Theatre Design & Technology - Winter 1977 - 8

of the Audio Engineering Society. Earlier this year he
received the Emile Berliner Award "For an Outstanding
Contribution to the World of Sound" (coincidently,
Berliner himself was named as The Franklin Institute's
Franklin Medalist in 1929), and an honorary award from
the U.S. Institute for Theatre Technology for his contributions to the performing arts.
IMPROVED STAGING USED FOR PHILHARMONIC
PROMENADE CONCERTS
Again this year the New York Philharmonic had a
successful series of promenade concerts in Avery Fisher
Hall. Two types of concerts were included in the series.
For one group, concert goers were seated very informally
on rugs. For the other series, a cabaret setting was usedwith small tables set up for patrons who could order refreshments before the concert and during intermissions.
There was just one problem, but it was a big one. To
do this type of thing, they would have to remove all the
seats from the hall - and even if th is had been practical
(which it wasn't) the slope of the floor would have prevented setting up of tables.
For their solution, the Philharmonic went to an Owatonna, Minnesota firm which had solved a similar problem
for the Minnesota Orchestra in that group's new Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis. The custom design division of
Wenger Corporation in Owatonna designed a system of
graduated platforms that fit over the permanent seating
of the hall, making removing the seats unnecessary.
Now summer concert goers in both New York and
Minneapolis are enjoying the innovation of rug and
cabaret concerts. These presentations have been very
well received in both cities - sellouts in many cases,
much to the delight of the orchestras involved and
their management.
After the summer series ends, the platforms are removed and stored on special compact storage trucks readying the halls once again for the more formal fall
and winter presentations.
Orchestras and others interested in inaugurating
similar programs for their summer patrons may contact
Wenger Corporation by mail or phone . . . P. Wenger
Building, Owatonna, MN 55060. Call: 800-533-0393.
{In Minnesota, Alaska, Hawaii and Canada call (507)
451-3010 Collect.
OTIS INSTALLS MACHINERY FOR RECORD STAGE
LIFTS
Reno, Nev. Three record-setting stage lifts that Otis
Elevator Company is installing in the MGM Grand Hotel
under construction here are designed to be star performers in the new hotel's spectacular entertainment
complex, according to William O. McCallum, Otis vicepresident.
"Upstaging" three similar lifts that Otis installed in
1973 in the first MGM Grand Hotel, in Las Vegas, the
new lifts top their predecessors in travel (55 feet vs. 45),
speed (50 feet per minute vs. 40) and area per platform
(432 square feet vs. 360), according to McCallum.
8

WINTER. 1977

In both of the MGM hotels, lifting capacity of each
stage lift is the same, 80,000 pounds. Each platform, for
example, lift a nearly-full glass-sided swimming pool
20 ft. long by 8 ft. wide by 8 ft. deep. The water would
comprise about 75,000 Ibs. of the load; the glass tank,
the other 5,000 Ibs.
"These installations' capacity, 80,000 Ibs. live load
per lift, exceeds that of any other stage lifts as far as
we know," McCallum said.
Versatile Operation
Four powerful hydraulic rams under each lift raise
and lower it. In each system, a person at one console
automatically controls all three Iifts to operate independently or as one large moving stage.
The front lift is a single-deck unit while the two
rear lifts are double-deck units. The Otis executive
explained that all three lifts can be coupled together
in various positions, including stepped configurations or
as a single flat stage measuring, in the new Reno installation, 36 by 36 feet.
Equalizing system
A rack-and-pinion equalizing system keeps each platform level even if its load is concentrated at one corner
or side. The system also couples the platforms together
to operate in various configurations, McCallum said.
Two round stage lifts each 18 ft. in diameter complement the three main lifts, all in the new hotel's "spectacular" theatre.
Benefitting from its owner's experience with the
successful MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas, the new
26-story hotel in Reno will have 1,015 guest rooms
as well as extensive gaming and entertainment facilities.
Designed by Martin Stern, Jr., architect, with George
Thomas Howard and Associates as theatrical consultants, the hotel is being built by Taylor International
Corp., managing contractor, for Metro Goldwyn-Mayer
Inc.
McCallum said that completion of the stage lifts is
scheduled for December, 1977. Otis, a subsidiary of
United Technologies Corporation, is also installing the
two round stage lifts and 19 elevators, four escalators and
three automatic food service lifts in the new hotel, scheduled for grand opening in May.
Ekedahl Tool and Supply Co. of Pittsburgh is pleased
to announce its new Theatre and Performing Arts Division. Ekedahl has served Industry and Education for
twenty-three years with the finest tools and machinery.
Ekedahl is prepared to write specifications and quote
for one tool or an entire shop. In addition their staff
is able and ready to assist you if you want help with
your shop layout or with your tool and machinery problems.
Ekedahl is proud to be the first industrial supplier
of tools and equipment to the performing arts. For
further information and for a list of products they sell,
please contact: Stephen M. Goldman, Theatre & Performing Arts Div., Ekedahl Tool & Supply Co., P.O.
Box 13198, Pittsburgh, PA 15243 (412) 531-2850.

THEATRE DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

USITT

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Theatre Design & Technology - Winter 1977