[SML] Theater Architects

[illuminati500]

 The tale I have is a sorry one. As a  part time tutor in stage technology at a drama school in South East London a few years ago ( I leave it to you to work out which one) I was called into the office one day and asked to sit in a meeting with the architects off their new theatre in the round to “dot in where the lighting sockets go” on the plan. I found an architect who had previously but a library and had not the first and faintest idea of what a theatre should consist of aided and abetted by a principal who diid not have any more idea than the architect and really wanted a hall with polished floors for graduation ceremonies.  It was completely and obviously not fit for purpose I recommended that they should get in a consultant, but that didn’t happen. I did my best and stopped any number of atrocities, but at the end of the process the theatre was virtually useless, terrible sight lines, awful seating, light angles impossible to use effectively. At the end of the process, my contract was not renewed as I had put the cost up  a lot by adding a flying and lighting grid and catwalks, and insisted that they add things like stage management  offices and wardrobe, and a control area for sound and light which wasn’t on the balcony level with no view of the stage…

That particular principal was fired shortly after, got a job in the far east from which he was  also fired, and then one in Australia, where he did not last long either…. I never went back to teaching.

To be honest I have no idea whether this dreadful theatre is still in use. Moral: get a properly qualified and experienced  theatre consultant in, one who is  a member of the appropriate trade body - in UK  its  the Society of Theatre Consultants - will have an obligation to ensure that the theatre is fit for use. Don’t hire anyone attached to a particular supplier company.And get references.

DK


> On 21 Sep 2016, at 06:15, SAMUEL JONES via Stagecraft <stagecraft at theatrical.net> wrote:
> 
> This is crucial, crucial, crucial.  The theater consultants can be bound by their contracts to only talk to you about what the architect wants them to talk to you about.  The client of the TC is the one who gets the consultation.  I’m sure architects will want it to seem like the TC is acting like a conduit of your wishes to them, but they are paid to be consultants to the architect and your communication with them is at the architects pleasure depending on the contract between the TC and the architect.  The TC can desperately want to communicate with you, but… 
> Some TCs may say this is never the case, but I saw it happen.  Make yourself, your facility, the client of the TC, not the architect.  It will cost you more money upfront, but save you heartache AND money down the road.
> 
> Sam
> 
>> On Sep 20, 2016, at 12:11 PM, Dougherty, Jim via Stagecraft <stagecraft at theatrical.net> wrote:
>> 
>> I would add to all the good advice so far, work with the PTB to ensure
>> that the Theater Consultant is on your payroll, rather than the
>> architect¹s. I believe that puts them in a better position to work as your
>> advocate when you find your needs at odds with the architect¹s.
> 
> 
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