Theatre Design & Technology - Winter 2021 - 55

theatre and home safety demands. It is
just a matter of time before audiences
finally get to enjoy the facility to its full
potential.
" The experienced theatre goers will
see that the level of comfort, the sound,
and the sightlines create an experience
that is second to none, " says Paladino.
" The excitement the architecture creates on the street starts the experience.
It is not unusual to walk past the building
and see somebody rehearsing for a show.
There's a genuine excitement to create a
memorable experience. "

Like most theatres in the United
States, the NBPAC has endured
difficult times in the wake of the
COVID-19 pandemic. While not yet
fully operational, the center does
have spaces where people can
maintain social distance. " We have a
lot of opportunities to create social
separation, " Paladino says. " We will
eventually get back our routine. But it
is not like throwing a switch back on. "
The Johnson Theater features continental seating. The orchestra pit, sized
for up to 70 musicians, features a motorized lift. There is also a 75-foot fly space,
which Goetze notes provides muchneeded flexibility for space users: " The
huge fly space allows you to have scenery
that you can fly fully out. If you are not
performing on a Monday night, you can
fly out the scenery and do a comedy performance or something else. In theatres
without a full fly system, you build a set
on the stage and it's always there and you
can't do anything else. "
Architects designed the performance
areas with optimum flexibility. At 5,400
square feet, the lobby provides ample
area for guests to mingle before shows,
and includes a bar that visitors can enjoy
before and after shows. Three rehearsal
rooms that replicate the stages of the two
theatres add a unique element and give
incoming productions a space where
they can rehearse and move on quickly to
the main stage. The spaces can also be
used for general classes, workshops, and
small public performances.
To maximize audience comfort,
Barone Engineering, the HVAC engineer on the project, designed a displacement ventilation air conditioning system
in which diffusers in the theatre floors
provide conditioned air with the return
duct work high above the audience. " The

Thomas Renner writes on
building, construction,
engineering and other trade
industry topics. A former
award-winning newspaper
writer and editor, Renner is an account
executive at Catalyst Marketing
Communications in Stamford, CT. Reach
him at trenner@catalystmc.com.

equipment is much smaller and air is delivered at a lower velocity, " Goetze says.
The Center is home to four member companies, including the Rutgers
University Mason Gross School of the
Arts. George Street Playhouse, another
member company, is a nationally recognized professional producing theatre
company. The American Repertory Ballet
and Crossroads Theatre Company, the
nation's premier African American theatre, also call the NBPAC home.
Like most theatres in the United
States, the NBPAC has endured difficult
times in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. While not yet fully operational, the
center does have spaces where people
can maintain social distance. " We have a
lot of opportunities to create social separation, " Paladino says. " We will eventually get back our routine. But it is not like
throwing a switch back on. "
The NBPAC gives patrons an experience they will not soon forget. The stateof-the-art venues, the residences, and the
performances add a new dynamic to the
cultural scene of New Brunswick. Just as
important, the building is safe for residents, performers, audiences, employees, and all users of the building. From
the smoke vents that sit atop the stage
house to the window locks on the resident apartments, every detail has been
scrutinized to ensure the facility meets

Works Cited:
Considine, Allison. (September 2019). " Don't
Break a Leg. " American Theatre. https://www.
americantheatre.org/2019/08/27/dont-breaka-leg/
Goetze, Andrew. (November 16, 2020). Interview
with the author.
Klecak, Jacqueline. (August 19, 2019). " The
Stunning Debut of New Brunswick Performing
Arts Center. " New Jersey Monthly. https://
njmonthly.com/articles/arts-entertainment/newbrunswick-performing-arts-center/
Merck, Harold. (January 4, 2020). Interview with
the author.
New York Post. (May 17 2012). " Judge orders
'Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark' producers to turn
over information to ex-stuntman. " www.nypost.
com
Paladino, Christopher. (July 26, 2020). Interview
with the author.
Rochman, Joanne Greco. (November 11,
2020). " Live Theater is Still a Necessity. "
Republican-American. https://www.rep-am.
com/featured/2020/11/11/live-theater-is-still-anecessity/

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https://www.americantheatre.org/2019/08/27/dont-break-a-leg/ https://www.americantheatre.org/2019/08/27/dont-break-a-leg/ https://www.americantheatre.org/2019/08/27/dont-break-a-leg/ https://njmonthly.com/articles/arts-entertainment/new-brunswick-performing-arts-center/ https://njmonthly.com/articles/arts-entertainment/new-brunswick-performing-arts-center/ https://njmonthly.com/articles/arts-entertainment/new-brunswick-performing-arts-center/ https://nypost.com/ https://nypost.com/ https://www.rep-am.com/featured/2020/11/11/live-theater-is-still-a-necessity/ https://www.rep-am.com/featured/2020/11/11/live-theater-is-still-a-necessity/ https://www.rep-am.com/featured/2020/11/11/live-theater-is-still-a-necessity/

Theatre Design & Technology - Winter 2021

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