How to number seats on the orchestra pit

[Primo109]

Hello!

I am curious about what the standard convention in venues is to number removable seats that are placed in/on the orchestra pit when it is not in use. I always thought the row in front of Row A was Row AA, then the row in front of that was Row BB, etc, essentially mirroring the fixed orchestra seats. However, at my school, Row BB is in front of Row A and Row AA is in front of Row BB (I've attached a picture of our seating chart, I know that may not make total sense when written in words). Is there a hard and fast rule about numbering these seats, or does is vary by venue? Thanks in advance for your advice!

 

[TimMc]

In most of the theaters I've worked in, the "AA" or "BB" rows came after "Z". At my PAC the pit lift seats are rows A and B. For shows where the pit seating is not sold, the seating chart starts with Row C.

 

[DrewE]

The Flynn Theater nearby in Burlington, VT calls these seats the "dress circle" and has DCB in place of your row BB, and DCA in place of your row AA (and nearest the stage). Row AA in the Flynn is behind row Z and quite near the rear of the house; row EE is the last row, the furthest from the stage, on the main level. (The balcony of course starts with row A at the balcony rail and works back from there.)

I think as a patron I'd find it very strange to have row BB be closer to the sage than row AA. I think I would generally expect both to be in back of row Z, but naturally that's somewhat dependent on the size of the venue; having twenty-eight rows in a smallish auditorium makes little sense, after all, unless it's an impractically long and narrow hall.

 

[RonHebbard]

Hello!

I am curious about what the standard convention in venues is to number removable seats that are placed in/on the orchestra pit when it is not in use. I always thought the row in front of Row A was Row AA, then the row in front of that was Row BB, etc, essentially mirroring the fixed orchestra seats. However, at my school, Row BB is in front of Row A and Row AA is in front of Row BB (I've attached a picture of our seating chart, I know that may not make total sense when written in words). Is there a hard and fast rule about numbering these seats, or does is vary by venue? Thanks in advance for your advice!View attachment 22283

@TheBuzz Our larger soft seater has two orchestra lifts holding 4 rows per lift.
The lift closest to the stage holds AA, BB, CC, & DD.
The lift further from the stage holds EE, FF, GG, & HH.
The fixed orchestra level seating begins with A then continues in alphabetical order without I & O.

From the dusty crevasses of my mind; The 1st Balcony seats are Balcony A < ? with 2nd Balcony seats Balcony beginning where the 1st balcony leaves off. Is there a standard or irrefutable rule? I don't think so.
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard

 

[Malabaristo]

Individual specifiers/designers may have rules, but there's definitely no solid standard across the industry for how any seats are numbered. For example, one of our high schools has six seats that are all "A1". They are in left, center, & right sections on both the main level and balcony. There's no orchestra pit, so I can't tell you how this particular bit of creativity would have been applied to that situation, but I'm sure it would have been whichever option makes the least sense.

Whatever you decide, the key goal is just to make sure it's all shown as clearly as possible on the seating charts so it's obvious for people buying tickets to see where they are in relation to the stage.

 

[teqniqal]

'O'ooh! nn

 

[RonHebbard]

Individual specifiers/designers may have rules, but there's definitely no solid standard across the industry for how any seats are numbered. For example, one of our high schools has six seats that are all "A1". They are in left, center, & right sections on both the main level and balcony. There's no orchestra pit, so I can't tell you how this particular bit of creativity would have been applied to that situation, but I'm sure it would have been whichever option makes the least sense.

Whatever you decide, the key goal is just to make sure it's all shown as clearly as possible on the seating charts so it's obvious for people buying tickets to see where they are in relation to the stage.

@TheBuzz @Malabaristo is spot on when it comes to having clear seating charts posted on line and prominently displayed above or next to your box office windows.
I've been in a venue with a center aisle that had all the odd numbered seats on one side and all the even numbered on the other.
It definitely caught patrons off guard when they purchased two seats assuming they were next to each other only to find A19 & 20 were separated by 20 seats + the width of the center aisle.
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard