[SML] Theater Architects

[Dougherty, Jim]

Richard Niederberg  wrote several things, prompting fun discussion (which, as a Digester, I'll put in Digest format):

But you'll find that often the DONOR has their own ideas. ie: "If you want my $18,000,000.00 to build the building that will bear my name, I want to see these features, so I can show my 1000 closest friends and acquaintances".
/s/ Richard

True, though not related to this dicussion.  If someone makes you that offer, decide if what they want matches your organization's goals; if so, include it in the architectural program at the start.  If not, tell them thanks-but-no-thanks.  I'm pretty sure a donor won't demand a column in the middle of a double door, HVAC ductwork hung from a headblock beam or a booth from which one can't see the stage.   A good theater consultant would catch and hopefully stop all of that (those are real examples, btw) without need of altering FOH glitter for your donor.

I don't think that any of the available Theatre Consultants could have outranked Frank Lloyd Wright when the Grady Gammage theatre was being spec'd. ASU got a free design that a theatre Consultant could have criticized at their peril.
/s/ Richard

Not a great example, as both the client and architect were in agreement on that one (President of the University Gammage and FLW [http://www.asugammage.com/about/history]). If you have a famous architect, you're buying their name with the building and the client (in this case, the University, not the end users) may choose to accept some design issues affecting the end users to get that name.  A theater consultant can point out areas that can be made better without necessarily adversely affecting the architecture, and in any case you don't have to take their advice.  Architects may balk at changes, the client may balk at paying for changes, etc.  It all costs less the earlier you catch it.  I'll also point out that, as awful as that building may be to use people still talk about it as the FLW building on the campus so it was worth the hassle from that perspective (to ASU, not the shows or people going through there).

The main point is you want the theater consultant to be experienced, good and working for your benefit.  Same goes for the architect, for that matter.  If they work well together, then that's even better.

Finally and unrelated,

...remembering that the product of an educational institution is
the STUDENT, not the necessarily the excellence of the production...
/s/ Richard

One could argue that the product of an educational institution is the EDUCATION, and the students are the clients.

Somewhat touched on was the relationship between the end users (Theater staff and faculty like Wayne, shows going through the Gammage, etc.) and the actual clients-who-pay-bills (Boards of Trustees, academic administrations, etc.).  In the case that started this discussion it sounds like the end user has an unusual and wonderful level of support from the administration, so I'm not blathering on more about that one.

Apologies for the length.

- Jim Dougherty
ATD Middlebury College Theatre Dept.
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