Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: Theatre space

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Playwright
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Joined: 4/01/06
Location: Canada
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Posts: 126

Posted: 4/22/06 at 12:31pm

k8TT,

Here's the website for the CT that now operates out of an renovated factory/wharehouse space. I would imagine if you contact somebody on their board of directors they'd have the info you would need.

www.guelphlittletheatre.com

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Topper
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Joined: 1/27/05
Location: United States
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Posts: 543

Posted: 4/22/06 at 1:00pm

I believe one reason why so many performers/directors/technicians encounter difficult working conditions is that MOST theater architects and designers are only concerned with accommodating the PUBLIC (audience members, board members and patrons.)

Therefore, the theater has a lovely lobby, comfy seats and a handsome facade, but the backstage area including shop, dressing rooms, tech booth and wingspace (if they even remember to build them) are comparable to a Devil's Island prison.

So much magic happens in the theater that outsiders tend to believe we can "make it work" no matter what nightmare we face.

Sorry. Not much help in this forum, but I needed to vent.

"None of us really grow up. All we ever do is learn how to behave in public." -- Keith Johnstone

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Oberon
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Joined: 4/22/06
Location: United States
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Posts: 12

Posted: 4/22/06 at 10:31pm

My unscientific rule of thumb is that the backstage and storage space should be as large as the combined dimensions of your stage and house space.

So, determine the square footage of your house (seating area/lobby) and stage. Then determine what practical areas you want behind the scenes like backstage wing space, storage, load-in zone, dressing rooms; rail and dimmer rack space, etc. The backstage area should be, at least, the same square footage as your frontstage area.

Think about it.

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mark_j
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Joined: 11/28/04
Location: United States
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Posts: 31

Posted: 4/23/06 at 11:18am

Do you have fly and wing space? Our theatre has 10 foot wings and a 14 foot ceiling with a 40x25 stage. The theatre is also a former warehouse. If I had a magical blueprint, I'd tack on 10 more feet on either side of the stage.

BTW, you want to have plenty of restrooms...design them in now. We have killer intermissions- over half an hour because of lines to the restrooms. Double the code- trust me your tire cast who just want to get home will thank you.

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Gaafa
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Joined: 3/21/04
Location: Australia
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Posts: 1181

Posted: 4/24/06 at 12:01am

I mirror Toppers post!
Along with the suggestion of Makj ?Loo? situation, the punters are usually in line with the codes. As far as the bogs are concerned backstage, we normally only cater for the use of mixed dressing rooms & at least one unisex ?Crapper Valve?!
However have keep in mind the flushing factor! The Sydney Opera House spent a heap of gold bricks on cutting down the noise of flushing during performances.
Following on from the Black ?n Blue thumb nail ratio!
Being a pencil & paper bloke, I found it easier designing sets & working out venue spaces, using some of my young sons ?Lego? blocks. Which I ?arf inched queitly without him knowing. Until one day when I was trying to solve a vexing scenography situation, while I was away he played with it! I was putting all the blocks in place again & I realised he unwittingly had fixed it!
So in appreciation I got him another construct-a-toy & secreted some of his Lego away, which he never asked for or got them back.
They are still useful in giving a quick 3D aspect solution. Now he?s over thirty, they are all mine along with his Meccano set!

Joe
Western Gondawandaland
turn right @ Perth.
Hear the light & see the sound.
Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"}
May you always play
to a full house}

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k8tt
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Joined: 4/05/05
Location: Canada
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Posts: 73

Posted: 4/25/06 at 11:33am

Thanks for the website, Playwright. I will check it out.

Since I am usually the stage manger, I am REALLY concerned about the backstage area. Right now I am working with a tiny stage (12 x 20) and backstage consists of 3' wide aisles around the stage and ONE dressing room/bathroom (it's an accessible bathroom where we get to store costumes, props, etc.). We trip over each other back there and I no longer blush at seeing actors in varying stages of undress. *G*

We also have had the 'line to the loo' problem with patrons and cast so I have designed in male and female dressing rooms each with their own toilet. The FOH toilets are easy to accomodate.

Honestly I cannot believe how much space backstage takes up with costume storage, shop and storage, receiving, green room, dressing rooms, etc.

Didn't think about making the wings bigger, mj, but good idea.

And LOL Gaafa - maybe I'll go hunt up some Lego!

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JoeMc
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Joined: 3/13/06
Location: Australia
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Posts: 832

Posted: 3/23/08 at 9:01pm

We have a refurbished performing venue now!

Our theatre group will be responsible to supply a 'Duty tech'/performance. The theatre will contra deal the DT's payment & offset it against the cost of them hiring the venue. Further any hirer wanting to supply thier own 'DT' must pay to become acredited by attendance of an orietation course, run by our theatre group.

Which should ensure our theatre groups future endorsement with our City Council?

The next thing is to wait untill the Achitec racks off & we can modify the building & refurbishments, to make it a workable performance venue!

This came about because a mate of mine, who is a member of another local comeatre, is now getting paid as a casual 'Duty Tech' there.

He is with a small comeatre group wich owns a 100 seat venue here, because they are in demand as a hire venue just lately.

Pay a 'duty tech' as part of the hire fee for performances only. Also as a private treaty he charges a nominal fee to build the set for visiting productions.

The fee is primarily just $20/hour for a 3 hour show call, this is because of the latest amendment to the the 'Public Building Health & safety act. Also the Insurance Companies are insisting that a 'duty tech' be present during performances.

He does not get paid for the theatre groups own, in house productions though.

Paying him to be in attendance during a hirers production, is the theatre grops equipment & facilities are not used & abused. Also he is on hand if anything goes wrong, such as an accident, fire or if evacuation is required. This also helps the hire group because he can orientate them on the equipment 7& use of the facilities. { more importantly he has completed the manditory 'Bar Managers' course!]

Further if anything untoward happens, he can stop the show & either muster the punters or call ensure an ambulance, fire or police are called.

On another tangent, our City Council has just completed the refurbishment of our new theatre & performing arts space venue.

So we got them to include a 'Duty Techs' in thier hire fees, for other groups using the performance venue.

Not only but also, because of this latest enactment of the Health Act, for public buildings.

I have instigated & proposed to our state community Theatre association, that we form a Technical advisory Pool [TAP] to help & assist other member groups comply with the new legislation through out the State.

For the most part this will be a group of 'techies' who are available to the groups, to ensure that PAT [Portable Appliance Testing] is carried out regularly & instucting thier techies on becoming competant testers & how to keep an on going 'Log Book', for Emergency & exit & equipment maintance.

Further to advise on other how to apply 'flame Retardant' to sets & other aspects of theatre.

The pool so far has besides qualified Electricains, Licenced technicains & other trades persons involved in theatre & the performing arts.

TAP I hope will also be a catchment are for retire proeatre black ducks & other who may have fallen by the wayside.

{You never know TAp might get into giving Awards yearly for technical theatre, at our annual 'Finley' Awards.

I thought of designing a blow moulded 'Rock' with a water tap protruding from it & a plastic blood coloured drip, coming out the taps spout. Also the taps them selves could be in anodised gold, chrome & brass . To depict the various levels of the TAP award?

[western] Gondawandaland
"Hear the light & see the sound!
TOI TOI CHOOKAS
{may you always play to a full house!}

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Running Your Theater
Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board :Theater Administration :Running Your Theater

Author	Message
Playwright Celebrity Joined: 4/01/06 Location: Canada Online Status: Offline Posts: 126	Posted: 4/22/06 at 12:31pm
	k8TT, Here's the website for the CT that now operates out of an renovated factory/wharehouse space. I would imagine if you contact somebody on their board of directors they'd have the info you would need. www.guelphlittletheatre.com
	IP Logged

Topper Celebrity Joined: 1/27/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 543	Posted: 4/22/06 at 1:00pm
	I believe one reason why so many performers/directors/technicians encounter difficult working conditions is that MOST theater architects and designers are only concerned with accommodating the PUBLIC (audience members, board members and patrons.) Therefore, the theater has a lovely lobby, comfy seats and a handsome facade, but the backstage area including shop, dressing rooms, tech booth and wingspace (if they even remember to build them) are comparable to a Devil's Island prison. So much magic happens in the theater that outsiders tend to believe we can "make it work" no matter what nightmare we face. Sorry. Not much help in this forum, but I needed to vent.
	"None of us really grow up. All we ever do is learn how to behave in public." -- Keith Johnstone
	IP Logged

Oberon Player Joined: 4/22/06 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 12	Posted: 4/22/06 at 10:31pm
	My unscientific rule of thumb is that the backstage and storage space should be as large as the combined dimensions of your stage and house space. So, determine the square footage of your house (seating area/lobby) and stage. Then determine what practical areas you want behind the scenes like backstage wing space, storage, load-in zone, dressing rooms; rail and dimmer rack space, etc. The backstage area should be, at least, the same square footage as your frontstage area. Think about it.
	IP Logged

mark_j Lead Joined: 11/28/04 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 31	Posted: 4/23/06 at 11:18am
	Do you have fly and wing space? Our theatre has 10 foot wings and a 14 foot ceiling with a 40x25 stage. The theatre is also a former warehouse. If I had a magical blueprint, I'd tack on 10 more feet on either side of the stage. BTW, you want to have plenty of restrooms...design them in now. We have killer intermissions- over half an hour because of lines to the restrooms. Double the code- trust me your tire cast who just want to get home will thank you. mj
	IP Logged

Gaafa Celebrity Joined: 3/21/04 Location: Australia Online Status: Offline Posts: 1181	Posted: 4/24/06 at 12:01am
	I mirror Toppers post! Along with the suggestion of Makj ?Loo? situation, the punters are usually in line with the codes. As far as the bogs are concerned backstage, we normally only cater for the use of mixed dressing rooms & at least one unisex ?Crapper Valve?! However have keep in mind the flushing factor! The Sydney Opera House spent a heap of gold bricks on cutting down the noise of flushing during performances. Following on from the Black ?n Blue thumb nail ratio! Being a pencil & paper bloke, I found it easier designing sets & working out venue spaces, using some of my young sons ?Lego? blocks. Which I ?arf inched queitly without him knowing. Until one day when I was trying to solve a vexing scenography situation, while I was away he played with it! I was putting all the blocks in place again & I realised he unwittingly had fixed it! So in appreciation I got him another construct-a-toy & secreted some of his Lego away, which he never asked for or got them back. They are still useful in giving a quick 3D aspect solution. Now he?s over thirty, they are all mine along with his Meccano set!
	Joe Western Gondawandaland turn right @ Perth. Hear the light & see the sound. Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"} May you always play to a full house}
	IP Logged

k8tt Star Joined: 4/05/05 Location: Canada Online Status: Offline Posts: 73	Posted: 4/25/06 at 11:33am
	Thanks for the website, Playwright. I will check it out. Since I am usually the stage manger, I am REALLY concerned about the backstage area. Right now I am working with a tiny stage (12 x 20) and backstage consists of 3' wide aisles around the stage and ONE dressing room/bathroom (it's an accessible bathroom where we get to store costumes, props, etc.). We trip over each other back there and I no longer blush at seeing actors in varying stages of undress. G We also have had the 'line to the loo' problem with patrons and cast so I have designed in male and female dressing rooms each with their own toilet. The FOH toilets are easy to accomodate. Honestly I cannot believe how much space backstage takes up with costume storage, shop and storage, receiving, green room, dressing rooms, etc. Didn't think about making the wings bigger, mj, but good idea. And LOL Gaafa - maybe I'll go hunt up some Lego!
	IP Logged

JoeMc Celebrity Joined: 3/13/06 Location: Australia Online Status: Offline Posts: 832	Posted: 3/23/08 at 9:01pm
	We have a refurbished performing venue now! Our theatre group will be responsible to supply a 'Duty tech'/performance. The theatre will contra deal the DT's payment & offset it against the cost of them hiring the venue. Further any hirer wanting to supply thier own 'DT' must pay to become acredited by attendance of an orietation course, run by our theatre group. Which should ensure our theatre groups future endorsement with our City Council? The next thing is to wait untill the Achitec racks off & we can modify the building & refurbishments, to make it a workable performance venue! This came about because a mate of mine, who is a member of another local comeatre, is now getting paid as a casual 'Duty Tech' there. He is with a small comeatre group wich owns a 100 seat venue here, because they are in demand as a hire venue just lately. Pay a 'duty tech' as part of the hire fee for performances only. Also as a private treaty he charges a nominal fee to build the set for visiting productions. The fee is primarily just $20/hour for a 3 hour show call, this is because of the latest amendment to the the 'Public Building Health & safety act. Also the Insurance Companies are insisting that a 'duty tech' be present during performances. He does not get paid for the theatre groups own, in house productions though. Paying him to be in attendance during a hirers production, is the theatre grops equipment & facilities are not used & abused. Also he is on hand if anything goes wrong, such as an accident, fire or if evacuation is required. This also helps the hire group because he can orientate them on the equipment 7& use of the facilities. { more importantly he has completed the manditory 'Bar Managers' course!] Further if anything untoward happens, he can stop the show & either muster the punters or call ensure an ambulance, fire or police are called. On another tangent, our City Council has just completed the refurbishment of our new theatre & performing arts space venue. So we got them to include a 'Duty Techs' in thier hire fees, for other groups using the performance venue. Not only but also, because of this latest enactment of the Health Act, for public buildings. I have instigated & proposed to our state community Theatre association, that we form a Technical advisory Pool [TAP] to help & assist other member groups comply with the new legislation through out the State. For the most part this will be a group of 'techies' who are available to the groups, to ensure that PAT [Portable Appliance Testing] is carried out regularly & instucting thier techies on becoming competant testers & how to keep an on going 'Log Book', for Emergency & exit & equipment maintance. Further to advise on other how to apply 'flame Retardant' to sets & other aspects of theatre. The pool so far has besides qualified Electricains, Licenced technicains & other trades persons involved in theatre & the performing arts. TAP I hope will also be a catchment are for retire proeatre black ducks & other who may have fallen by the wayside. {You never know TAp might get into giving Awards yearly for technical theatre, at our annual 'Finley' Awards. I thought of designing a blow moulded 'Rock' with a water tap protruding from it & a plastic blood coloured drip, coming out the taps spout. Also the taps them selves could be in anodised gold, chrome & brass . To depict the various levels of the TAP award?
	[western] Gondawandaland "Hear the light & see the sound! TOI TOI CHOOKAS {may you always play to a full house!}
	IP Logged

Topic: Theatre space( Topic Closed)
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