Theatre Design & Technology - Oct 1966 - 30

betore, was this small theatre with standard seats. The
deliberations and discussions were minor. It was just a
question of whether or not we would accept the standard
seat. We did accept it and we loved it.
I have used continental seating in one theatre and we
are going to use it in one more. Although it is rather
generally accepted now where we have it, it is not truly
the desire of most theatre-goers. It has some noticeable
advantages, but the public, I am sure, would vote against
it if they were given a chance.
This brings me to problems of circulation, and again
the theatre designer has a major problem in providing for
adequate movement of the audience into and out of the
auditorium, as well as into and out of the building.
At least in the case of our work in New York we have
increased the amount of space for the public in the buildings and we thereby have created a major area of difficulty in providing for circulation with control.
I feel the theatre designer must be adamant in his recommendations to the architect, that the physical layout
of the theatre building must first provide for controlled
circulation and, secondly, present a pleasing aesthetic
appearance. There is a great tendency for the architect
in general to try to establish appearance before utility
and he may well fall into this trap unless the theatre
consultant makes a strong point of operational needs for
controlled circulation.
In another area there is a real need for competitive pric-

ing in the construction of a major building, and this extends to practically every component. The need arises
for many reasons, some of which I will give you. Quite
often in our case you are dealing with quasi-public or
public funds. You desire to hold down the cost through
competitive pricing. You want to provide a field for
selection so the owner can decide to pay a little more
if he wants a little better, or a little less. You like to
prevent dictation of time schedules by the supplier
what is extra and what is not extra; whether he is meeting the qualifications or whether he is meeting the specifications.
This also gives an opportunity to add lead-time as one
of the elements in making a decision. If you are pressed
for time you can afford to pay more money - if you have
more than one bidder. If we have only one bidder, we
will pay a lot more money.
An item should not be specified if it can be bid by
only one supplier. It gives him the edge on all related
equipment and the project as a whole suffers.
Despite my work of the last seven years on the performing arts buildings at Lincoln Centre, I am far from ready
to hang out my shingle as a theatrical designer. I consider
myself only related to and partially informed in the subject. Perhaps some of my thoughts as expressed here
today seem naive, impractical, or bluntly-stated. Nevertheless, they arise out of practical considerations and actual
operations and they are the type of thoughts which occur
to owners. They all have been matters of discussion at
our project.

View of the stage at the Metropolitan Opera House in Lincoln Center, looking past the proscenium arch and into the auditorium. The main
stage floor is trapped in seven sections. The wagon stage at right IS in sections and can be rolled into place in sections or altogether.
The auxiliary stage at left is raked, and has an elevator behind to the storage level forty-four feet below. The rear stage turntable is
fifty-eight feet in diameter. The roll "continental" cyclorama at the left is one of a pair, one white and one blue. and are reportedly the
largest curtains ever manufactured. (Photo: Lincoln Center)

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THEATRE DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

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