Theatre Design & Technology - Spring 1985 - 35

lsses. The area between the chords
ntains administrative offices, cosne shops, and rehearsal space. This
ffer is designed to provide an effece acoustic separation between the

two performing spaces. Besides the end
stage, phase two will provide more
shops and rehearsal rooms, an outdoor
courtyard theatre, and a fine restaurant.
The former monks cloister, under one

roof, will be renovated to provide
apartments for visiting actors.
Center Stage was recognized with a
National Honor Award for adaptive reuse by the American Institute of Architects in 1978.

orris A. Mechanic Theatre
Itimore, Maryland

vner:
Jrris A. Mechanic Foundation

lerator:
ltimore Center for the Performing
ts, Inc.

eatre Renovation Design:
1ger Morgan Studio, Inc.

terior Design:
mstrong/ Childs, Associates

'oustics Consultant:
ffe Acoustics, Inc.

und System Design:
eatre Technology, Inc. and
ts Iunderloh

'uctural Engineers:
arda and Rickert, Inc,

'\
_...TO,

/)fr.

---L

- F--

~chanical and Electrical Engineers:
'nry Adams, Inc,

aphic Design:
ledonia Design

,mpletion: 1976
~ting

Capacity: 160 I

pected Use:
uring Broadway shows, dance,
lma, musicals, concerts

The motion picture projectors were
ng installed when the City stepped in,
luired the lease, and announced that
Jadway would still play Baltimore.
Perhaps Mr. Mechanic wanted to be
Idy when Broadway, influenced by
, Guthrie Theatre and the Beaumont,
Ide the shift to thrust staging. In the
ly 1960s he commissioned architect
1n Johansen to create a thrust stage
:atre backed by a proscenium stage
LIse. Broadway didn't make the shift.
arly 400 of the Mechanic's side seats

were hopeless for proscenium presentations because of poor sightlines. There
were complaints about acoustics. Touring shows lacked time to deal with
sight lines or to solve sound problems
created by the unique shapes and surfaces of the auditorium. Ticket sales
declined. The Mechanic gained a reputation in ew York as a tough house to
play. Private management of the theatre began to founder.
Baltimore engaged Alexander
Cohen, veteran New York producer, to
bring back subscribers and to arrange
new bookings. Cohen insisted that the
auditorium needed to be renovated.
He needed a proscenium house for
Broadway.
The renovation took five months.
The proscenium opening was reduced
from 60 to 4S feet, a better width for
Broadway shows. New walls stand at

the sides of the theatre and eliminate
the poor sight line areas. The seating
capacity is reduced from 1800 to 1600.
The concrete risers of the radial orchestra seating scheme were replaced by a
new plan. Balcony seats were refurbished and re-covered to match the fabric of the new orchestra seats.
Many technical improvements have
been made. Vertical lighting slots were
placed in the side walls. Two catwalks
hang below the ceiling providing good
lighting angles. There is a sophisticated
new sound system. The orchestra pit
has doubled in size. The natural acoustics of the room are improved tremendously. An arrangement of reflective
panels hangs below the ceiling which is
a patchwork of absorptive and reflective materials. Side walls are hard, to
reflect sound into the audience, and the
rear walls are lined with thick carper.

SITT /Spring 1985/Theatre Design & Technology

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