What do we do as Consultants?

First, we listen to you.  At no cost to you, we meet and talk about what it is you’re doing, and how we can help you.  Most of this meeting will be us asking questions and you telling us your vision for your theatre.  We’ll answer any questions you have about us and about how we work.

If you decide to go forward with hiring us, we start with researching the area and the arts community around you, so we can better understand how your space fits into it.  At this stage we’ll make recommendations about scope of project.  We may suggest that with 200 fewer seats, you could get more building for your money, or with 200 more, you could entice a thriving concert series to leave an older venue and move into yours- giving you extra revenue and more importantly, exposure to their audience…  We’ll also talk at this stage in general terms about dressing rooms and wing space.  We will work to understand the type of productions being done today by your group, and we’ll help you look forward and determine what might be done in the future. 

After this general stage of conversation, we’ll work with your ideas to develop a ‘Space Program.’  The program is the document the architect needs to explain how your theatre will actually work.  It will specify every room you need, how much space it requires, what rooms it needs to have easy access to, storage, ceiling heights, roof type, sound isolation, etc. 

Once the program is approved and the architect starts generating drawings, we work with them to make sure that the Space Program is being met in the best way possible.  We help to ensure that excellent positions are being developed for lighting, that sightlines are being protected, and many other points that ensure that the architect has the information they need to design a beautiful building that is also perfect for your artistic intentions.

As the building design progresses, we design the theatre systems that will make your space state of the art, while keeping in line with your budget and artistic goals.  We aren’t dealers for certain manufacturers – we specify the right equipment for your space every time, and we make sure you know what you’re getting before it’s ordered.  As a lighting designer, I’ve worked in so many spaces with gross inadequacies; When you ask the building manager “Why do you have this instead of…”  they all too often reply “They never asked me.  It’s just what the contractor installed.”  We make sure this never happens to you.  You’ll understand what stage machinery you’re getting, so you have a chance to make sure it will move scenery the way you want it to.  The Audio and Lighting systems will be custom designed for your space and needs, and you’ll get a chance to sit down with us and talk in as much detail as you’d like before anything is ordered.  If you want a demonstration of a sound or lighting console before you order it, we’ll arrange it for you.  If you want to go a different direction, we’ll go with you.  We work for you, and making certain you’re satisfied with the building is our only goal.

We help you through the bid process, looking over the bids and helping you ask the right questions about substitutions and contractors.  After they’re hired we work with the contractors as your agent to make sure everything is proceeding as planned.  We’ll help you get straight answers about schedules and progress.  We make sure corners aren’t being cut that will affect the usability of the space in the future.

We’ll arrange training on your equipment once it’s ready – and we’re with you right up through opening night- our commitment to you and your space doesn’t end when the keys are handed over.  We’re always available to answer questions or help with troubleshooting on the systems we’ve helped with. 

I hope this short but dense page helps guide you as you start on your project.  If you’d like to talk more, feel free to get in touch at anytime to arrange a meeting with no cost and no obligation to talk about how we can help with your new space or renovation.

Contact us now for more information about consulting services.