The design for the municipal theatre of Vibo Valentia calls for building a stage suitable for hosting multiple types of events, ranging from plays to the ballet, from conferences to concerts, from video projection to opera performances.
For this reason, the stage was conceived as a flexible space able to adjust to the needs of different types of events, and equipped with mechanical systems and equipment, above and below, guaranteeing high configurability of the stage and safe, quick stage-setting operations, in particular when used by travelling companies, and service with personnel less acquainted with the places.
The proscenium was sized with a width equal to 13 metres and a height of 8.5 metres. Once the planned furnishings are inserted, the proscenium will thus have a width/height ratio between 1.6 and 1.8, in line with that habitually used for theatre performances.
The proscenium is deeper, and has been equipped with a mobile platform that will guarantee broad flexibility for the area in front of the curtain. With the curtain lowered, the orchestra pit will be able to accommodate a 42-piece orchestra. When the platform is raised to house level, a traditional-type stage is obtained that will make it possible to preserve the house capacity by putting removable seats in place. Further raising to stage level will configure a proscenium advanced forward to project the scene more towards the audience.
Two mobile platforms were inserted into the centre of the stage, of a width equal to the proscenium and 3.5 metres deep. These platforms will allow steps to be built to distribute the orchestra members and to create visual effects, such as entrances onstage, raised levels, and sinking.
To move and put the sets and lights into position, 15 motorized pulls were planned, distributed regularly in the stage depth, spaced at less than 60 centimetres apart. This major equipment will guarantee the possible of sustaining in safety, in any requested position, all the elements of significant weight, thereby avoiding any risk for the performers onstage. The use of manual pulls with ropes will be devoted only to positioning light furnishings (wings and backdrop) at elevation.
The stage perimeter was enlarged so as to ensure, to the side of the stage, a free space of approximately three metres, of use for positioning the wings and, beyond these, for installing the manoeuvring balconies. The area at the margin of the stage will be used during performances for the circulation of performers and crew and, where provided for, will guarantee dancers and players the possibility of exiting quickly without risking running into walls or equipment.
The balconies were arranged on two orders, and will be used by crew members during the set-up phase to anchor the ropes of the manual pulls, to position the lights for “cut” lighting, and to power the stage light circuits installed on the American lamps.
The stage is subject to changes of scenery and lights, which must be programmed for each new production, but that can also take place during the performances, and that therefore must be done in a safe and flexible way. For this reason, on the left side of the stage, the separations with the adjacent area destined for deposit, were eliminated, ensuring the possible of moving horizontally and of quickly archiving sets and equipment, including those of significant size. In the same spaces, it will be possible for the crew to prepare and assemble sets ready to be transported onstage without these elements having to be reduced to the size of a door.
In parallel, the insertion of the “German-style” grid makes it possible to fully exploit the useful height of the stage tower in order to perform movements vertically using only motorized pulls, so as to raise sets above the visible area delimited from above by the backdrops of the stage objects.
The electrical system for stage lighting was signed for the various types of foreseeable performances, in order to satisfy the theatre’s needs while limiting recourse to renting.
The system calls for the distribution of 120 independent circuits serving the stations linking the lighting bodies planned on stage and in the house. Distribution will take place by sheet-metal channels anchored to the walls, and will avoid the need to set up overhead circuits using extensions that might be cause for tripping onstage and on the balconies.
The circuits will be powered by an outlet panel located on stage level, and light intensity will be regulated using entirely digital dimmer boxes capable of ensuring stable, precise function, repeated over time, without requiring the calibrations or periodic regulations typical of analog dimmers.
The system will be complete with a high-performance console capable of controlling up to 512 independent channels, both conventional and scanner, and motorized spot lights with several parameters, with the possibility of radio remote control using palm-top computes. The touch screen will ensure easy, direct access to all the main functions, and to the display of the output values.
Convex and Fresnel spotlights, beam shapers, and pan diffusers are provided.
The design calls for developing a video projection and sound amplification system to include a roll-up projection screen to be placed onstage, and its double-lamp project for a luminosity equal to 6,000 ANSI lumens and high reliability. The projector will be usable both to project high-definition films using the DVD player that is provided, and during conferences for use from personal computers. The sound amplification system will consist of column speakers and subwoofer powered by power amps specific for professional applications and complete with DSP and LCD display for system diagnostics and configuration, which can also be done using the front USB port. The amplification system will be complete with a set of microphones and radio microphones, also of the headset type particularly recommended for television filming, depending on the different uses to be made of the theatre.