- Theater Design Inc.
- Jun 8
Updated: Jun 9
It’s the same . . . only different
When I was first out of graduate school, I worked a sound system design and rental firm. At the time one of the owners was designing many Broadway shows. He returned to the office one afternoon, looking a little hangdog and said, “Everybody knows two things, their business and sound.” We all looked knowingly at each other because that was consistent with what we experienced every day. It’s the same for theater consulting.
It is not uncommon to hear this sentiment voiced “. . . we work in the theater every day - - we know what we want - - why do we need to hire a consultant?” Doesn’t the technical director know about stage layout? Don’t the scenic, lighting, costume and sound designers know their needs? Doesn’t the House Manager know what is needed in the lobby? Well, yes, they do. They all know about working in a theater. They all know how to “put on a show.” What they may not know is how to “put on a building.” Although there are similarities between the two, there are also significant differences.
A show is just one particular show. Within the confines of a given venue, all efforts are directed toward fulfilling the needs of that show only. The run of a show may be open-ended but is, ultimately, finite. A performing arts building has to satisfy many masters. It may have to accommodate drama, musical theater, dance, ballet, opera, symphony orchestras as well as unknown user groups, touring shows, and other attractions. The facility must be flexible so that it may grow, over time, to satisfy what the future may bring. The “run” of a performing arts building can range from 30 – 100 years.
The design team for a show includes: a director, technical director, lighting, costume, scenic and sound designers. Most likely they have all worked together and, even if not, they all have the same grounding in how to mount a production and have been involved in many shows. The design team for a performing arts facility includes architect, owner, structural engineer, mechanical engineer, electrical engineer, civil engineer, theater consultant, acoustician, lighting consultant and code consultant - - to name but a few. The larger the facility is the more players who will be involved. Most likely they have not all worked together before and, even if they have, performing arts facilities are all unique and complex (even though they may share certain infrastructure requirements.)
The approach to designing a show also differs from designing a building. A theatrical production generally includes design meetings, rehearsals, load-in, technical rehearsals, dress rehearsals and opening night. The production schedule, from beginning to end, may last 2-6 months. The sequence of events for designing a building is more specific and has been codified by organizations such as the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and local, state and federal agencies. The design sequence for a performing arts building may include programming, site selection, schematic design, design development, construction documentation, bidding, shop drawing review, construction and final inspection. Design and construction may take anywhere from 2-6 years.
And who is the ultimate leader of this team? The chain of command starts with you. It is ultimately your responsibility to participate throughout the entire process. You are the person with the most intimate knowledge of how the facility will operate and will be living with the decisions you make for many years. The theater consultant’s experience in the architectural design process will ensure that seemingly small decisions during schematic design don’t snowball into large problems during construction documents or during construction (when they are difficult and much more costly to remedy.) The design team wants to design a facility that fits your unique needs; now and in the future and they will welcome your input.
Designing a performance facility is a long and drawn-out process. Unforeseen obstacles will occur. Budgets will be reduced and may or may not be restored. The price of steel may skyrocket (as it did in the early 2000’s and as it is doing now) and knock the project budget for a loop. You may grow to love the people you are working with. You may grow to hate the people you are working with. You may get bored. You may want to throw up your hands in disgust. Whatever you do, stay involved. Remember, when the project is complete all the unpleasant memories will fade away and the friends you have made and the excitement of creation will remain.
