A new HS theatre under construction
- Thread starterBillConnerFASTC
- Start date
I wish we had storage like that for our shell. We just finished installing it and were already tight for space, its going to be an interesting year. I also wish we had better work lighting installed from the get go. It seems like work lights and general area lighting is always my biggest complaint about spaces.
BillConnerFASTC
Well-Known Member
Opening!! Here's their web site for this PAC and a few pictures completed. https://www.mcfarland.k12.wi.us/community/PAC.cfm
Nate Mendl
Member
Yesterday was the opening night for the first production in the new theater, the annual high school musical. The theater is a beautiful space with an exceptional stage. I am the previous theater manager (a 0.1 FTE position) and I left this district when they indicated to me that they didn't have any plans to staff the theater, beyond having the full time the choir teacher also manage the space. I had seen many unsafe situations in the previous auditorium and was uncomfortable running a theater of this caliber allowing students working at height, in the dark, with electricity and linesets, and without adult supervision. To this date this is still a 0.1 position. Over the course of the week I've watched both students and staff using linesets in the brand new theater in an unsafe manner. It's disheartening to me because it's a gorgeous space that has no long term plan.
While the design of the theater is exceptional (many congrats to Bill Conner for designing such a beautiful space), it is my conclusion that the sound system is unfortunately inadequate. Over the past 8 days, the speaker processor has failed three times. The center cluster is essentially unusable due to poor quality components. The design is a Renkus Heinz system that is incapable of consistent coverage throughout the room, and after significant EQ the L/C/R cannot produce accurate sound reproduction. The A/V contractor never measured the acoustics of the room before installation of the PA, and the L/R speakers are hung adjacent to brick walls coloring most of the coverage of the room. As a local sound engineer, it is one of the most frustrating places I've mixed in several years, which is a shame because acoustically the room is excellent. There is no independent control of front fills / underbalcony / balcony speakers, and these speakers were configured without delay. While there are technically four monitor mixes, if you want a foldback monitor on either side of the proscenium each one of these is required to use a mix, which for this purpose essentially gives you only two monitor mixes. (There is no patchbay for foldback mons.)
When inquiring about the poor quality amplified sound, the response to me was along the effect that the "the room is designed to be so good acoustically, that therefore the sound system is only there to help support the natural room acoustic, not to amplify music."
I am hopeful that the district chooses to correct the errors of the sound system, reverses course, and instead installs a system that is on par with the rest of the beautiful theater.
While the design of the theater is exceptional (many congrats to Bill Conner for designing such a beautiful space), it is my conclusion that the sound system is unfortunately inadequate. Over the past 8 days, the speaker processor has failed three times. The center cluster is essentially unusable due to poor quality components. The design is a Renkus Heinz system that is incapable of consistent coverage throughout the room, and after significant EQ the L/C/R cannot produce accurate sound reproduction. The A/V contractor never measured the acoustics of the room before installation of the PA, and the L/R speakers are hung adjacent to brick walls coloring most of the coverage of the room. As a local sound engineer, it is one of the most frustrating places I've mixed in several years, which is a shame because acoustically the room is excellent. There is no independent control of front fills / underbalcony / balcony speakers, and these speakers were configured without delay. While there are technically four monitor mixes, if you want a foldback monitor on either side of the proscenium each one of these is required to use a mix, which for this purpose essentially gives you only two monitor mixes. (There is no patchbay for foldback mons.)
When inquiring about the poor quality amplified sound, the response to me was along the effect that the "the room is designed to be so good acoustically, that therefore the sound system is only there to help support the natural room acoustic, not to amplify music."
I am hopeful that the district chooses to correct the errors of the sound system, reverses course, and instead installs a system that is on par with the rest of the beautiful theater.
CakerSloth
Member
Bump
CakerSloth
Member
CakerSloth
Member
Drew E - I think the students are really appreciative and eager to learn in a respectful way. It's pretty special.
BillConnerFASTC
Well-Known Member
Well, I've seen Momma Mia twice, including half an act from behind percussion on the pit, and an orchestra concert tonight.
I don't think any one system - sound, lights, and more - can be everyone's ideal system. On this case, the design is based on all vocals being played on the enter cluster, and not the left and right. Im sorry the system was apparently not tuned so the fills delays - balcony, under balcony, and side galleries - was apparently not working. It's there. I don't have a clue what the processor does but after it was rebooted, it apparently worked fine. Software upgrades and changes maybe. I don't really know sound but they will start from scratch with system designer - he went to intensive care on the day he was to go to check out - and test it then.
My personal non-expert opinion of the sound was it was good from all parts of the auditorium, even if a little loud, and the loudness from a nearside (left or right) speaker a little unatural - singer stage right and sound from stage left.
The orchestra - no sound system of course - was very good. Rich base reverberation, clarity, and a good tail. Quite lovely. We also listened to unamplified solo voice and it carried easily. I wish they tried a rehearsal with none of the 39 wireless mics. It would have been very pleasant and rich.
Staffing is tough but in this case, I talked to school board members and the superintendent fro earliest meetings about the need for a full time auditorium manager and am assured they are working towards that. As many here have proven, they will pay for themselves in more rentals and better equipment care.
I don't think any one system - sound, lights, and more - can be everyone's ideal system. On this case, the design is based on all vocals being played on the enter cluster, and not the left and right. Im sorry the system was apparently not tuned so the fills delays - balcony, under balcony, and side galleries - was apparently not working. It's there. I don't have a clue what the processor does but after it was rebooted, it apparently worked fine. Software upgrades and changes maybe. I don't really know sound but they will start from scratch with system designer - he went to intensive care on the day he was to go to check out - and test it then.
My personal non-expert opinion of the sound was it was good from all parts of the auditorium, even if a little loud, and the loudness from a nearside (left or right) speaker a little unatural - singer stage right and sound from stage left.
The orchestra - no sound system of course - was very good. Rich base reverberation, clarity, and a good tail. Quite lovely. We also listened to unamplified solo voice and it carried easily. I wish they tried a rehearsal with none of the 39 wireless mics. It would have been very pleasant and rich.
Staffing is tough but in this case, I talked to school board members and the superintendent fro earliest meetings about the need for a full time auditorium manager and am assured they are working towards that. As many here have proven, they will pay for themselves in more rentals and better equipment care.
BillConnerFASTC
Well-Known Member
I stood behind percussionists -3 - in pit. How else do I know what was right and more importantly what could be improved upon?
Rich in base as the room perimeter is hard and has mass - concrete walls and roof - and the reverberation at all frequencies was clear, not what is often described as muddy.
Rich in base as the room perimeter is hard and has mass - concrete walls and roof - and the reverberation at all frequencies was clear, not what is often described as muddy.
BillConnerFASTC
Well-Known Member
Here's view from my pit seat. If I can figure out how to downsize video I'll post that. 3 percussion, 3 guitars, 4 keyboards, and chorus up to 10 or 12.
And rigging pit as quick change.
And rigging pit as quick change.
Attachments
BillConnerFASTC
Well-Known Member
I was thinking about a conference or workshop for hs auditorium managers, maybe in the spring. Maybe a chunk of Saturday followed by a show. Tour. Questions and answers. Talk about planning process and how to get non-theatre types to understand the fundamentals. Could do an hour on stage floors. Orchestra pits also. The process of design and construction which is as strange to many theatre people as theatres are to architects and engineers. I was a little dismayed by the state of hs theatre design in WIsconsin.
macsound
Well-Known Member
I didn't notice two things previously that are interesting.
The two sets of single seats in the box position. Was this more of a design element, trying to maximize space, not have terrible box viewing angles?
The lower box lighting position. There's like 4 Source Fours maybe? Very interesting lighting angle. What's the designed purpose?
I know from the context my questions seem condescending, not at all however. Just interested in the mind of a genius.
The two sets of single seats in the box position. Was this more of a design element, trying to maximize space, not have terrible box viewing angles?
The lower box lighting position. There's like 4 Source Fours maybe? Very interesting lighting angle. What's the designed purpose?
I know from the context my questions seem condescending, not at all however. Just interested in the mind of a genius.
BillConnerFASTC
Well-Known Member
The side galleries - 4 levels - are for intimacy. If not there, further away. Plus the wrapping around or "peopling the walls" I think improves the intimacy and social nature. I like the sightlines. My favorite seats - and the superintendent's. Yes, the near upstage corners are cut off but they are in many wide theatres. It resulted from are pre-design tours and Knoxville IL hs (also one of mine) https://images.app.goo.gl/eKricVWae3Ug9Ddw6 The committee liked the performer experience of audience surrounding.
The lighting rails under each gallery simply try to make up for lack of box boom. A nice low slicing angle.
The lighting rails under each gallery simply try to make up for lack of box boom. A nice low slicing angle.
Kristi R-C
Well-Known Member
How about doing it as part of the Alliance for Wisconsin Theatre Education conference in September? Many of them will be there anyway.
Kristi R-C
Well-Known Member
Where are you at? I'm in Appleton.
BillConnerFASTC
Well-Known Member
Where does Alliance meet usually?
Kristi R-C
Well-Known Member
Changes cities each year... in 2020 (Sept 18th) we're at Wisconsin Lutheran in Milwaukee - just up the road from you, which is why I suggested it. https://www.awte.net
