Protecting Grand Drape in Cafe-torium

[pksoze]

The high school where I teach is currently building a Cafeteria/Auditorium. The stage area is looking to be very nice, much nicer than our clunky stage currently located in the gym.

My main concern is that the grand drape will be exposed to middle school and high school students having lunch just a tater tots trow away. Is there some way to protect the grand drape without leaving it open?

I was thinking of hanging a muslin drop in front when not in use for performances, but this needs to be easily removed for evening rehearsals.

Thanks,
James - Long time reader, first time poster.

 

[Footer]

You could get a muslin drop on a track DS of the rag and that would work. It will probably cost more then its worth though. Do the kids also randomly throw tater tots at the walls?

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

 

[marmer]

It's probably worth it to do the muslin. It's not the tater tots that's the problem, it's the ketchup and mustard.

 

[MPowers]

If it's not too late, make sure your curtain is spec'd to be IFR Polyester Velour. The reason is it can be water cleaned or spot washed as needed. In addition, without compromising the flame proofing.

 

[pksoze]

Thanks for all the advice so far, I'll be checking with my Superindendent, who has been super cool about keeping me in the loop and asking me for my opinion.

And true, what's a tator tot without ketchup?

 

[Les]

I've seen a lot of cafetoriums with an airwall-type system just in front of the drape. It parts in the middle and disappears in to portals in each side of the proscenium when the stage is in use. This way, you have a rigid buffer between the stage and cafeteria for added security, acoustic isolation, etc.

Here is one such system, but with the airwall behind the drape for some reason. You'd want it the other way around.

The only issue I can see (other than expense) is the fact that you need about an extra foot of clearance in front of the drape, so it might be too far in to the project for this addition.

 

[gafftaper]

There's a community theater near me that has a floor to ceiling "box" built into the back side of the proscenium wall that their grand retracts into. They then have a door that can swing around and close. It's essentially a giant case to put the grand away in place. It looks like it was a home brew retrofit to me that could be fairly easy and cheap to do.

 

[tprewitt]

I'm with Michael Powers. An IFR such as Prestige or Charisma velour but purchase with a factory soil repellant treatment and just let the tots fly. The SR treatment adds minimally to the cost.

There are also curtain protection covers, but they are used when the curtain is open.