This is a record of sorts for me -- two posts in one day!
The new Theatre on the Park in the Columbus State University RiverPark art and theater complex, opens tonight when the curtain opens on "A Midsummer Night's Dream."
Because I'm going to see "Carmen" tonight, I won't be in the audience. I'll be going on Saturday night.
This theater is absolutely stunning. You know how much I love the Springer Opera House. This theater is smaller, but no less gorgeous.
The use of wood in the theater is so beautiful. There are these pine panels that look like plantation shutters in the house and in the lobby.
I asked if they were acoustical elements and was told that while they do act as such, they are mostly decorative. The best thing? It's reclaimed wood.
When the old Sports Arena and other buildings were torn down on Front Avenue to build the new CSU parking garage, the wood was saved. And that's the wood that you see in the theater.
The acoustics in the theater are also great. I was at the back of the house and could hear the student technicians on stage. They were speaking in normal conversational tones and I could hear every word. That's amazing. So you should be able to hear all the actors with no problems.
The seats are comfortable, too.
It's a real theater. Unlike the old Fine Arts Hall on main campus, which was a multi-use hall, the Theatre on the Park is a real theater. There are numerous lighting positions and three catwalks for technicians to place lighting.
Interim theater department chair Tim McGraw said he's going to use every light for one show next season. They're still feeling out the hall for this show.
And that's why they're calling it a "sneak preview." So when you buy a ticket for "A Midsummer Night's Dream," it's general admission. Just wander around both in the orchestra and in the balcony and figure out where you'll want to sit next season. Go ahead and buy a season ticket. It's only $60.
If you go this weekend, let me know what you think of the theater.
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2 comments:
I went tonight and it was a very good production in a great theater. CSU did an excellent job of creating a first-class facility--seems like there's probably not a bad seat in the house. This was the first time I had been to one of their plays, but it certainly won't be the last. The only thing that will make it any better is when the construction is completed and access by foot is easier.
That's excellent. Now, there was a Sports Arena on Front?! I never knew that.
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