Theater Newby / Newbier Architect

[Deleted member 9240]

Hi. Recently I've been bitten by 2 theater bugs.

The first: as a guest at local productions - the smaller venues - and I've grown fond of solo acts (I believe company "Voices of the South" hosts these).

The second:as an architectural intern. I'm doing some design work on a high school auditorium and have had to research several elements of the theater.

Specifically I hope to gain insight to support the decisions I'll need to make as I learn about theater design.

Thanks for being here!

 

[Van]

OMG Have we got some threads for you to read !!! There's a long history of anonimity between Architects and TDs / Technicians. Ones always complainging about the other. Seriously, It would be nice to have some Theater trained Architects out in the world. Welcome Aboard!
If you can't find it with the search engine then by all means post your questions. You'll get a lot of responses.

 

[MPowers]

Welcome aboard. As mentioned before, a long history of dicotomy between theatre designers and theatre users. One thing far too many architects fail to learn, is that a theatre is not an art gallery, museum, or display house. It is a factory, it produces a product using industrial processes, equipment and methods. Unfortunately, unlike an automobile factory, our product is ephemeral, intangible when it is completed. So many people never realize what is involved in producing that product. The result is all too often a structure that has a sumptuous lobby, an elegant house and a backstage nightmare that is difficult at best to work in. If you want to design good theatres, learn how we construct that product. Observe a load-in or load-out of a show. What do the stagehands, whether a volunteer on a small community stage or an IA hand moving one of 8-10 semis into a venue for a large musical. Find out what they have to do to “get the show on the road”. Learn what they have to go through to run a show. Where do you store 8 truckloads of scenery between acts? How many people does it take to load a counterweight arbor? The questions are endless. Another thing, learn who theatrical consultants are and USE them. Two recent projects I have bid on have architects but no consultants. They both came in so far over budget they rejected all bids and went back to the drawing boards to re design. A consultant could have told them before the first bid that the project was too much for the planned cost. Finally, a brilliant video of a new theatre is Dallas is available, Please take a look at it.
Joshua Prince-Ramus: Building a theater that remakes itself | Video on TED.com

Michael Powers, Project Manager, ETCP Certified Rigger - Theatre
Central Lighting & Equipment Inc., Des Moines, Iowa, Central Lighting & Equipment