Architecture

ARCHITECTURE

December 2007 • Lighting&Sound America SIDNEY harman’s GIFT

An audio industry legend makes

wo weeks after the possible a superb new venue for T September 15 ribbon the Shakespeare Theatre Company cutting, sponsored by Target, and a scant three By: Judith Rubin Photography: Tom Arban years after groundbreaking, the October 1 opening gala façade and marquee of Sidney Harman Hall, the fronting the assertive, new sparkling new venue born building on F Street, audio of the Shakespeare Theatre professionals will always Company in downtown be able to feel a rush of Washington D.C., was a insider’s pride. tony international gathering Spreading over 67,000 wide variety of non- featuring the likes of sq. ft., Sidney Harman Hall Shakespeare events, from Chelsea Clinton, Michael is a remarkable space that ballet to wedding recep- Chertoff, Wynton Marsalis, represents the genesis of a tions, some 200 of them in Patti LuPone, and the new, world-class performing the first season. Duchess of Gloucester. arts center. Harman was a Since joining the Craftworkers (BAC), each One of the project’s major advocate for building Shakespeare Theatre with its own entrance. The most attention-getting the company’s new venture Company as managing Shakespeare Theatre aspects is the key philan- to support a variety of director in 2002, Nicholas Company owns the lower thropic role played by performing arts. Goldsborough has worked five stories. The upper six Sidney Harman, who sits And so it came to be. with the board of trustees are owned by BAC and, in on the Shakespeare Shakespeare Theatre to fulfill the vision of a addition to comprising some Theatre Company’s board Company (founded in 1985, national destination theatre 120,000 sq. ft. of office of trustees. Now in his late with Michael Kahn as and oversee the plan to space, the floors provide 80s, the founder of Harman artistic director since 1986), create the Harman Center excellent overhead sound International Industries and its 451-seat Lansburgh for the Arts. He helped bro- insulation for the theatre. spouse of Rep. Jane Theatre and the new, ver- ker the real estate deal that The design team for the Harman (D-California) con- satile, 775-seat venue now should help keep things on building architect, tributed $19.5 million of the function under the umbrella a good financial footing: SmithGroup Inc., was building’s $80-million budget, of the new Harman Center Sidney Harman Hall is headed by Colden (Coke) including some $1 million in for the Arts. This allows the nested into an 11-story Florence. The architect for audio equipment. (The city company to run more pro- office building, co-owned the Sidney Harman Hall of Washington also provided ductions—a total of eight by Shakespeare Theatre design team was Toronto- $20 million in funding.) this season, up from five Company and the based Diamond and When they see Harman’s previously—and for the International Union of Schmitt Architects Inc., name on the glass theatre umbrella PAC to book a Bricklayers and Allied including principals A.J.

www.lightingandsoundamerica.com • December 2007 ARCHITECTURE

ration to another will shrink from about four to two hours, and additional setups will be discovered. Indeed, the nature of the design is conducive to the discovery process. The space and its components and systems, made functional through custom rigging and controls supplied and installed by JR Clancy, are faithful to the tools and culture of theatre crafts and theatre technology. The result is what FDA project manager Robert Campbell terms “a break the proscenium,” sophisticated kit of parts” says Joshua Dachs. “The that nevertheless remains question was not whether it an environment familiar to was possible, but whether, any stagehand. “From a for this project, it would be stage-rigging point of possible to achieve it in a view,” he says, “the hard- Three-plus space of just under 800 ware is standard theatrical theatres in one seats on the piece of land equipment. When you want Sidney Harman Hall may that they had for a price to fly the truss, you use a have 775 seats, but there that they could afford.” system of chain motors. The theatre’s lobby. was no stinting on Clearly the answer was Pieces were constructed acoustics, design, or yes. There are three basic similar to stage scenery, (Jack) Diamond and Gary equipment; it is outfitted configurations: with lightweight materials McCluskie, and project like a major performing arts Proscenium, thrust, and and a minimum of connec- architect Jennifer Mallard. center. Outside, the build- end-stage. A 625-seat tions. With few exceptions, Fisher Dachs Associates, ing’s three-story glass “music ensemble” setup the rigging is from the grid New York, headed by curtain wall and bay can be achieved by putting over the stage, and is Joshua Dachs, was theatre window/balcony, projecting the front seating wagons accessible to the crew. consultant. Acoustical and 8’ over the sidewalk below into storage and setting a Acoustic panels can be audio system design was (an almost unheard-of vari- freestanding bandshell in flipped by just one person. provided by the Chicago- ance in D.C. was granted front of the proscenium— You aren’t tied down with based Talaske Group Inc., for this), have transformed allowing the room to be large, cumbersome pieces headed by Rick Talaske. the streetscape. Inside, the used for concerts without that you can’t get out the CarrAmerica Urban theatre features double- disturbing the stage set. door. The sophistication is Development was the walled concrete construc- (The wagons move on an in the planning and design, project developer and Clark tion, adjustable acoustic Aeris air-caster system.) not the technology.” All the Construction was general panels, and a wood-lined The room can also be same, there will be a learning contractor. JM Zell Partners, space with movable cleared out for an arena curve. “This building is so Ltd. served as project components that can be configuration. Team mem- incredibly integrated, it manager, coordinating the rearranged into multiple bers anticipate that, as could take a full year before design work and business configurations, with each directors and stage crew they know all its capabili- transaction, and represent- changeover taking a matter get to know the new space ties,” says Campbell. ing both the Shakespeare of hours. and its theatrical building “There may be configu- Theatre Company and BAC “Sooner or later, some blocks, the time needed to rations that won’t be during construction. director is going to want to change from one configu- arrived at for 10 years,”

December 2007 • Lighting&Sound America says Dachs. “Time will tell. variety of positions and It’s a tool that can accom- locations to make the modate a wide range of proscenium opening larger approaches that directors or smaller. It can also move and set designers will bring the panels upstage to to bear. Michael Kahn’s downstage, or gather them direction was to create a together and raise them up ‘muscular space for robust out of view. If desired, the plays of epic scope.’” proscenium, and the mech- “The real challenge of anism that moves it, can doing theatres like this is to both be dismantled and make each configuration removed. The custom look purpose-built,” says mechanism, which also Campbell. “Jack Diamond controls the house curtain, and Josh Dachs collaborated was engineered and to create a certain sense of installed by JR Clancy and formality in each of the con- Tomcat USA and is the key figurations and a specific component of the trans- character, even without a lot formable theatre. JR of scenery—something that Clancy’s project manager takes us back to the days was Robert Degenkolb. of Shakespeare and the The first four rows of Globe Theatre, where the seats are wagons that can space supported the text be moved around to the and the spoken word.” sides for the thrust config- “The company is known uration, rotated upstage for for very beautiful and rela- an arena configuration, or tively elaborate produc- lowered into the floor via a tions,” adds Dachs. “If you custom Gala Spiralift for strip everything out and the end-stage setup. They choose not to have can also be removed and A view of the theatre’s glass-covered facade.

Campbell: “You aren’t tied down with large, cumbersome pieces that you can’t get out the door. The sophistication is in the planning and design, not the technology.” scenery, the room is still stored to extend the down- lifts; the system comes sound reflector in the ceiling very beautiful. It has reso- stage area. There is no with a portable touch via two high-capacity nance. The timber columns orchestra pit, due to lack of screen, allowing the oper- winch hoists. It also has evoke timber columns at access; the lift is raised to ator to move through the the potential to tie into the Globe—not a literal extend the stage into the space while making adjust- future show control and recreation, but some mem- audience area by about ments. The client requested chain hoist systems.” ory of the wooden ‘O’ that 10'. A Niscon, Inc. Raynok the Niscon product The rigging system Shakespeare describes.” control system, using because of its capacity for consists of 50 double-pur- The proscenium arch Niscon proprietary software future add-ons, according chase counterweight sets. does literally break; it is in a Windows PC platform, to Mike Murphy, executive The extensive trap system formed by a series of panels activates the proscenium VP of JR Clancy: “It con- is made up of 36 individual flown by a motorized and all motorized axes, trols what is on the gantry, chambers, each covering a gantry truss that spans the including the Stagemaker it controls the lift and the 7' by 4' area of the stage width of the stage. It can chain motors, reflectors, acoustic banners, and it and with a lightweight alu- move the panels into a acoustical banners, and raises and lowers the minum framework devised

www.lightingandsoundamerica.com • December 2007 ARCHITECTURE

and installed by JR Clancy. as a way to hide a lot of much as possible. “We the ability to easily control The entire stage can be the wiring and conduit,” provided two additional moving lights, should they dismantled if a crater says Campbell. “Behind dimmer racks, reducing the be required. There is also effect is desired. the upper arcade beams need to rehang or refocus an ETC Unison architectural and columns is a plethora lights and allow minimal lighting control system. The arcade game of power conduit, as well time for changeovers Other details planned by The average theatregoer as audio circuiting and between shows,” says the theatre consultants will find the handsome, speaker lines.” The space Campbell. Richard Hoyes, include a followspot booth three-sided arcade of was limited and the routes of FDA, designed and spec- at the upper rear of the makore (African cherry complex. “We had to find ified the lighting systems; theatre, additional steel wood) lining the stage to paths within the architec- ETC was the stage lighting beams in the auditorium be an attractive architecture,” adds Campbell. “A systems manufacturer. ceiling for future rigging tural element that gives the lot of it goes in the ceiling The lighting package for needs, and a number of room visual warmth and areas between the office the theatre includes 100A and 400A disconnects depth. However, there’s building and the theatre approximately 430 ETC in the stage and loading more to it than that. Parts box. The feeder wires had Source Fours in various areas to provide additional of it are removable—the to go from F Street to the degree sizes, 18 Lighting & power. The theatre’s multi- entire rear section hangs dimmer room, and the Electronics MR16 mini- purpose room, the Forum, on a winch system and lighting load circuits from strips, 15 L&E Broad Cyc is outfitted with 52 ETC can be dismantled entirely the dimmer room to the units, 38 Altman PAR 64s, Sensor dimmers, and an to provide another 5' of theatre space. There are 24 Selecon Acclaim ETC Express 48/96 con- stage depth. Doors on the nearly 800 stage lighting Fresnels, 24 Selecon Arena sole. Other spaces below lower half of each side of circuits, and the dimmer Theatre Fresnels, 20 grade include dressing

Dachs: “If you strip everything out and choose not to have scenery, the room is still very beautiful. It has resonance. The timber columns evoke timber columns at the Globe—not a literal recreation, but some memory of the wooden ‘O’ that Shakespeare describes.”

the arcade can be shifted room and all the major Selecon Aurora three-way rooms, a green room, to provide additional wing electrical rooms are outside cyc lights, 12 Selecon rehearsal hall, trap room, space, and the stage right, the acoustic isolation joint, Aurora three-way kitchen, and 1,350 sq. ft. of stage left, and upstage on the west side of the groundrows, two Lycian storage space, as well as lower columns are remov- building. The amplifier rack M2 medium-throw fol- theatre production offices able to increase the stage room and IT room are both lowspots, and 62 Wybron and workshops. area. Lighting pipes behind on the east side. We had Coloram scrollers. Among the arcade columns supply given Clark Construction the gear list’s really new Wood, fabric, air, lighting positions. the challenge, ‘Run 1,400 items is a Wybron and rubber Additional lighting posi- stage lighting wires, plus InfoTrace IT interface box; The slatted panels of the tions run the perimeter of hundreds of microphone, the Colorams are outfitted arcade also conceal the the arcade. speaker lines, and data for Wybron’s InfoTrace sys- acoustic curtains and their The fixed side portions paths, and they can’t be tem, which means that any adjustment devices. “To of the arcade encapsulate within three feet of each performance issues can be help reduce reverberation the final product of a long other, and it has to be within very easily tracked. Also time in the theatre, two bout of collective, creative the confines of the new is the Eos lighting curtain layers, 4" apart, can problem-solving among the acoustic isolation joint.’” control console from ETC, be deployed behind each design team. Behind its The 800 dimmers were which has won a number slatted panel,” says slatted framework reside born of the client’s need to of awards over the past Campbell. JR Clancy engi- multiple theatrical work- minimize changeover time year; with the Eos, the the- neered the system of ings. “We used the arcade between configurations as atre’s lighting staff will have scrollers that deploy the

December 2007 • Lighting&Sound America fabric panels from the top down, like motorized window shades. Motors, rollers, conduit, and panels all live together in an area only 1' deep. “We spent a lot of time going back and forth with the architect and FDA to fit everything needed into that 12" space,” says Greg Miller, who was project manager for the Talaske Group. “The architect did a beautiful job on something that grew out of technical needs. There are 4,500 sq. ft. of velour curtains hidden behind those wood screens is provided by a dozen —in fact, they’re located portable acoustic panels, behind all four walls—but 4' wide by 12' tall and the interior of the room made of plywood veneer, always looks the same, of the same Makore wood regardless of the acoustic that lines the walls. “They setting. We had to take into are essentially pieces of ducts are very large, and account that the slats make furniture and coordinate the air moves very slowly. the curtains a bit less with the architecture,” says All the air is supplied from sound-absorbent than if Miller. “They can move beneath the seats, with a Inside the auditorium. they were hanging out in around from place to place very large plenum. We con- the room, so we tested and will be used for pretty ducted a detailed review to samples in a lab to see much everything that goes make sure of slow, smooth difficult spot for a theatre,” exactly how they would on in the room. So far, we movement, and that the air says Miller. “There’s a fire- perform.” Depending on the have made recommenda- would have a long way to house across the street curtain position, the reverb tions for six configurations, go from the fan to the and a subway runs along- (in the empty theatre) has and eventually the company room. There is one spot side the site. We measured been measured ranging will have a catalog of where, in order to travel the noise levels of the fire from 1-1.7 seconds. options to choose from.” from one end of the engines and the vibrations The Talaske Group (Also, for the thrust config- building to the other, a duct of the subway and did a specified an adjustable uration, the balcony’s has to pop down into the study recommending that acoustic reflector to live in guard panels are parking garage.” the entire structure of the the rectangular space adjustable, so they can tip All entranceways into auditorium be supported between the catwalks. “It forward to provide cross- the theatre have double on rubber pads.” And so it has a very slight curve from stage speech reflectivity.) doors and a vestibule to was built—an 80-million-lb. front to back—and, from To prevent HVAC noise, shut out noise from lob- concrete box positioned on side to side, it steps up the Talaske Group worked bies, bathrooms, and corri- 124 specially formulated and down,” says Miller. The closely with the mechanical dors. The elimination of rubber pads specified by reflector can be raised and engineer, Crossey noise from outside the Wilson, Ihrig & Associates. lowered, and tilted back Engineering Limited building was the biggest The 7" thick pads are of a and forth, depending what International Inc., on duct task, one that the Talaske material similar to that is needed. It is painted size and air movement. Group consulted on from used to enable bridges to black and blends unobtru- “It was nothing out of the the very early stages, when expand and contract, and sively into the black ceiling. ordinary for a building like the land purchase was for earthquake-proofing in Additional sound reflectivity this,” notes Miller. “The being considered. “It was a building construction.

www.lightingandsoundamerica.com • December 2007 ARCHITECTURE

“They work through energy timing and strength of indi- ogy in the market as well.” be flown in as needed for dissipation,” explains Miller. vidual sound reflections. It Downey adds that the music performance events. “The vibration dissipates used a signal convolved Harman Center represents Powered loudspeakers can across the pads and doesn’t within a computer using one of the first U.S. instal- be hung in various locations get into the structure. music and speech that had lations of the new throughout the theatre and Technically, the vibration is been recorded within a Soundcraft Studer Vista 5 configured on a show-by- converted into heat.” reflection-free environment. digital console: “The show basis, supported by The loading dock street A unique use of this effort Studer does all the artistic the large grid and three cat- door opens onto the fire- was a recording that was audio processing onboard, walks. An extensive network house and leads to the released to assist with and allows you to transport of patch bays runs all side stage of the theatre. fundraising efforts.” Here, a series of four doors spaced along the 22' The Harman corridor dissipates the audio package noise; two high-end roll-up Sidney Harman’s $1 million doors at the end nearest in-kind donation sent the the street, one folding door Talaske Group’s audio spe- of the type used to divide cialist, Aaron Downey, back conference rooms, and at to the product catalogs to the stage end, a sliding make the best possible use door. “If you listen very of the gift. “We went to closely and you’re right replace as many of the next to the last door, you items already specified as

This page and next: Drawings show the theatre’s possible configurations.

can just barely hear the we could, selecting compa- audio digitally, over fiber through the theatre, siren—it almost makes it rable mics, loudspeakers, optics from the stage to the to patch audio as well through, but it’s inaudible processors, audio mixing mix position. This console as video. within the theatre itself,” consoles, and so forth,” has a powerful user inter- There is a Clear-Com says Miller. “We did a lot of Downey says. “The selec- face and the client has eight-channel intercom calculations and knew it tion is pretty diverse, as really grown to like it.” system in place and a would be on the edge.” Harman Professional is an Copper cabling infrastruc- paging system accessible Rick Talaske recounts umbrella company for JBL, ture was also installed in by custom as well as AMX an interesting aspect of the Soundcraft, AKG, BSS, the theatre for situations touch panels. (Also design process that was dbx, Crown, and Lexicon. that require analog. available is an HME Pro put to multiple good uses: We were able to substitute The audio can be recon- wireless intercom system.) “We developed a computer the vast majority of the list figured to handle the various Dressing rooms can be model to create an ‘aural- with Harman products, seating arrangements and paged from various loca- ization’ of the space—a and, in doing so, to take types of events. A separate tions and receive show model that predicts the advantage of new technol- JBL VERTEC line array can program and video. Drawings Courtesy of the Shakespeare Theatre

December 2007 • Lighting&Sound America Lobbies and rest rooms descriptions to the sight- the over-balcony positions Two line arrays of JBL also can be paged, impaired, and provide are three more of the JBLs, VerTecs—a total of 16 chimed, and sent various language translation. with three Crown CTS2000 VT4888s, plus eight types of background music The in-theatre audio amps; in the under-balcony VT4882 subs—can be on CD or from the show includes a 16-channel SFX can be found six JBL flown in for music events, program. Each of the four effects playback system MS26 units, with three or employed outdoors for lobby levels (three public from Stage Research and Crown CTS 2000 amps summer events. The audio and one private, at the cel- two DSP-controlled and and three Crown IQ- contractor and installer was lar level) can be isolated networked speaker clusters. P.I.P.LIT amp modules. Professional Audio Design, from an audio and video One cluster serves the An additional pair of of Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. VP7212/95DPANs consti- “It’s a terrific project and tute a side stack. For it went beautifully,” says subs, there are four JBL Dachs. “We had a terrific VPSB7118DPANs, and, for team, and Michael Kahn front fill, six MS26s with a provided extremely clear CTS2000 amp. In the artistic leadership and thrust configuration, six strong feedback.” more VP7212/95DPANs “There were some are available. For sound issues, but very few things effects, there are four JBL were not completed in time AM62212/00s, 20 MS28s, for the opening gala,” says four Control 25AVs, and 16 Campbell. “It was a great CTS 2000s. collaborative effort In the sound booth, between theatre planning, standpoint to support drama system and is aside from the Studer the architect and acousti- simultaneous events. For comprised of powered console and SFX system, cian, and client—right up the lobby and front of loudspeakers and powered there are two LSR6328P to the nail-biting conclusion. house, the list includes JBL subwoofers distributed active monitors and one The fact that our client was loudspeakers and Crown throughout the space. It LSR6312P active sub. so clear about the theatre’s amps, and an AMX control has two primary configura- System processing is mission helped enormously

Miller: “It was a difficult spot for a theatre. There’s a firehouse across the street and a subway runs alongside the site. We measured the noise levels of the fire engines and the vibrations of the subway and did a study recommending that the entire structure of the auditorium be supported on rubber pads.” system. Backstage are JBL tions, one for thrust, one handled by a BSS Audio B in making the room Control 26CT loudspeakers for proscenium. The thrust LU80. There’s also a successful. You don’t walk and Crown amps. The mode adds speakers to Tascam CD player, two into that room and say, multi-purpose room cover the side seating. For BSS DPR-404 limiters, two ‘Gee, the architect won includes JBL Control loud- ultimate versatility, none DPR 504 gates, one that battle,’ or ‘The speakers, subwoofers, and are fixed in place—they Lexicon PCM81 and one acoustician won that Crown amps. either hang or are removed PCM91 digital effects unit. battle.’ What I love about In the theatre, a two- and put into storage. All Mics include eight AKG the Harman Center is that channel wireless assistive are accessible via the three WMS4000 wireless when you walk in, you listening system from catwalks or the grid. systems, plus AKG, Royer, know the owner won. The Listen Technologies is The main loudspeaker Earthworks, DPA, Shakespeare Theatre available for the hearing- system features four JBL Neumann, Shure, and Company has an identity impaired, to furnish VP7212/95DPAN units. In Sennheiser gear. in that room.”