Theater News

Measuring the report of a starter pistol Our latest projects Improved Acoustics We love our theater, but in reality it's a bit like a plaster box - squared-off hard surfaces that reflect sound the way a mirror reflects light. Music can handle a certain "tail" of sound, but the spoken voice becomes muffled and indistinct if it hangs in the room too long. We knew we needed to do something about it, but with our current debt load we were torn over hiring an acoustical engineer to analyze the problem or possibly wasting money in trial-and-error efforts to fix it ourselves. Dr. Mohan Rao's Acoustics and Noise Control class at Michigan Tech came to our rescue. We asked if they would help us, knowing we could only afford to pay their expenses, not salaries. To our delight, five mechanical engineering students and Dr. Rao drove over from Houghton to look at the project. They measured the space, studied original blueprints, and came back with electronic devices to measure the reverberation time and sound pressure levels in the theater. Jen, Jon, Joe, Jeff and Gary put together a report with suggestions for ways we could fix the problem for about $7,000.00. That was a little steep for our budget, but a friend of the theater (who wishes to remain anonymous) provided the funding for us to get the job done. We are very much in the debt of Michigan Tech, Dr. Rao, these fine students, and the generous theater supporter who made the project possible. Dressing Rooms Audiences might not have been aware of this, but the performers certainly were - the theater had no dressing rooms except the public restrooms and a small kitchen off the back of the auditorium. This meant actors had to dress and go behind the curtain before we could open the doors to patrons or commit the theatrical faux pas of being seen in costume and out of character before the show. With the help of a capital improvements grant from the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs (MCACA), we've finished adding warm and clean dressing rooms and a performers' waiting area below the stage, complete with a restroom and a fire exit (that we hope we never need). Intermission Space Throughout 2007, we've been working to create one large intermission room out of two smaller rooms on the second floor so that patrons can enjoy intermission snacks without going downstairs. With the ongoing support of a generous donor, we anticipate that we'll finish the project early in 2008, possibly for the start of our 2008 season.