Staging Concepts See Performance Venues Prepare to Raise the Curtain on Live Events

	The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park in San Diego

As the saying goes, the show must go on! Following more than a year of empty auditoriums, silent music halls, and dark theatres, the lights and sound systems are turning back on in performance spaces across the country. Curtains will soon rise again on Broadway -- and off -- and venue doors will open to clamoring crowds of fans with a pent-up proclivity for live performances.

But safety remains a major concern as COVID-19 continues to pose a lingering threat. No matter the size or location, performance venues are having to be more strategic and creative than ever in their spatial planning to ensure spectator safety and comfort without sacrificing the energy, excitement, and intimacy of the live performance experience.

Many have found viable and cost-effective solutions in modular components and systems designed to work within their existing footprints while creating comfortable and compliant accommodations for patrons. Following are three trends the team at Staging Concepts has seen skyrocket as facility owners and managers adapt their venues in eager anticipation of the return of live events -- and audiences.

Demountable platforms and reconfigurable seating solutions have become increasingly popular in this time of uncertainty and social distancing. Unlike their permanent counterparts, modular components and equipment can be set up and taken down as needed, providing complete flexibility to reconfigure spaces for different activities and capacity needs.

The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park in San Diego is an ideal example of this movement toward modularity. Faced with the task of providing versatile staging for the more than 110 performances and events hosted at "The Shell" each year, our team at Staging Concepts fabricated a system of 92 platforms for the venue's orchestra and seating risers. The custom-designed system is comprised of SC90 portable platforms, which are well-known for their strength, versatility, and durability. They also are lightweight for easy movement and can be reconfigured or removed based on the event or performance.

In addition to the portable platforms, the company also provided 6,000 red chairs to give the venue a pop of color, and designed custom table extensions for added personal space and convenience. The custom "tablets" fold away when not in use to facilitate ingress and egress or may be removed altogether to accommodate alternate seating formats.

Modular components provide the flexibility to transform seating and entertainment layouts between events conveniently and without major disruption or cost. As today's theatres and performance venues look to maximize use and revenue, demountable systems are proving a wise investment by providing the versatility to turn any venue into a multi-purpose facility.

For the Sondra & Denis Healy Theater, a 100-seat black box performance space at DePaul University in Chicago, Staging Concepts designed a flexible seating riser and mezzanine system that could be re-arranged into eight different configurations. The equipment and components are portable and flexible enough for production designers to create unique environments and one-of-a-kind audience experiences for every production, the company says.

Another venue where modularity is optimizing utility is the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) in New York City, where the team created a custom staging system that allows for 12 different configurations -- ranging from proscenium and thrust to in-the-round -- all using the same platforms and riser components.

The company also sees more and more high schools turning to flexible, modular staging that can quickly and easily be configured for everything from a lecture-style classroom setting to a community meeting room or rehearsal/performance space. Ideal for touring performing groups, these portable platforms can be used in a rehearsal room and then easily moved to any auditorium, gymnasium or off-site location for performances, delivering stability, consistency and spacing flexibility that are crucial and comforting for performers.

In addition to flexible staging and seating options, requests for modular acoustical shells are on the rise. Acoustical shell systems, comprised of portable towers and flyable ceiling rows, help to create vibrant sound on stage for performers and optimal sound projection into the audience.

In the summer of 2020 -- in the midst of the pandemic, the company worked with the production team at Gallatin High School in Bozeman, Montana, to create a custom acoustical shell for its multi-purpose auditorium. To enhance the sound quality and overall viewing experience, the team recommended a Bravado acoustical shell system. Among the key advantages of this option is its customizability. The system's flexible design allows for easy adjustments and alterations as needed. The school's graduation ceremony, for instance, may call for a comprehensive set-up of the full shell system, whereas preparation for a student play or solo performance might involve slight modifications to adjust the system's scope and scale.

The Bravado shell is also designed with student crew members in mind. The aluminum alloy towers are comprised of lightweight movable panel wings that make it convenient for few staff or students to transport, maneuver and store.

Even in a post-pandemic world, live streaming is likely here to stay as audiences have become accustomed to watching their favorite performers in real time from around the globe via their computers and mobile devices. This means more film crews and more equipment at host venues. As such, demand is on the rise for camera platforms/media risers, catwalks, and stage extensions that accommodate production teams in a whole new way. Modular platforms and guardrails can easily be setup as camera platforms in a spaced out, professional manner. Another increasingly popular option is a mobile stage. Built on retractable casters, these portable systems can be easily moved within a location completely assembled, saving both time and manpower.

The company recently custom engineered a rolling stage for The Mission Ballroom in Denver. The state-of-the-art concert venue sought a flexible and mobile stage design for its world-renowned headliners and other live acts. Comprised of multiple sections of the SC2003 Rolling Stage, the system can be assembled to create a 40' x 60' performance area or made smaller to accommodate different event formats. No matter the audience size, the venue always has a "full house" look -- whether on-site or on a screen -- because spectators cannot see behind the stage.

Now, more than ever, safety and comfort are the keys to bringing audiences back to live events and performances. Modular staging and acoustic solutions are playing a key role in enabling venues to re-open with confidence by catering to the demands of today while offering flexibility for the needs of the future.

To request a free on-site consultation, call 800.337.5539 or email info@stagingconcepts.com.