March 13, 2024

Universal Design in the Performing Arts

Accommodating the needs of all who use a performing arts center should mean more than just providing wheelchair spaces for the audience or ensuring a performer can use a restroom. There are others who live and work in these spaces who also deserve a well-designed and efficient facility. Universal Design can and should be considered throughout performing arts spaces.
February 21, 2024

Did You Know – Top Ten Reasons a Dealer is not a Theatre Consultant

Sometimes there is confusion in the marketplace about the roles of theatre consultants and dealers. Some owners or architects elect to work with a dealer, thinking they will receive the same level of service as they would from a dedicated theatre consultant, and possibly for free. Theatre consultants and dealers may each be considered “theatre experts”, but they have very different roles and agendas in the construction process.
December 11, 2023

Did You Know – Checking in on the Coat Room

At some point in the design of performing arts spaces there may be a discussion of the requirements for a coat room. Buildings are changing with the times, and this program space is no different.
December 2, 2023

What Happens in the Lobby

Lobbies aren’t just places where audiences mill about, waiting for the doors to open so they can find their seats. More and more operators want these spaces to serve a variety of functions, often to generate revenue or at least provide audience service.
June 13, 2023

100 Things a Theatre Architect Should Experience

It is important to understand what we are trying to build when designing theatres and other places for performing arts. With apologies to the late architectural critic Michael Sorkin, consider these things every theatre architect should understand. Most theatre consultants do.
May 2, 2023

Origins of the 50-ft Stage Rule for Fire Safety Curtains

Fire Safety Curtains and other proscenium opening protectives have been a topic for stage design for centuries (literally). In 1992, ASTC got involved in the process of revising the building codes, resulting in significant changes to requirements for stages. Bill Conner, FASTC led that project. Here he tells the story.
December 11, 2022

Rigging Terminations – Then and Now

Our industry has come a long way over the last few years, and it’s not just about LEDs! There have been great strides when it comes to safety and proper engineering of the equipment that goes into theatres. Here, we go into the weeds, er… up into the flies.
November 13, 2022

Early Theatre Winch Controls

In the early days of Theatre Consulting as a profession, some consultants were much more hands-on when it comes to the design of equipment to solve a particular need. As the saying goes, “necessity is the mother of invention”. Jim Read, FASTC shares some thoughts on his early work with consulting pioneer, George C. Izenour, and how early winch controls were developed.
August 22, 2022

Did You Know – Dressing Room Power and Light

Dressing and Makeup Rooms have specific requirements that are often ignored or misunderstood. Some of those requirements help performers do the work they need to do, while other requirements are there for life safety.