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.

ASTC:Notes recently heard from a reader inquiring about codes and design standards for corridors used in performing arts. As with anything else related to performance buildings, the code minimum is rarely sufficient for the job. Good design considers the way circulation routes are used….

Too often, American performing arts facilities get off on the wrong foot, with the design team being solicited with scant information. Other parts of the world have found a better way.

The initial instinct of many people in the performing arts is to create theatres and production spaces which are dark and disconnected from daylight. However, many areas in a performing arts building can benefit from daylight, including the performance space if carefully planned ….
By By Robert Long, FASTC & Robert Shook, FASTC

The audience hopes to see magic when they visit a theatre. That magic is the result of many hours of hard work developing and rehearsing a performance. Much of that work occurs in a very important room where artists should be free to work without constraint or distraction. READ MORE…