A Guide to Studying the Relationship Between Engineering and Theatre

by Debra Bruch


Home

The Experience of Theatre

How Theatre Happens

Directing Theatre

The Relationship Between Engineering and Audience

-- Introduction

-- The Space

-- Technical Conditions

-- Climate Conditions

-- Safety

-- Theatrical Conventions

-- Performance Conventions

-- Style Conventions

-- Creativity

Climate Conditions

Are the stage and house enclosed?

Is the performance dependent on natural environment?

Do the climate conditions change during the performance?

Does the engineering product function to gain audience comfort?


Does the Engineering Product Function to Gain Audience Comfort?


If climate becomes a problem then sometimes the solution is to create an engineering product to gain audience comfort. One typical problem is fog filtering out into the house and affecting the audience. One example of a solution is to set up fans to draw the fog under the stage. But then that sets up other problems to be solved like sound distraction. If an engineering product is built to solve a climate problem, the key is to make sure that product does not distract or focus the patron onto the product. Many times, though, there's little or nothing that can be done about climate conditions.

One engineering product in history that was created to gain audience comfort was the velarium. Some Roman theatres like the Theatre of Marcellus had a suspended canvas over the audience members to protect them from sun and weather.


© Debra Bruch 2005