Download The Crucible Theatre and Studio, Sheffield

Theatreplan
Theatreplan LLP
27 Colonnade
London WC1N 1JA
The Crucible Theatre and Studio, Sheffield
enhance one of the UK’s most stunning theatrical spaces.
Striking visual changes include the dramatic glass fronted
entrance, a new function room, and a more central and
remodelled bar area.
Access improvements include ten new wheelchair spaces
integrated within the seating of the main auditorium, new
handrails, a lift serving all levels and a new ramp into the
bar area.
Dressing rooms have been added and upgraded, along
with a new Green Room and Stage Door, making the
building a more welcoming place for performers and staff
to work in.
The re-seated main house
The refurbishment of the Crucible Theatre was split into
phases to allow the theatre to continue to present the
annual World Snooker Championships. The first Phase
was completed in April 2008. The second Phase of the
refurbishment was completed in December 2009. The
total building costs for the refurbishment were
approximately £10.5million.
The Studio Theatre has been completely refurbished with
new removable seating enabling the auditorium to
become a much more flexible and intimate space, with
the added comfort of new air conditioning and
ventilation.
The theatre was funded through a mixture of grants from
Sheffield County Council, The National Lottery (via Arts
Council England), Yorkshire Forward and Renaissance
South Yorkshire (via European Regional Development
Fund) as well as some private donations.
The re-development of the Crucible has included fitting a
new roof, reinforcing building foundations, new external
cladding, glazing and redevelopment of the front of house
areas. The Box Office has been relocated to the front of
the building, with a wider, brighter space providing a
more welcome experience for visitors and theatre goers.
The signature auditorium has been fitted with a new
thrust stage, new seats with higher backs for more
comfort and the new energy efficient ‘twinkle’ lights
Lighting Equipment above the Thrust Stage
While the Crucible’s famous thrust stage looks exactly
the same as the original, a Steeldeck® system has been
installed for ease of use and durability for the future. The
stage itself was one of the key reasons for the
refurbishment as it is essentially dismantled and rebuilt
every year for the snooker. As you would expect this had
lead to a deterioration of the structure and the brand
new purpose-built demountable stage now fills its place.
Theatreplan have also installed a new electric hoist
system to replace the old double purchase
counterweights, and have upgraded the lighting systems in
both the main house and the studio by installing
completely new dimming systems with more circuits and
a total rewire moving from the original 15amp plugs and
sockets to modern 16amp IEC plugs and sockets.
Rigging behind the Proscenium
New sound infrastructure and communication systems
have also been installed in both the main house and the
studio theatre, including new stage managers’ desks and a
2-channel infra-red assisted listening system.
Registered address: Menzies, Ashcombe House, 5 The Crescent, Leatherhead, Surrey KT22 8DY
Registered in England and Wales Partnership No. OC309349
Theatreplan
Theatreplan LLP
27 Colonnade
London WC1N 1JA
Main House Theatre
Seating Plan
Demountable Stage Plan
Client:
Design Architects:
Theatre Consultants:
Acousticians
Structural Engineers:
Mechanical and Electrical Engineers
Cost Consultants
Project Managers
Theatre lighting, sound & communications:
Flying installation:
Demountable Stage:
Theatre Seating:
Centre Line Section through Main House
Sheffield Theatres Trust
Burrell Foley Fischer
Theatreplan
Fleming and Barron
Price & Myers
Michael Popper Associates
Rider Levett Bucknall
Hobson Hague
LSI Projects (Phase 1) / Hawthorn Theatrical (Phase 2)
Centre Stage Engineering
Steeldeck
Evertaut (Main Auditorium); Auditoria Services (Studio)
Theatreplan
Studio Theatre
New Seating Layouts and Section
Theatreplan LLP
27 Colonnade
London WC1N 1JA
Theatreplan
Theatreplan LLP
27 Colonnade
London WC1N 1JA
Technical Specifications
Main Stage
•
•
•
Octagonal thrust stage with a shallow proscenium on the fourth side.
The main performing area is 10.6m wide by 10.75m deep to the front edge in front of the proscenium arch, with
4.8m behind the proscenium arch to the up-stage flying bar.
Proscenium opening 10.6m wide by 6.8m high to house border, 7.7m high to structural beam.
Demountable Stage
Plan Area
Static Payload
Approx 185.5 m2 (17.5 m x 10.6 m)
7.5 kN/m2
Rigging
9 across-stage Flying bars and 3 No. 4 line movable points, all direct lift electric motor
Maximum Payload:
350 kg
Bar Length:
10.780 m
Pickup Centres:
3.350 m
Number of Suspensions:
4
Suspension Bars:
48 mm nominal diameter barrel with levelling adjusters
Flying Centres:
variable centres
Maximum Flying Height:
8.9 m
Control System:
Artisan Control system by Centre Stage.
Sound and Communications
Paging, ring intercoms and a dual channel infra-red system assisted listening / audio description system are provided along
with a comprehensive wiring infrastructure for audio, video, loudspeaker and Ethernet. Sound mixers, amplifiers,
loudspeakers and other loose equipment were already owned by the end users.
Production Lighting
Production Dimmers
Lighting Desk and Luminaires
Touring Power
296 x 3kW and 26 x 5kW ETC Sensor plus 48 x 3kW non-dimmed
18 x Houselight dimmer/non dim circuits
pre-existing equipment
250A TPN (including Powerlocks), 125A TPN and 63A TPN (Sound)
Studio Stage
•
•
An adaptable room with two audience galleries.
10 no. retractable seating units allow a variety of seating/staging arrangements; see diagrams.
Rigging
Strong points in ceiling.
A perimeter curtain track with black curtains.
Sound and Communications
Paging, ring intercoms and a dual channel infra-red system assisted listening / audio description system are provided along
with a comprehensive wiring infrastructure for audio, video, loudspeaker and Ethernet. Sound mixers, amplifiers,
loudspeakers and other loose equipment were already owned by the end users.
Production Lighting
Production Dimmers
Lighting Desk and Luminaires
www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk
www.theatreplan.co.uk
140 x 3kW ETC Sensor plus 28 x 3kW non-dimmed
22 x Houselight dimmer/non dim circuits
pre-existing equipment