Theatre Design & Technology - May 1974 - 5

EDITORIAL &NEWS
EDITORIAL--

This issue is devoted to a variety of new and reworked
spaces for theatre and the other performing arts. Each of
these plants is very different from any of the others. At
the same time it is apparent that none of the five
represents a major architectural breakthrough or innova-

provide some shortened versions of some of the panels
and discussions in forthcoming issues. Congratulations to
Bob Benson, Fred Wolff, Clyde Nordheimer and the many
others who assisted them in planning and managing this
fine event.

tion. Can we find then a common denominator in the
thinking, planning, and design of these several facilities?
Are there similarities to be found in the ultimate
realization of each? If so, do they extend beyond these
theatres to others now being planned and designed?

We should also Iike to extend congratu lations to two of
our authors honored by the Committee on Publications at
the Conference. Candidate V. Krasilnikov received the
award for the best article published in Theatre Design and
Technology in 1973. His submission entitled "A Universal

Barring certain problems described by the authors and
others that the observant reader will recognize, it is
obvious that each of these theatres attempts to provide a
performance
environment
suited
to
a
very
well-thought-out production program. This writer would
like to believe that this lesson is one many theatre
planners have learned in recent years and which, in an era
of ever-increasing costs, will stand out as the major
planning factor in future: The basic constraints of
production must be very clearly establ ished and defined
by potential users in concert with architects and consultants before the job goes on the drawing board. Many
elements must be considered; the site, audience size and
flow, the shape and limits of the performance area, and all
the nitty-gritty problems associated with supporting
spaces. We hear regularly that resources are dwindling and
that the well will soon be a dry hole. So be it. Let's all
plan intelligently for that facility we must have!

Dramatic Theatre in the City of Tula" appeared in the

is called Technical Reports and will include one or two
brief articles in each issue. They will be devoted to
problem-solving in the wide spectrum of our interests.
David Hale, Temple University, is serving as Associate
Editor for this new feature. We hope to add another

Contributions should be short, 1-2 pages, with a like
number of drawings and/or photos, and succinct. A
Technical Report should articulate a problem and describe
its solution. No more, no less.

NEI$,

The annual conference of USITI was held in New York
City at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, April 18-21. Although
your Ed itor had to leave early because of a press of
productions, what he saw of the Conference was highly
stimulating and informative. We hope very much to

Theatre Craft books.

Editor in the near future whose interests,

expertise and experience are based outside the academic
theatre.

THEATRE DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

The conference schedule rolls inexorably along atld it
behooves us to remind readers of the annual American
Theatre Association convention to be held in Minneapolis,
Minnesota, August 11-14th. A number of panel sessions
cosponsored by USITI and component bodies of ATA
will be of considerable interest to our membership. Some
of the topics to be covered include; A Plastics Workshop,
Theatre Architecture-Building For Community, Creative
Use of Sound, OSHA and the Performing Arts, Make-up
and Costume for Black Theatre and many others. For
registration material write: ATA, 1317 F St., N.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20004. Preregistration at reduced rates
ends July 31st.
Former President of USITT, C. Ray Smith joined the
staff of INTERIORS magazine earlier this month as
Editor. C. Ray formerly served as Senior Editor and
Features Editor of Progressive Architecture. Most recently
he has been associated with Theatre Crafts magazine as
Editor. In this capacity he has also edited a new series of

We inaugurate a new feature-see p. 29-in this issue. It

Associate

May 1973 issue. David Klepper received a special commendation award for his paper on Speech Acoustics which
appeared in the October issue.

Local No. 350 United Scenic Artists, Chicago, Illinois
has a new address. They are now located at 343 South
Dearborn St., Chicago, Illinois 60604.
Professor Corinne K. Flemings requests information
from our readers on individuals or groups interested in
international or intercultural communication. Write to her
at: Department of Speech Communication, California
State College, California, Pa. 15419.
For those of our readers who may be in London after
June 25th, a treat is in store. Our erstwhile opposite
number and Chairman of the Association of British
Theatre Technicians, Frederick Bentham will be conduct-

(Continued on Page 38.)

MAY. 1974

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Theatre Design & Technology - May 1974