The UO's New Theater Space

So a couple of weeks ago, back when it was like 90 degrees and all we could think of a major plus during the tour was how very, very glad we were to be under a roof even if the building's not finished and it wasn't air-conditioned (I'm pretty sure others we were all also thinking of beers or G&Ts post-tour), UO Dept of Theatre Arts prof Joseph Gilg offered the press and others a tour of the new theater building. (UPDATE: The whole thing, built on the back of Villard "without destroying the historic nature of Villard," is called the Miller Theatre Complex.)

I brilliantly didn't remember the EW camera, and I was the only press person there (which was bizarre!), but whoo hoo for the cell ...

Read and see more after the jump.

That's the new space, sort of cleaned up by Photobucket. You're standing, looking backward at the entry. It's going to be a variable-seating (I think 125-175, possibly more, will report back soon on that Gilg says 150 + or - 15, which, quick math, would be 135-165) black box theater (it's called New Black Box Theatre until a donor comes along to give it a name ... ) somewhat like the Oregon Shakespeare Festival's New Theatre.

Gilg: "It was designed by the same architect, but with a lot less money." In other words, though the New Theatre has a gazillion traps so anything can rise out of the floor (like the awesome table in 2006's King John), not so much here. HOWEVER. It's a much better space than the cobbled-together-from-classrooms Arena Theatre (hard as the students and staff and faculty worked in that space, this is going to be a gigantic improvement). Access for lighting and other tech work comes in several places, and there are great ways to connect to the Robinson, which is also being revamped and refurbished, but more on that later, as well.

Upstairs is where things get super exciting, especially if you're a student of costume expert Sandy Bonds: There's a gorgeous space for a costume shop (and, I think, other design spaces ... must find notes Gilg emails me that there's going to be room for a dye shop, laundry facilities, green room/fitting room "and lots of storage"):

Finally, since I have to zip off to write something for next week before noon, I only have one more picture to add, but (University Theatre folks, I promise) I'll return and write a real entry about the Extremely! Cool [Except for the Heat]! Tour! probably tommorrow.

This is the Lord Leebrick Theatre's managing director, Angela Henderson, leaning on some HVAC pieces in a space that I believe is going to be one of the design areas is "HVAC equipment, electrical service, storage and the Robinson
control booth for lights, sound, etc.," according to Gilg [Thanks for the update!]:

Oh, and (gacked from the UO website), here is what it's supposed to look like when it's finished. Sort of.

I had a great time wandering around in construction zones (the workers must have had the day off, and good for them considering how crazy-ass hot it was), and I look forward to seeing the Miller Theatre Complex in its finished form starting in January of 2009. Exciting!