Dave Posted January 19, 2005 Share Posted January 19, 2005 I was recently contacted by a small American ballet company looking to do their first UK tour. They require a minimum stage size of 12m x 6m (and bigger would be better), and I might have to suggest some suitable venues for them. Now, the width is a bit on the big side - I know that anything over 10m (pros opening) is a bit rare, especially in their desired capacity of 400 to 800 seats. There's plenty of larger theatres whose stage wouldn't be big enough. I tried looking on various theatre's web sites, and found that, whilst some have full technical specs, the majority of them have no info whatsoever. In many cases the only way to find out the number of seats is to count them on the seating plan! So, I'm wondering if there is a directory of UK theatres out there? Just something ordered by location, with basic information like number of seats and size/type of stage. Thanks, Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter Posted January 19, 2005 Share Posted January 19, 2005 It doesnt include size and seating capacity, but the White Light hire book has a list of all the stage door contacts for most UK venues. It might be a good starting point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gilly Posted January 19, 2005 Share Posted January 19, 2005 So, I'm wondering if there is a directory of UK theatres out there? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> That would be the British Theatre Directory http://www.britishtheatredirectory.co.uk/btd/ Hope that helps! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonythetechie Posted January 19, 2005 Share Posted January 19, 2005 You could try the British Performing Arts Yearbook. That has all that information in and more. ISBN Number 1904226604 or try amazon Here Hope this Helps Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gareth Posted January 19, 2005 Share Posted January 19, 2005 There are two publications which would provide you with the info you need, and more. The British Theatre Directory, and the British Performing Art Yearbook. I don't know whether they're both still being regularly published (my copies of both are several years old) but if you can find either of them they contain the sort of information that you need for pretty much every venue in the country, sorted by town. Edit : D'oh! Beaten to it twice over! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robloxley Posted January 19, 2005 Share Posted January 19, 2005 British Performing Arts YearbookOr the ABTT has something of an online database Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PoppaDom Posted January 19, 2005 Share Posted January 19, 2005 On topic but not suggesting a book or list.... Hall For Cornwall! Widest stage in the country...14m + I seem to recall........ Mammouth for middlescale theatre! And it seats 700+ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Posted January 20, 2005 Share Posted January 20, 2005 Dave, One possability might be to look into concert halls etc, as we have (along with other venues I'm sure) done theatre type shows on our flat floor, utilising the much bigger space, and then building seats around it - be it in the round, thrust, traditional end on etc. A company who seem to specialise in this is Siobhan Davies Dance Company - we've had their shows twice now and both times it's has been built on our flat floored concert hall (which is big) and then the toured seating built around it. Works well, but obviously you have to bring everything - seats, staging, desk, dimmers, lanterns, distro, motors for points etc etc Hope this helps, or sparks off an idea.Stu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike Posted January 20, 2005 Share Posted January 20, 2005 They require a minimum stage size of 12m x 6m (and bigger would be better), and I might have to suggest some suitable venues for them. Now, the width is a bit on the big side - I know that anything over 10m (pros opening) is a bit rare, <{POST_SNAPBACK}> 12 x 6 is a funny size... the depth is very small for Dance ? Regarding width, Ballet companies will aslways ask for more width than theatres can hold, but in reality, a space which is 9 x 8 is just as useful - if not more useful. Worth contacting them and seeing what there minimum size is - it'll probably make finding venues a lot easier - the more venues they can play, the more cost effective the tour becomes.HTHmike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted January 20, 2005 Author Share Posted January 20, 2005 Many thanks for the helpful replies. I will look into those two resources. On topic but not suggesting a book or list.... Hall For Cornwall! Widest stage in the country...14m + I seem to recall........ Mammouth for middlescale theatre! And it seats 700+<{POST_SNAPBACK}>Sorry, it's not. Did a show a couple of years ago at Snape Maltings. 18m x 12m open stage in an 800 seat venue. One possability might be to look into concert halls etc, as we have (along with other venues I'm sure) done theatre type shows on our flat floor, utilising the much bigger space, and then building seats around it - be it in the round, thrust, traditional end on etc. Works well, but obviously you have to bring everything - seats, staging, desk, dimmers, lanterns, distro, motors for points etc etc<{POST_SNAPBACK}>Do you mean sports halls? I've been to one or two things like that where a theatre has been "built" in an empty space as you say. Don't think it would be financially viable for something like this. 12 x 6 is a funny size... the depth is very small for Dance ? Regarding width, Ballet companies will aslways ask for more width than theatres can hold, but in reality, a space which is 9 x 8 is just as useful - if not more useful. Worth contacting them and seeing what there minimum size is - it'll probably make finding venues a lot easier - the more venues they can play, the more cost effective the tour becomes.<{POST_SNAPBACK}>They actually said 15m x 7.5m was their preferred size (I tried not to laugh at the width), but 12m x 6m was the minimum they could work in. I'll see how flexible they can be, but they do a lot of touring in the USA and I'm sure they know what they want. Maybe theatres over there tend to have wider and shallower stages than english ones. (Or is it just that everything is big in America?). The number of dates they do depends on finding promoters and I think they will just visit a few large cities which should have the combination of suitable venues and plenty of potential punters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danburns Posted January 21, 2005 Share Posted January 21, 2005 Have you tried the Guildhalls in both Portsmouth and Southampton - from memory So'ton is about 12*9.5m and I think that Pompey is similar. Don't know how helpful this is :D Dan :P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew C Posted January 21, 2005 Share Posted January 21, 2005 Southampton's stage is raked and has 0'0" wingspace. ( I know, I measured it!) Probably not much use for dance, but it is VERY wide! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danburns Posted January 22, 2005 Share Posted January 22, 2005 I know - for the Rock Challenge (more info here), when it's hosted there all of the sets have to be stored in the foyer, and during set changes, each teams set is carried through the auditorium. Fun... :blink: Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew C Posted January 22, 2005 Share Posted January 22, 2005 I never worked that gig; how could you store sets in the foyer without obstructing the main doors? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.