Theatre Design & Technology - Fall 1986 - 32

TH EATRE ARCH ITECTU RE

Martha Cohen Theatre
The Martha Cohen Theatre, home of
Alberta Theatre Projects, is a horseshoe-shaped courtyard auditOrium
on three levels holding -+50, which
has been designed to provide the vital suppOrt and emotional participation by the spectatOr which actOrs
require. Although this is a very flexible theatre space appropriate for
avant-garde experiment, the finishes
and form allow its use as an intimate
yet conventional theatre.
The stage is 31 meters 170' I wide
and 12 meters (30'1 deep. There is a
conventionally equipped fly tOwer
137 lines I protected by a safety curtain which nms the full width of the
auditOrium. The adjustable proscenium, which can narrow down to 10.5
meters (34'6"), retracts tOtally intO
the side walls. The side walls of the
stage run round the back of the
apsidal-shaped auditorium emphasizing its potential as a singlespace theatre. The triple enfolding
tiers, 10.5 meters apart, are reached
by bridges from the outer brick walls
of the auditOrium. An internal stair
system links the levels that are
themselves reminiscent of the galleries in a Shakespearian open-air
courtyard theatre.
The central 'pit' or orchestra level
of the auditOrium can be arranged in
a number of different formats, as can
be seen in the sketches below. On
the boundary with the stage there is
a system of stage lifts offering a
range of conventional forestages and
orchestra pits. Orchestra seating can

Max Bell Theatre
either be gently stepped for conventional proscenium use or else arranged around a platform stage, such
as the central boxing ring used in the
opening production of Trafford

Tanzi.
Stage lighting, sound equipment
or scenery can be attached to any
point of the auditOrium structure.

PROMENADE

The 2-+3 dimmer per circuit control
is located at an upper level at the rear
of the auditOrium, together with the
sound mixing console serving a fully
flexible sound system. The
acoustics are suitable for chamber
opera recitals as well as for the
spoken word, adjustment being via
retractable banners in the encircling
space between the galleries and the
outer walls of the auditorium.

Theatre Calgary's Max Bell Theatre
is a modern theatre which draws upon the traditions of the past. It has a
seating capacity of 750 arranged on
three levels of audience surrounding
the central, well-raked, bank of
seats. A flexible proscenium zone
allows for experiment in the allimportant zone between performer
and audience. The width and height
of the stage opening can be varied as
desired to suit the requirements of a
particular production. The width adjustment is achieved by rotating the
pivot-mounted side box towers, at
ei ther side of the prosceni um, to
open or close the opening as required.
The stage is 34 meters (111' 6")
wide and 1-+ meters (-+6') deep with a
conventional fly tOwer with a single
purchase full flying system (55 lines)
and safety curtain. The proscenium
width is adjustable from 19 to 10
meters (62' "- 32' 10"1 and the height
from to 5 meters (26'4" - 16'5").
The stage may be further extended
by the use of a forestage lift which
can be fitted with seats or lowered to
form an orchestra pit. The seats in a
zone in front of the lift can be reconfigured to permit the use of a variety of thrust stage layouts. The
central area of the stage consists of
removable traps with a full height
trap room below.
A series of hoisting points are
provided above the forestage zone
from which lighting and scenery
may be safely suspended within the

DRAMA

OPERA/MUSICAl

TD&T . FALL 1986

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Theatre Design & Technology - Fall 1986