Theatre Design & Technology - Summer 2021 - 34

drafts in many auditoriums. This is because
in most assembly spaces, air for
heating and cooling is pushed down from
the attic, Moore says. Cool air tends to fall
while warm air rises, so the air is introduced
into the room at a low temperature
so that it will drop down to the audience,
thus creating a draft.
To solve this problem, the Well-Spring
theatre has a plenum underneath the audience
seating. Air for heating and cooling
comes from the mechanical room into
the plenum, and from the plenum into the
auditorium through small round vents
under the seats. Because the air does not
have to fall, it can enter the room slowly
and at a higher temperature, therefore
avoiding drafts. Bringing in the air from a
source closer to the audience is also more
energy-efficient, because air near the ceiling
does not have to be heated and cooled.
Accessibility and Sightlines
Good accessibility and sightlines were
paramount to the design of the theatre. A
unique feature is that 34 audience members
can attend in wheelchairs with a family
member or friend sitting next to them
in removable " companion seats. " For
events in which more wheelchairs must
be accommodated, a number of companion
seats can be temporarily removed to
allow for up to 54 wheelchair spaces. The
wheelchair spaces and companion seats
are located along the main cross aisle,
which is at the same floor level as the
lobby; along a second cross-aisle, which
is parallel to the main cross-aisle but is
elevated by two steps and accessible by a
ramp; and along the parterres, which are
also at the lobby level and extend along
both sides of the auditorium.
Patrons of all ages often prefer aisle
seating, which allows for more leg room
and minimizes the amount of getting up
and down to let other guests in and out
of the row. For older adults, aisle seating
also better accommodates walkers and
canes. The Well-Spring theatre incorporates
three sections of seating to maximize
the number of aisle seats. Spacing
between the rows of seats is a roomy
42 " for standard seating, which allows
for walkers and other medical equipment,
and more for wheelchair spaces.
Overall, the theatre has about 1.5 times
the square footage per seat compared to
a typical theatre.
Another characteristic of typical
theatres is a sloping floor, often at a ratio
of 1:8. The Well-Spring theatre is at
a slope of 1:12, similar to a wheelchair
ramp-a slope more comfortable for older
patrons. To match the slope of the floor,
the stage height tops out at 36 inches, a
comfortable height for reducing eye and
neck strain for patrons at the front.
The lesser slope did, however, present
some challenges with sightlines. A wheelchair
is taller than a typical theatre seat,
which can interfere with the sightline of
the person sitting in the seat behind. The
seating layout minimizes this impact by
placing the wheelchair spaces along the
main cross aisle and along a second cross
aisle that is parallel to the main one, but
elevated by two steps and accessible by a
ramp.. The rear parterre also accommodates
two raised tiers of seating with clear
sightlines.
When the new Virginia Somerville
Sutton Theatre at Well-Spring opened
in late 2018, Well-Spring's leadership
expected that a healthy amount of marketing
and outreach would be necessary
to attract local performing arts groups.
To their surprise, the theatre proved so
popular that, prior to the pandemic and
resulting shut-down, Well-Spring received
more booking requests than it could handle,
requiring the hiring of a staff member
to manage the theatre. The number of requests
also allowed Well-Spring to select
the most appropriate offerings. During
the pandemic, when residents could not
hold large gatherings, the theatre was
used extensively for recording and broadcasting
of shows as diverse as weekly
socially distanced concerts and fitness
classes. It also served as a vaccination
center where more than 1,000 vaccine
doses were administered. As the pandemic
eased, a benefactor made possible
a four-part " Broadway to Greensboro "
series that includes performances and
master classes for UNC-Greensboro musical
theatre students by artists including
Jessica Vosk of Wicked and Drew Gehling
of Jersey Boys and Waitress. The UNCG
students will also give a performance at
the theatre.
The most important audience members-current
Well-Spring residents
themselves-warmly received the new
theatre and christened it by staging the
very first show themselves. " It has definitely
added to the quality of life here, "
Tutterow says. " For example, one of our
34 | THEATRE DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY | SUMMER 2021
residents was able, for the first time in
years, to sit beside his wife in a wheelchair
and enjoy a performance together.
It was a special moment for both of them
and for us as well. "
And, as Well-Spring had hoped, the
theatre has become a strong attraction to
future residents. " Our waiting list for residency
has increased, and people already
on the waiting list have asked to have
their waiting time shortened, " Tutterow
says. " We have had future residents who
had said they would not be ready to move
for five years call us back and say they are
now willing to come much sooner! A major
reason that seniors put off moving to
a community is because they worry they
will be isolated, especially from younger
people. They now see that won't be the
case here, thanks in large part to this
theatre. "
Alan L. Moore, AIA is an
architect and principal of
CJMW Architecture, a
50-person architecture and
interior design firm
specializing in theatre and performance space
design, among other markets. Moore's
experience with performance space design
started in the early 1970s when he worked as
an architectural intern in London, England,
and was involved in renovations to the
Royal Festival Hall. Since then, he has been
responsible for the design or renovation of a
wide variety of theatre and performance
spaces including Memorial Hall at UNC
Chapel Hill, Triad Stage (a professional
theatre in Greensboro, NC), the Covington
Center for Visual and Performing Arts
(Radford University), and many others.
Moore also has 40 years' experience in the
design of environments for older adults. A
pioneer in de-institutionalizing
environments for seniors, he has continued to
bring innovative ideas to senior living
clients. His projects have appeared in
multiple publications and have been
consistently recognized by organizations
focused on improving the quality of life for
seniors. Designing the Virginia Somerville
Sutton Theatre at Well-Spring was the
perfect opportunity to bring these two areas
of expertise together. Moore holds a bachelor's
degree from Harvard College and a master's
degree in architecture from the Harvard
Graduate School of Design.
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