Spring 2023

Follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn to read our articles as they are published!

Greetings from ASTC

June brings summer and finds us nearly half-way through 2023. Our Annual Meeting, held this year in St. Louis in conjunction with USITT, is behind us. There we welcomed new members Kevin Greene, Andrew Hagen, and Raymond Kent. Jerad Schomer and Jon Sivell were elevated from Associate to Member status, and we have two new Associate Members, Chris Holland and Collin Huse. Our ASTC Mentorship Program graduate Alyssa Gil-Pujols impressed the membership with her presentation on proposed improvements to the auditorium at Fordham High School in the Bronx, now her alma mater as she has completed her senior year. The 2023 version of the ASTC-USITT Renovation Challenge is also now in the books. Congratulations to all of the teams who participated. See the article within this issue for the complete details.

We’re looking forward to completing our 40^th Anniversary year celebration with a reception at the Park Avenue Armory in New York City on October 20 as part of our Fall Forum. Our members will also tour venues in Manhattan. In 2024 we will convene our annual meeting in Seattle during USITT in March, and planners are already working to develop our 2024 Fall Forum in Austin, TX. 

The ASTC works to improve the quality of gathering spaces, and June brings about many important celebrations. At commencement ceremonies around the country, students and their families mark educational milestones. Pride Month commemorates the June 28, 1969 Stonewall Uprising. Pride parades and events in cities across the U.S. and the world this month express support for the LGBTQA+ communities and demonstrate for equal rights for all people. On June 19 we celebrate Juneteenth National Independence Day, a federal holiday remembering the emancipation of enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas in 1865.  During these events people often come together in assembly spaces whose designs have been influenced by the members of the ASTC. ASTC members are proud to make the world a better place to gather and hold solemn our duty to help make spaces safe and welcoming for all.   

Wishing you all a wonderful summer.

Heather McAvoy, ASTC

President



100 Things a Theatre Architect Should Experience by Jim Hultquist, ASTC

Origins of the 50 ft Stage Rule for Fire Safety Curtains

William R. Conner, FASTC

Catwalk Considerations by Michael Parrella, ASTC

2023 ASTC - USITT Renovation Challenge by Kent Conrad, ASTC

ASTC Member Updates, Spring 2023 by Alex Robertson, ASTC

It is important to understand what we are trying to build when designing theatres and other places for performing arts. With apologies to the late architectural critic Michael Sorkin, consider these things every theatre architect should understand. Most theatre consultants do.

...READ MORE

Fire Safety Curtains and other proscenium opening protectives have been a topic for stage design for centuries (literally). In 1992, ASTC got involved in the process of revising the building codes, resulting in significant changes to requirements for stages. Bill Conner, FASTC led that project. Here he tells the story.

 ...READ MORE

Straight catwalk at ceiling of flexible studio theatre. Photo by author.

Catwalks are a common feature in performing arts spaces. Theatre consultants recommend locations and design criteria for these important components. Well-designed catwalks are safe and useful parts of a building, providing access for lighting, rigging, and general maintenance.

...READ MORE

Faceted catwalks over the audience of a large proscenium theatre. Photo by author.

Rendering from The Ohio State University’s Sullivant Outdoor team, showing the reimagined space.

The Edgar L. Lustig ASTC Award was presented to The Ohio State University Sullivant Outdoor team. Pictured here, ASTC President Heather McAvoy, Students Erin Shaw, Yun Yen, Jessica Hightower, Allison Summers, Faculty Advisor Brad Steinmetz, and ASTC Mentor Patrick Barrett (Photo by Paul Sanow, ASTC)

The USITT Director’s Award was presented to the Oberlin College team. Pictured here are Andrew McCraken, Nelson Gutsch, USITT Interim Executive Director Lea Asbell-Swanger, and ASTC Mentor Howard Glickman (Photo by Paul Sanow, ASTC)

The 2023 installment of the ASTC-USITT Venue Renovation Challenge was live and in person after being a remote event in 2021. Four teams presented their work for judging.

 ...READ MORE

Kevin Greene, ASTC

Andrew Hagan, ASTC

Raymond Kent, ASTC

Jerad Schomer, ASTC

Jon Sivell, ASTC

The American Society of Theatre Consultants has welcomed five new members and two new associates. ASTC also thanks four long time members and awards them Emeritus status. Finally ASTC’s internship program has a new name.

 ...READ MORE