bars, as they are usually of the fixed type, rather than the ones on stage, which tend to moveable] & Perch?s Bars as well!

Get as much of the structural requirements & push the budget envelope on lighting, Audio & soft Hangings equipment as you can.

In most situations they opt to purchasing equipment. Rather than structural changes - The Architect will still get his Gold Bricks, as he picks up a % on Purchase Sums anyway!

He will attempt to pour the budget into the cosmetic acetic, such as the foyer & other areas! Hang out for a workable space, rather than a pretty one, that doesn?t work!

Chookas Aimee

Okay, it seems simple but let's mention it.  If you have a separate area to build in (Scene Shop, tat would be nice too-), make sure a door is installed that is larger than the largest piece of scenery you will ever have to move through it.  (Ex:  Maximum height of scenery 14 ft, door 16 ft. high.)   This is something I have seen in several high school theatres, while theater entrance doors might be double wide it is only standard door height.

Hi Aimee,

Please don't(!) put your sound operator in the bio-box.  Ensure that a suitable space is allocated in the auditorium.  With all the best intentions, you cannot replicate the auditorium sound in the bio-box.  Your sound operator must hear what the audience hears.  Make a space tor them near the centre (left-to-right) and well toward the back of the auditorium

Assuming that seat space is about 1m (front-to-back) and about 0.65m (wide) [i.e. 40in X 26in], and that each row is off-set by half a seat from the one in front of it (for improved audience site-lines) then you'll need to allocate the equivalent of seven seats for the sound operator.  Those seven seats are made up of three in one row and four in the next row.  That will give an area approximately 2m X 2m for the sound desk, the operator (and assistant).  The desk should be sturdy and the area should have plenty of power-points (for the mixer, effects units, etc..., etc...).  A low wattage work light under the desk helps, too.

It would be really nice if the entire sound system could be run off a separate electrical circuit with a good quality electrical-noise filtering system fitted.  That will reduce the possibility of hums and buzzes from the lighting systems getting into the sound system.

I think most readers are jealous -- it is not often that we get to have a say in developing a theatre space!

Cheers from Oz.