In early 2006 Stage Technologies was awarded the contract to supply the complete stage engineering package for the Royal Court Theatre and Queen's Room venues on-board. The Royal Court Theatre is an 830 seat venue and the first cruise ship theatre to feature a Royal Box and private boxes on each side of the auditorium, like those seen in Victorian style West End theatres.
The stage is well appointed with automated equipment, which includes motorised lighting trusses, both over-stage and front-of-house, two stage lifts with two-part sliding lids, two storage lifts, 18 flybars, six Serapid stage tracks, curtain tracks, safety curtain, and roller projection screen. The control system includes Maxis ID drives, Acrobat control console and a number of Solo hand-held controllers.
Also included within the scope of the contract is the complete stage floor structure and finished vinyl flooring which had to be coordinated with all the stage machinery contained within it. The flying system features BigTow2-290 winches and Stage Technologies TanJent guidance system developed specifically for cruise ships.
This was the first stage rigging contract that Stage Technologies has been awarded by the Marghera shipyard and whilst the equipment is very similar to that installed onboard Emerald Princess, which was delivered earlier in the year, the hull itself was different from that of a Grand class vessel. The 'new' design and tight construction schedule was a challenge for all the sub-contractors working within the Theatre.Stage Technologies project manager Jim Roberts commented: "the massive coordination effort by Fincantieri and Nautilus Entertainment ensured that the owner received the venue they wanted. A major effort by the Stage Technologies team in Italy ensured that the stage rigging equipment for both venues were complete before the ship left for Southampton."
Stage Technologies are also working on two further vessels for Fincantieri; P&O Ventura delivers in March 2008 and Ruby Princess in October. Both vessels are being built in the Monfalcone shipyard where Stage Technologies has a full-time base.
(Jim Evans)
