{"data":[{"id":"231","date_start":"September 6, 2011","title":"Los Angeles, here we come!","photo":"\/files\/news_items\/laoffice_thumb.jpg","body":"\"\"\r\n\r\n

We've just opened our first office on the west coast - but don't call us newcomers! We've been working here for 30 years, and we're thrilled to now have a permanent home in Los Angeles.\r\n\r\n<\/p>

You've probably run across some of our more visible west coast projects, like the Walt Disney Concert Hall<\/a> and Kodak Theatre<\/a>. But if you look around, you'll see that our west coast work represents our practice as a whole, including regional theatres, university work, small-scale projects, performing arts centers, and renovations.\r\n\r\n<\/p>

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We design and plan performance spaces of every size and complexity, and we offer a broad range of services from auditorium and theatre equipment design to operations and business planning. As designers, managers, technicians, and performers, we know first-hand how these buildings should work from the inside.\r\n\r\n<\/p>

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Meet our Los Angeles team
<\/span><\/b><\/p>

Michael \"Looking Forward to Food Trucks\" Ferguson\r\n
<\/b>Michael<\/a> is the director of our new Los Angeles office. He joined Theatre Projects in 1998 and since 2006 has been splitting his time between Theatre Projects and his own theatre planning and design firm, Theatre Strategies Group. We're excited to have Michael back on board full-time to lead our Los Angeles office. \r\n<\/p>

Born and raised in California's Central Valley, Michael worked throughout California before ending up in San Jose, where he worked as the lighting director and assistant production manager for the San Jose Repertory. As the Rep's assistant project manager for their new theatre, Michael was introduced to and later hired by Theatre Projects. His design and production experience includes theatre, dance, performance art, circus, and live musical concerts in over 130 theatrical venues nationwide. Michael's current work in the arts includes an on-going production collaboration with musician\/producer\/author Stephen Wade and lighting direction for San Jose Taiko.\r\n<\/p>

\"I'm really excited about opening our new LA office. This has been a goal of both Theatre Projects and mine for years, and it feels great to see it come together. For the past decade almost a quarter of our work has been in the US west and southwest. By opening this office, we have the opportunity to service and support those projects better. And besides, how do you not want to live in a place where some of the best food in the city comes off the back of a food truck?!\" said Michael. \r\n<\/p>

Keith \"The Architainer\" Gerchak\r\n
<\/b><\/b>Both a working actor and a registered architect, Keith<\/a> has been an essential member of our design team since 2004. He recently moved from New York to Los Angeles to continue his acting career. \r\n\r\n<\/p>

Before joining Theatre Projects, Keith was a project director at the theatre architectural design firm van Dijk Westlake Reed Leskosky. Keith has performed in over 75 venues across the country, in roles ranging from Marlin in Disney's Finding Nemo<\/i> the Musical to Motel in Fiddler on the Roof <\/i>opposite Paul Sorvino. He frequently contributes articles on theatre design and sustainability issues. \r\n\r\n<\/p>

When asked about our new Los Angeles office, Keith said, \"My first reaction was, 'Wait, we don't already have an office in LA? I moved out here almost 2 years ago, thinking we did!' In all seriousness, with an already extensive catalog of high-profile projects, a veritable who's who of architectural and acoustic collaborators specializing in performing arts centers, and an increasing demand for venues in the cultural and entertainment capital of the western US, the time and place are right for this office. Plus, the commute beats flying back to South Norwalk!\"\r\n\r\n<\/b><\/b><\/p>

Benton \"I Left My Heart in San Jose\" Delinger
<\/b><\/b><\/b>A director of Theatre Projects and one of our most experienced theatre consultants, Benton<\/a> will split his time between our Connecticut and Los Angeles offices, working closely with Michael to develop our relationships on the west coast. \r\n\r\n<\/p>

Having grown up in California, Benton moved to Connecticut in 1998 from San Jose where he had spent eight years as the production manager for the San Jose Repertory Theatre. While at the San Jose Rep, he collaborated with Theatre Projects as the Rep's project manager during the design and construction of their new facility. \r\n\r\n<\/p>

\"The LA office is great for Theatre Projects. The California arts scene is wonderful and rich, with so many different cultures adding flavor and transforming their communities. I'm very happy to be able to have an office so close to where I grew up and cut my teeth in theatre...did Michael say something about food trucks?\" said Benton. <\/p>

\r\n\r\n\r\n<\/b><\/b><\/b>Our new Los Angeles home
<\/span><\/b><\/p>

Our Los Angeles office is on the top floor of the historic Spring Arts Tower<\/a>, located in the city's Gallery Row regeneration district. Once home to the Citizens National Bank, the building now provides office space for more than 100 creative companies and independent artists, including designers, architects, photographers, and painters.\r\n\r\n<\/p>

We're excited to become a part of the developing downtown district. Besides being the home of the performing arts in Los Angeles, downtown is also the center of transportation for the city, so it's a great location for us. \r\n\r\n<\/p>

Come visit us at our new home: \r\n
453 S. Spring Street, Suite 1230, Los Angeles, California 90013, T 213 375-3688\r\n\r\n<\/p>

The Theatre Projects team is based in Connecticut, London, Shanghai, and now Los Angeles!<\/i>\r\n\r\n<\/b><\/b><\/b><\/p>


Photo credits:\r\n
Top: Walt Disney Concert Hall, Architect: Gehry Partners, Photo: Hufton + Crow \/ View Pictures \/ Rex Features\r\n<\/i>
Middle left: Kodak Theatre, Architects: Rockwell Group, Ehrenkrantz Eckstut & Kuhn, Altoon + Porter Architects, Photo: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences\r\n<\/i>
Middle right: UCLA, Kaufman Family Garden Theater, Architect: Moore Ruble Yudell Architects & Planners, Photo: Tim Griffith\r\n<\/i>
Bottom left: American Conservatory Theater, Architect: Gensler, Photo: Marco Lorenzetti, Kobar\/Hedrich Blessing\r\n<\/i>
Bottom right: Julianne Argyros Stage, South Coast Repertory, Architects: Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects, McLarand Vasquez Emsiek & Partners, Photo: Jeff Goldberg\/Esto\r\n\r\n\r\n<\/i><\/p>","desc":"\r\n\r\nWe've just opened our first office on the west coast - but don't call us newcomers! We've been working here for 30 years, and we're thrilled to now have a permanent home in Los ..."},{"id":"228","date_start":"August 22, 2011","title":"Theatre Projects designs first all-LED performance space","photo":"\/files\/news_items\/whitney_thumb.jpg","body":"

The Whitney Museum of American Art has given the approval for Theatre Projects to design an all-LED lighting system for a new 2,300 square foot performance space. The performance space is part of the Whitney Museum's future home in New York City's Meatpacking District being designed by Renzo Piano Building Workshop with executive architect Cooper Robertson & Partners. <\/p>\r\n\r\n

\"\"\r\n
Image courtesy Renzo Piano Building Workshop in collaboration with Cooper, Robertson & Partners<\/i>\r\n\r\n<\/p>

Senior consultant Steven Rust<\/a>, our lighting system designer for the Whitney says, \"We had an opportunity to take advantage of the leaps in technology in LED theatrical lighting. We compared the cost of standard stage lighting distribution to an all-LED based system. The LED system requires one quarter the number of hard-wired circuits due to their lower power consumption and on-board dimming. This reduction in circuits and the associated installation cost, is what tipped the scale in favor of LEDs and offset the higher cost of the LED fixtures.\"<\/p>

The Whitney Museum was excited about the LED system based on the cost savings, but they wanted to see the LED fixtures first hand. So, we arranged for the New York office of Barbizon Lighting to demonstrate the latest LED fixtures from major manufacturers. The owner was able to see a variety of current LED options to get a feel for the state of the industry and to compare LED units to conventional stage lights. One of the main concerns for the Whitney is fan noise, so the demonstration included a number of fan-free and other very quiet fixtures (a trend that we applaud).<\/p>

We're happy to provide a system design which will reduce power consumption as well as the costs of installation and operation. We expect the pace and improvements in LED lighting to continue. Given that the stage lighting fixtures for the Whitney Museum won't be purchased for another two or three years, we look forward to the options and discoveries to come. <\/p>

We extend our thanks to the people at Barbizon - John Gebbie, Brian Dunn, and Damon Krometis - for their efforts in assembling the demonstration, and to all of the manufacturers for their participation.<\/p>

For more on the future home of the Whitney: http:\/\/whitney.org\/About\/NewBuilding?query=Future<\/a><\/p>","desc":"The Whitney Museum of American Art has given the approval for Theatre Projects to design an all-LED lighting system for a new 2,300 square foot performance space. The performance ..."},{"id":"225","date_start":"June 3, 2011","title":"Richard Pilbrow's latest book: A Theatre Project<\/i>","photo":"\/files\/news_items\/atheatreproject_thumb.jpg","body":"

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 <\/p>

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The first copies arriving in
our US office, and Richard savoring the moment!<\/i><\/p><\/td>\r\n

Richard Pilbrow's<\/a> memoir A Theatre Project<\/i> is available now. Subtitled A Backstage Adventure: Triumph, Disaster, and Renewal that Changed Stage Lighting and the Shape of Theatre<\/i>, the book is the story of both his life and of Theatre Projects, a company he founded over 50 years ago. \"It is the tale of a dream . . . one that came true with audacious success, turned into a nightmare, but emerged again to endure and enjoy success around the world,\" explains Richard in the book's introduction. <\/p>

For more on the book, visit the publication section of our website: http:\/\/www.theatreprojects.com\/resources\/publications<\/a> <\/p>

\"This is the remarkable story of how an upstart enterprise, Theatre Projects, shook up the world of theatre. Establishing the professions of stage lighting, sound design, and theatre consulting in Britain, Theatre Projects went on to revolutionize theatre design in the United States and internationally.
- PLASA Media<\/p>

\"The author of the book happens to be one of my favorite folks of all time. I can barely imagine any time more enjoyably spent than in reading what follows in the book . . . He is the MASTER . . . and, thank heaven, wonderfully silly with it. My life has benefitted immeasurably from his being embroiled in it, as my closest friend and colleague.\"
- Tony Walton<\/p>

\"A Theatre Project <\/i>is also a window into one of the secrets of Richard Pilbrow's success and that is collaboration. No theatrical endeavor, whether it is a performance, a theatre, or performing arts center can be realized without collaboration . . . It is a true honor to call him a collegue and I must admit that his generosity and perseverance inspire. No one embodies the best of this crazy world of the theatre more than Richard Pilbrow.\"
- Joseph Volpe<\/p>

For more, visit the book's website: www.atheatreproject.com<\/a>
<\/p><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>

","desc":"  \r\n The first copies arriving in our US office, and Richard savoring the moment!\r\n Richard Pilbrow's memoir A Theatre Project is available now. Subtitled A Backstage ..."},{"id":"224","date_start":"June 2, 2011","title":"Benton Delinger speaking at upcoming ECHO Digital seminar","photo":"\/files\/news_items\/echo_digital_thumb.jpg","body":"

Benton Delinger<\/a>, director, will be speaking at the first in a series of new seminars being presented by ECHO - the European Concert Hall Organization. The seminar, called ECHO Digital, will be a two-day event focusing on the latest applications of digital technologies from performance streaming and distance learning to marketing and audience development.<\/p>

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Benton has been invited to speak about the New World Center<\/a> in Miami Beach Florida, a dynamic interactive campus for the New World Symphony, one of America's leading and most innovative music academies. Combining highly flexible spaces with forward-looking technology, the performance and rehearsal spaces transform instantly into broadcast studios for recording and long-distance learning. With Internet2 connectivity, advanced audio systems, and video projection integrated throughout the facility, performers and teachers can interact with far-flung audiences or students in real time.<\/p>

The New World Center, designed by Gehry Partners, Nagata Acoustics, and Theatre Projects opened in January.<\/p>

ECHO Digital will be held Monday, June 20 and Tuesday, June 21 at The Sage Gateshead<\/a> in Gateshead England. <\/p>

Other speakers include: <\/p>