Auditorium colour

[nikkicallaghan]

I'm part of a small theatre of 120 seats in a converted church hall. Someone has had the idea of painting the ceiling if the auditorium white which with the low trim height for the rig would make it impossible to ever get anything resembling a black out on stage with the bounce from the stage floor onto the ceiling. My question is what do others think of this and has anyone worked in a venue with a white ceiling

[Gerry]

Paint it black or a very dark blue.

White is about the worst colour you could have imposed on you.

When I was in the UK I was with a group who converted a warehouse into a 96 seater theatre. The conversion involved a light buff coloured ceiling. I convinced them and they later agree after I had repainted it, that black was far better.

Cheers

Gerry

[nikkicallaghan]

1465492670[/url]' post='539526']

Paint it black or a very dark blue.

White is about the worst colour you could have imposed on you.

When I was in the UK I was with a group who converted a warehouse into a 96 seater theatre. The conversion involved a light buff coloured ceiling. I convinced them and they later agree after I had repainted it, that black was far better.

Cheers

Gerry

 

My thoughts exactly and it's already black but we've been blessed with someone who thinks it is a good idea unfortunately he's the type who thinks he has knowledge but doesn't

[Jivemaster]

Anything light is a BAD idea. but I'm not a fan of deep black either. Have a look at some proper theatres Some have rather splendid decor but usually in darker tones. If you create a scheme that's a colour up to shoulder height on the walls, then that colour but darker to the ceiling then darker still on the ceiling, you have walls they can see to get around but the uppers and roof vanish quickly as the lights go down. Deep reds maroons and blues may work, deep greens?? Pick out some lining with a deep gold or silver paint to break the boredom.

[Junior8]

If it doesn't need doing leave the black as it is. If redecoration is required dark colours are the way forward though I did regularly work in a studio with a matt medium grey ceiling and that was OK - just.

[J Pearce]

A deep rich blue can work well. Perhaps find some white fabric and demonstrate the issue?

[nikkicallaghan]

1465495038[/url]' post='539530']

A deep rich blue can work well. Perhaps find some white fabric and demonstrate the issue?

 

That sounds a very good idea

[xllx]

unfortunately he's the type who thinks he has knowledge but doesn't

 

What's his reasoning for a light ceiling?

 

Personally I don't like black except in the most industrial of studio spaces, but should definitely be at the darker end of the spectrum.

[nikkicallaghan]

I get the feeling the person concerned has looked at an old opera house or theatre with a light ceiling but not taken into account in those buildings were very high not the small height we're working with

[paulears]

A few years ago - the owner of my venue decided to paint the ceiling white - which he did in the closed season. Two shows in, it was back to black - simply awful . Not really so much because blackouts were impossible - just because from the stage, the audience was simply too visible and the turns hated it. The stage lighting bouncing off it to light up the faces. Two of the top turns complained and in the three day gap - it went back to black and the complaints stopped. I'd really get them to rethink - it's horrid! (and I suspect would soon be dirty from pyros if you use them, and need repainting regularly.

[kitlane]

It is worth adding that the venue that Nikki is talking about also has the ability to flatten the auditorium floor and perform 'in the round'. In this case, the white ceiling would be above the performance area. Any lights and associated rigging would be 'beautifully' silhouetted against the white ceiling. The ceiling is something like 5 metres above the auditorium. I have already passed on my opinion to the management team that this is a ludicrous idea.

[paulears]

Wow - that's the worst possible case, and if it was done, there would be a strong and repeated requirement to keep the rig tidy - just think of the extra care and attention needed just to run in a few short extra metres!

[Whiskers]

OPs "venue expert" is probably concerned about oppressive "black cave look" will certainly need a compromise to escape with some dignity, so What is the current houselighting, suggest and perform some tidy changes, throw in LED and low energy as buzz words, make the black cave look more welcoming / brighter / higher / non claustrophobic, maybe reduce the light level on the way it so the seating area seems brighter, Audience journey and all that blah blah after all we are supposed to know about light

[Dave m]

Can you get net lights in black?

 

 

[Jivemaster]

IMO dull black is the optimum colour to have behind the lanterns and the bars. BUT outside of that some much nicer scenery could be painted. The auditorium is the scenery that the audience live in until you reveal the show and stage at curtain up. Consider dividing the walls into panels and painting scenes on each panel -flowers, bushes, landscape, Greek theatre -the list is almost endless

 

https://www.ornc.org/paintedhall?gclid=CjwKEAjw7e66BRDhnrizmcGc8VcSJABR6gaRZoZsUWk68LSEkHie4QBs4fefCy1I97h5FmhdhylkqRoCDoPw_wcB

 

http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-441566-stanford-hall-stanford-on-soar-nottingha#.V1vJ1bsrIdU