How Studio T+L Works With Theatre Companies
From the first idea for a new or renovated theatre to the opening night gala, we collaborate with theatre companies, and the architect's team to design superb spaces that meet the company's artistic and production goals.
Typical Theatre Adjacencies
Whether your theatre company is just beginning to think about building a new theatre, or you have already decided the extent of the renovation your current theatre needs, the basics of how Studio T+L will work with you are similar. Once engaged on a project we listen carefully to understand each theatre company's production and non-production needs and the values of the company that will be expressed in the building. We explain those needs and values to the rest of the design team through drawings and reports to realize a project’s goals through imaginative, appropriate, and cost-conscious solutions. This collaboration results in an appropriately designed theatre that embodies the ethos of the company, and where the performers and audience share the excitement of a live production.
The theatre's staff have their own work to do, so while we value their input, we do not expect them to do our work. We have over 20 years of experience as theatre planners and designers, working on all types of theatres. We thoroughly understand the factors involved in space planning, seating and sightlines, and theatre production systems. We understand the current state of technology and see the trends. We use this knowledge to future-proof our work by designing flexible and open systems wherever possible. The result is that our theatres work!
We are sometimes asked if a theatre consultant is necessary. Can’t the theatre staff, who have their own expertise, guide the architect? The short answer is “No” as explained in our FAQ.
The services we provide vary from one project to the next based on the project’s scale and scope. One of the early considerations is contract organization. Some theatre companies prefer to have only one contract, with an architect. The architect brings the rest of the design team (theatre consultant, acoustician, AV consultant, engineers, etc.) to the table and holds all of their contracts. In those cases Studio T+L is under contract to the architect, and works as a member of the architect’s team.
Other theatre companies prefer to have more control by selecting the theatre consultant (and possibly the acoustician and AV consultant) on their own, establishing contracts with these key players directly. If so, we report directly to the owner and are an active member of the architect’s team working on the owner’s behalf.
Some projects, such as replacing a dimming and control system, don’t require a whole design team. In those instances we are hired by the theatre company and collaborate with their in house team to develop, document, and specify the design.
It is important to note that we do not work in a vacuum. We believe that design is as much a process requiring the active involvement of the owner and design team, as it is a product delivered at the end of construction. The development and progress of our work is dependent on input and steady collaboration with the theatre company, architect, and engineers.