1st Edition

Theater Planning Facilities for Performing Arts and Live Entertainment

By Gene Leitermann Copyright 2017
    352 Pages 128 B/W Illustrations
    by Routledge

    352 Pages 128 B/W Illustrations
    by Routledge

    This book introduces the concepts of theater planning, and provides a detailed guide to the process and the technical requirements particular to theater buildings.

    Part I is a guide to the concepts and practices of architecture and construction, as applied to performing arts buildings. Part II is a guide to the design of performing arts buildings, with detailed descriptions of the unique requirements of these buildings. Each concept is illustrated with line drawings and examples from the author’s extensive professional practice.

    This book is written for students in Theatre Planning courses, along with working practitioners.

    Table of Contents

    Part I Context and process

    1 Theater buildings

    2 Project roles

    3 Project phases

    4 Project delivery methods

    5 Pre-design process

    6 Design process

    7 Building regulations

    8 Project budgets

    Part II Planning

    9 Proscenium stages

    10 Forestage zone

    11 Other stage forms

    12 Audience sightlines

    13 Audience seating

    14 Auditorium design

    15 Technical elements

    16 Public spaces

    17 Back-of-house spaces

     

    List of Figures

    Chapter 1

    Figure 1.1 Drama theater forms

    Figure 1.2 Fichandler Theatre, Arena Stage, Washington, DC

    Figure 1.3 Ruth Caplin Theatre, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia

    Figure 1.4 Studio, Tempe Center for the Arts, Tempe, Arizona

    Figure 1.5 Kay Theatre, Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, College Park, Maryland

    Figure 1.6 Studzinski Recital Hall, Bowdoin College, Brunswick, Maine

    Figure 1.7 Laura Turner Concert Hall, Schermerhorn Symphony Center, Nashville, Tennessee

    Figure 1.8 Helzberg Concert Hall, Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, Kansas City, Missouri

    Figure 1.9 Oslo Opera House, Oslo, Norway

    Figure 1.10 Dance Theatre, Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, College Park, Maryland

    Figure 1.11 Overture Hall, Overture Center, Madison, Wisconsin

    Figure 1.12 Dolby Theatre (formerly Kodak Theatre), Hollywood, California

    Chapter 2

    Figure 2.1 Primary contractual relationships

    Figure 2.2 Simple owner structure

    Figure 2.3 Owner with program manager

    Figure 2.4 Core design team working for the architect

    Figure 2.5 Core design team working for owner

    Chapter 3

    Figure 3.1 Comparison of project phases

    Figure 3.2 Opportunity for savings versus design fees spent

    Chapter 4

    Figure 4.1 Design-bid-build

    Figure 4.2 Design-bid-build versus fast track

    Figure 4.3 Multiple prime contracts

    Figure 4.4 Design-build

    Figure 4.5 Agency construction manager

    Figure 4.6 Construction manager at risk

    Figure 4.7 Integrated project delivery

    Chapter 5

    Figure 5.1 Needs assessment example: Overture Center, Madison, Wisconsin

    Figure 5.2 Area definitions for performing arts buildings

    Chapter 6

    Figure 6.1 Options for 400-seat theater form

    Figure 6.2 400-seat theater footprint and volume study in Broadway form

    Figure 6.3 400-seat theater conceptual diagram

    Figure 6.4 400-seat theater plan and section drawings

    Figure 6.5 400-seat theater geometry study

    Figure 6.6 400-seat theater material and finish study

    Figure 6.7 Completed 400-seat theater

    Figure 6.8 Site plan showing context

    Figure 6.9 Conceptual site plan

    Figure 6.10 Functional site diagram

    Figure 6.11 Site plan

    Figure 6.12 Block model

    Figure 6.13 Site rendering

    Figure 6.14 Site rendering

    Figure 6.15 Site model

    Figure 6.16 Site rendering

    Figure 6.17 Completed building

    Figure 6.18 Planning diagrams

    Figure 6.19 Planning diagrams

    Figure 6.20 Floor plans

    Figure 6.21 Plan and section diagrams

    Figure 6.22 Lobby rendering—schematic design

    Figure 6.23 Lobby rendering—design development

    Figure 6.24 Completed lobby

    Figure 6.25 Crossover material and finish studies

    Figure 6.26 Completed crossover

    Chapter 9

    Figure 9.1 Golden rectangle

    Figure 9.2 Stage plan and transverse section

    Figure 9.3 Acting area (after Burris-Meyer and Cole)

    Figure 9.4 Scenery area (after Burris-Meyer and Cole)

    Figure 9.5 Circulation and work area (after Burris-Meyer and Cole)

    Figure 9.6 Percentage of audience with full view of backdrop

    Figure 9.7 Proscenium widths of Broadway theaters

    Figure 9.8 Modern dance footprint

    Figure 9.9 Classical dance footprint

    Figure 9.10 Opera house stages

    Chapter 10

    Figure 10.1 Forestage zone

    Figure 10.2 Orchestra pit geometry and sightlines

    Figure 10.3 Orchestra pit configurations

    Chapter 11

    Figure 11.1 Thrust stages

    Figure 11.2 Open stages

    Figure 11.3 Arena stages

    Figure 11.4 Recital halls

    Figure 11.5 Concert halls

    Figure 11.6 Orchestra accommodation in proscenium theaters

    Chapter 12

    Figure 12.1 Seated spectator

    Figure 12.2 Horizontal sightlines

    Figure 12.3 Vertical sightlines

    Figure 12.4 Constant rise sightlines

    Figure 12.5 Isacoustic (isodomal) rise sightlines

    Figure 12.6 First and second row vision

    Figure 12.7 Three approaches to chair layout

    Figure 12.8 Effect of v and h values

    Figure 12.9 Venues without balconies

    Figure 12.10 Crossaisle sightlines

    Figure 12.11 Oblique sightlines

    Figure 12.12 Playhouses with balconies

    Figure 12.13 Concert halls and opera houses

    Figure 12.14 Multipurpose theaters

    Chapter 13

    Figure 13.1 Fixed auditorium chairs and wheelchairs spaces

    Figure 13.2 Fixed auditorium chairs on (a) shallow slope and (b) steep slope

    Figure 13.3 Catchment area example (after NFPA)

    Figure 13.4 Catchment area example with crossaisle

    Chapter 14

    Figure 14.1 Typical seating density in (a) early twentieth century auditorium and (b) early twenty-first century auditorium

    Figure 14.2 Globe Theatre, London

    Figure 14.3 Corral de Comedias, Almagro, Spain

    Figure 14.4 Symphony Hall, Boston

    Figure 14.5 Laura Turner Concert Hall, Schermerhorn Symphony Center, Nashville, Tennessee

    Figure 14.6 Philharmonic Hall, Szczecin, Poland

    Figure 14.7 Teatro Argentina, Rome

    Figure 14.8 Paris Opéra (Palais Garnier), Paris

    Figure 14.9 Teatro Colon, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Figure 14.10 Ford’s Theater, Washington, DC

    Figure 14.11 Auditorium Theatre, Chicago

    Figure 14.12 Lyceum Theatre, New York

    Figure 14.13 Detail of a Medieval scaffold stage

    Figure 14.14 Theater of Epidaurus, Greece

    Figure 14.15 Roman theater at Aspendos, Pamphylia, (modern Turkey)

    Figure 14.16 Teatro Farnese, Parma, Italy

    Figure 14.17 Fichandler Theatre, Arena Stage, Washington, DC

    Figure 14.18 Berliner Philharmonie, Berlin

    Figure 14.19 Helzberg Concert Hall, Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, Kansas City, Missouri

    Figure 14.20 Bayreuth Festspielhaus, Bayreuth, Germany

    Figure 14.21 Well’s Theatre, Norfolk, Virginia

    Figure 14.22 Shubert Theatre, New Haven, Connecticut

    Figure 14.23 Malmö Opera (formerly Malmö Stadsteater), Malmö, Sweden

    Figure 14.24 Marion Oliver McCaw Hall, Seattle, Washington

    Figure 14.25 Five approaches to side wall architecture

    Figure 14.26 Overture Hall, Overture Center, Madison, Wisconsin

    Figure 14.27 Radio City Music Hall, New York

    Chapter 15

    Figure 15.1 Controls rooms at rear of main seating level

    Figure 15.2 Control room sightlines

    Figure 15.3 Sound cockpit lift and wagon arrangement

    Figure 15.4 Followspot room sightlines

    Figure 15.5 Front-of-house catwalk study

    Figure 15.6 Front-of-house lighting provisions

    Chapter 16

    Figure 16.1 Standard body ellipse

    Figure 16.2 Standard body ellipse in 10-square-foot area (typical lobby benchmark)

    Figure 16.3 Lobby density expressed as net square feet per seat

    List of Tables

    Chapter 1

    Table 1.1 Typical theater forms and seat counts by performance type

    Chapter 2

    Table 2.1 Owner and user example: Overture Center, Madison, Wisconsin

    Table 2.2 Design team example: Overture Center, Madison, Wisconsin

    Chapter 3

    Table 3.1 CSI MasterFormat Divisions

    Table 3.2 Contract Document Drawing Volumes: Overture Center, Madison Wisconsin

    Chapter 5

    Table 5.1 Example space list

    Chapter 7

    Table 7.1 Accessibility legislation affecting the design of performance facilities

    Chapter 8

    Table 8.1 Typical project cost components

    Table 8.2 Simplified project budget

    Chapter 9

    Table 9.1 Stage dimension ratios

    Table 9.2 Broadway theaters

    Table 9.3 Regional theaters

    Table 9.4 Dance theaters

    Table 9.5 Opera houses

    Table 9.6 Multipurpose halls

    Table 9.7 School halls

    Chapter 13

    Table 13.1 Required number of wheelchair spaces

    Table 13.2 Minimum aisle widths per IBC 2015 in inches

    Biography

    Gene Leitermann is co-founder of Nextstage Design, a theater design consulting firm with a national practice. He has been the lead theater designer on more than 100 buildings. A faculty member at Yale School of Drama since 1998, Gene has also lectured internationally. He has provided public testimony, code change proposals, and written commentary to the National Fire Protection Association, International Code Council, and United States Access Board. Gene is a member of the American Society of Theatre Consultants (ASTC).