Designed by Dimond Architects, built by Integral Constructions and project managed by MFAC project manager Ken Sutherland, the new Performance Centre building links to an existing Music and Drama centre to provide a truly flexible theatre that can operate in several modes to suit a variety of College requirements.
To achieve the configurations required by the College, theatre consultant Richard Stuart used a flexible flat floor model for the theatre design with the ability to have auditorium and stage at the one level with an orchestra lift that can be also used at auditorium level and with retractable seating units that store on the rear wall of the auditorium to leave the whole auditorium, orchestra pit and stage areas useable as a very large flat floor for exams, dinners, cabaret and exhibitions.
The retractable seating is in two banks, the main seating bank and an additional seating bank which is used on the lowered orchestra pit lift when it is not required for drama. The tiered seating affords excellent sightlines to the stage.
Jands designed and installed the orchestra lift, fly system, motorised main curtain and curtain tracks and supplied the main and stage masking curtains.
A Gala Spiralift system (one of the largest seen in Australia) was chosen for the Orchestra Lift as it is the world's most compact lifting system, employing a coiled, flexible, flat steel spring that expands with the insertion of a thin, vertically-oriented spiral steel band. The result is a stable, fully adjustable column formed of continuously integrated, I-shaped sections.
The proscenium opening is adjustable with a manually operated dual slider panel system giving a proscenium opening variable from 12m up to 20m depending on production styles, so small and large productions are catered for.
The main curtain is a Motorised French Action Jands HD curtain track with the Jands Curtain Motor mounted in the Winch Zone on the catwalk and with the programmable Jands Curtain Controller operated at the downstage prompt side of the stage.
Jands HD Curtain Tracks are installed under the catwalks for two pairs of black legs, two sets of tabs (mid and rear), the cyclorama and provision for tracks for backcloths.
Jands won the tender to supply the heavy velvet main curtain and light-proof backing, stage masking legs, tabs and cyclorama to be hung on the curtain tracks under the catwalks.
Although there is no full height flying over the stage, a system of four motorised drum winches is provided to allow scenic items to be rigged and flown in the two voids between the catwalks over the stage. Hanging beams are located at 3m centres over the stage and orchestra pit to allow rigging to be installed.
(Jim Evans)
