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This book introduces the concepts of theater planning, and provides a detailed guide to the process and the technical requirements particular to theater buildings.


Part I is a guide to the concepts and practices of architecture and construction, as applied to performing arts buildings. Part II is a guide to the design of performing arts buildings, with detailed descriptions of the unique requirements of these buildings. Each concept is illustrated with line drawings and examples from the author's extensive professional practice.


This book is written for students in Theatre Planning courses, along with working practitioners.

Theater Planning: Facilities for Performing Arts and Live Entertainment

Table of Contents











Part I Context and process





1 Theater buildings





2 Project roles





3 Project phases





4 Project delivery methods





5 Pre-design process





6 Design process





7 Building regulations





8 Project budgets











Part II Planning





9 Proscenium stages





10 Forestage zone





11 Other stage forms





12 Audience sightlines





13 Audience seating





14 Auditorium design





15 Technical elements





16 Public spaces





17 Back-of-house spaces

















List of Figures











Chapter 1





Figure 1.1 Drama theater forms





Figure 1.2 Fichandler Theatre, Arena Stage, Washington, DC





Figure 1.3 Ruth Caplin Theatre, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia





Figure 1.4 Studio, Tempe Center for the Arts, Tempe, Arizona





Figure 1.5 Kay Theatre, Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, College Park, Maryland





Figure 1.6 Studzinski Recital Hall, Bowdoin College, Brunswick, Maine





Figure 1.7 Laura Turner Concert Hall, Schermerhorn Symphony Center, Nashville, Tennessee





Figure 1.8 Helzberg Concert Hall, Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, Kansas City, Missouri





Figure 1.9 Oslo Opera House, Oslo, Norway





Figure 1.10 Dance Theatre, Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, College Park, Maryland





Figure 1.11 Overture Hall, Overture Center, Madison, Wisconsin





Figure 1.12 Dolby Theatre (formerly Kodak Theatre), Hollywood, California











Chapter 2





Figure 2.1 Primary contractual relationships





Figure 2.2 Simple owner structure





Figure 2.3 Owner with program manager





Figure 2.4 Core design team working for the architect





Figure 2.5 Core design team working for owner











Chapter 3





Figure 3.1 Comparison of project phases





Figure 3.2 Opportunity for savings versus design fees spent











Chapter 4





Figure 4.1 Design-bid-build





Figure 4.2 Design-bid-build versus fast track





Figure 4.3 Multiple prime contracts





Figure 4.4 Design-build





Figure 4.5 Agency construction manager





Figure 4.6 Construction manager at risk





Figure 4.7 Integrated project delivery











Chapter 5





Figure 5.1 Needs assessment example: Overture Center, Madison, Wisconsin





Figure 5.2 Area definitions for performing arts buildings











Chapter 6





Figure 6.1 Options for 400-seat theater form





Figure 6.2 400-seat theater footprint and volume study in Broadway form





Figure 6.3 400-seat theater conceptual diagram





Figure 6.4 400-seat theater plan and section drawings





Figure 6.5 400-seat theater geometry study





Figure 6.6 400-seat theater material and finish study





Figure 6.7 Completed 400-seat theater





Figure 6.8 Site plan showing context





Figure 6.9 Conceptual site plan





Figure 6.10 Functional site diagram





Figure 6.11 Site plan





Figure 6.12 Block model





Figure 6.13 Site rendering





Figure 6.14 Site rendering





Figure 6.15 Site model





Figure 6.16 Site rendering





Figure 6.17 Completed building





Figure 6.18 Planning diagrams





Figure 6.19 Planning diagrams





Figure 6.20 Floor plans





Figure 6.21 Plan and section diagrams





Figure 6.22 Lobby rendering-schematic design





Figure 6.23 Lobby rendering-design development





Figure 6.24 Completed lobby





Figure 6.25 Crossover material and finish studies





Figure 6.26 Completed crossover











Chapter 9





Figure 9.1 Golden rectangle





Figure 9.2 Stage plan and transverse section





Figure 9.3 Acting area (after Burris-Meyer and Cole)





Figure 9.4 Scenery area (after Burris-Meyer and Cole)





Figure 9.5 Circulation and work area (after Burris-Meyer and Cole)





Figure 9.6 Percentage of audience with full view of backdrop





Figure 9.7 Proscenium widths of Broadway theaters





Figure 9.8 Modern dance footprint





Figure 9.9 Classical dance footprint





Figure 9.10 Opera house stages











Chapter 10





Figure 10.1 Forestage zone





Figure 10.2 Orchestra pit geometry and sightlines





Figure 10.3 Orchestra pit configurations











Chapter 11





Figure 11.1 Thrust stages





Figure 11.2 Open stages





Figure 11.3 Arena stages





Figure 11.4 Recital halls





Figure 11.5 Concert halls





Figure 11.6 Orchestra accommodation in proscenium theaters











Chapter 12





Figure 12.1 Seated spectator





Figure 12.2 Horizontal sightlines





Figure 12.3 Vertical sightlines





Figure 12.4 Constant rise sightlines





Figure 12.5 Isacoustic (isodomal) rise sightlines





Figure 12.6 First and second row vision





Figure 12.7 Three approaches to chair layout





Figure 12.8 Effect of v and h values





Figure 12.9 Venues without balconies





Figure 12.10 Crossaisle sightlines





Figure 12.11 Oblique sightlines





Figure 12.12 Playhouses with balconies





Figure 12.13 Concert halls and opera houses





Figure 12.14 Multipurpose theaters











Chapter 13





Figure 13.1 Fixed auditorium chairs and wheelchairs spaces





Figure 13.2 Fixed auditorium chairs on (a) shallow slope and (b) steep slope





Figure 13.3 Catchment area example (after NFPA)





Figure 13.4 Catchment area example with crossaisle











Chapter 14





Figure 14.1 Typical seating density in (a) early twentieth century auditorium and (b) early twenty-first century auditorium





Figure 14.2 Globe Theatre, London





Figure 14.3 Corral de Comedias, Almagro, Spain





Figure 14.4 Symphony Hall, Boston





Figure 14.5 Laura Turner Concert Hall, Schermerhorn Symphony Center, Nashville, Tennessee





Figure 14.6 Philharmonic Hall, Szczecin, Poland





Figure 14.7 Teatro Argentina, Rome





Figure 14.8 Paris Opera (Palais Garnier), Paris





Figure 14.9 Teatro Colon, Buenos Aires, Argentina





Figure 14.10 Ford's Theater, Washington, DC





Figure 14.11 Auditorium Theatre, Chicago





Figure 14.12 Lyceum Theatre, New York





Figure 14.13 Detail of a Medieval scaffold stage





Figure 14.14 Theater of Epidaurus, Greece





Figure 14.15 Roman theater at Aspendos, Pamphylia, (modern Turkey)





Figure 14.16 Teatro Farnese, Parma, Italy





Figure 14.17 Fichandler Theatre, Arena Stage, Washington, DC





Figure 14.18 Berliner Philharmonie, Berlin





Figure 14.19 Helzberg Concert Hall, Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, Kansas City, Missouri





Figure 14.20 Bayreuth Festspielhaus, Bayreuth, Germany





Figure 14.21 Well's Theatre, Norfolk, Virginia





Figure 14.22 Shubert Theatre, New Haven, Connecticut





Figure 14.23 Malmoe Opera (formerly Malmoe Stadsteater), Malmoe, Sweden





Figure 14.24 Marion Oliver McCaw Hall, Seattle, Washington





Figure 14.25 Five approaches to side wall architecture





Figure 14.26 Overture Hall, Overture Center, Madison, Wisconsin





Figure 14.27 Radio City Music Hall, New York











Chapter 15





Figure 15.1 Controls rooms at rear of main seating level





Figure 15.2 Control room sightlines





Figure 15.3 Sound cockpit lift and wagon arrangement





Figure 15.4 Followspot room sightlines





Figure 15.5 Front-of-house catwalk study





Figure 15.6 Front-of-house lighting provisions











Chapter 16





Figure 16.1 Standard body ellipse





Figure 16.2 Standard body ellipse in 10-square-foot area (typical lobby benchmark)





Figure 16.3 Lobby density expressed as net square feet per seat











List of Tables











Chapter 1





Table 1.1 Typical theater forms and seat counts by performance type











Chapter 2





Table 2.1 Owner and user example: Overture Center, Madison, Wisconsin





Table 2.2 Design team example: Overture Center, Madison, Wisconsin











Chapter 3





Table 3.1 CSI MasterFormat Divisions





Table 3.2 Contract Document Drawing Volumes: Overture Center, Madison Wisconsin











Chapter 5





Table 5.1 Example space list











Chapter 7





Table 7.1 Accessibility legislation affecting the design of performance facilities











Chapter 8





Table 8.1 Typical project cost components





Table 8.2 Simplified project budget











Chapter 9





Table 9.1 Stage dimension ratios





Table 9.2 Broadway theaters





Table 9.3 Regional theaters





Table 9.4 Dance theaters





Table 9.5 Opera houses





Table 9.6 Multipurpose halls





Table 9.7 School halls











Chapter 13





Table 13.1 Required number of wheelchair spaces





Table 13.2 Minimum aisle widths per IBC 2015 in inches