Fall 2023

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Greetings from ASTC

The holidays are in full swing and people around the world are celebrating the winter solstice (or summer, for our friends in the southern hemisphere), as well as Hanukkah, Christmas, and Kwanzaa. Our venues are sparkling with music, dance, opera, theatre, and the other festive gatherings that pepper the calendar this time of year. Our hard-working members will hopefully enjoy a respite from our work and spend time with our families…unless we have a late December deadline. We are near the end of the ASTC’s 40^th Anniversary year, and we look back fondly on our warm and congenial anniversary reception at the Park Avenue Armory Board of Officers Room in New York City in October, as well as our energetic tours of David Geffen Hall, Little Island, PAC NYC, and The Shed. We also welcome our newest members, Maura LaRiviere and Jeff Miller, as well as our Associate member, Brandon Creel, who were admitted to the Society at our fall Forum meeting. 

After the ball drops in Times Square, we look forward to continuing our work in support of professional excellence in theatre planning and design in 2024. We will convene on March 23 in Seattle for our Annual Meeting in conjunction with the USITT National Conference. Our Conference Committee is also working on plans for our Fall Forum to be held somewhere in the Southwestern US. 

Our most sincere wish for the New Year is that the arts we support with our facilities will continue to promote thoughtful conversations and deep reflections. Those are the seeds of the enduring peace and mutual understanding needed to heal our troubled world.  

Heather McAvoy, ASTC

President



Happy 40th Birthday to the ASTC by Kimberly Corbett Oates, ASTC

What Happens in the Lobby

Paul Sanow, ASTC

ASTC 40th Anniversary Forum by Michael Parrella, ASTC

New ASTC Members - Fall 2023 by Kent Conrad, ASTC

Did You Know - Checking in on the Coat Room by Robert Long, FASTC & Robert Shook, FASTC

Gil-Puljols Completes the Jim Read Internship by Paul Sanow, ASTC

ASTC Presents at IAVM Pittsburgh by Paul Sanow, ASTC

The ASTC celebrates its 40th Anniversary this year. We look back at what the organization has meant to long time and newer members.

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Lobbies aren’t just places where audiences mill about, waiting for the doors to open so they can find their seats. More and more operators want these spaces to serve a variety of functions, often to generate revenue or at least provide audience service.

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The members of the American Society of Theatre Consultants (ASTC) held their annual Forum in New York City. Coinciding with the 40th Anniversary of the organization, the group toured several high profile recent projects in the city and held a reception to celebrate.

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View of two spaces in the Perelman joined together; the third space is seen stage right. Photo by Paul Sanow, ASTC

Looking toward the performance platform, Wu Tsai Theatre at David Geffen Hall. Photo courtesy of Fisher Dachs Associates.

The Wade Thompson Drill Hall at the Park Avenue Armory, during a load-in. Photo by Paul Sanow

Maura LaRiviere, ASTC

Jeff Miller, ASTC

Two new consultants have been invited to join the membership of the American Society of Theatre Consultants (ASTC).

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Coat Check at Schermerhorn Symphony Center, Nashville, TN. Photo courtesy of Chris Sprague, ASTC.

At some point in the design of performing arts spaces there may be a discussion of the requirements for a coat room. Buildings are changing with the times, and this program space is no different.

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At USITT’s conference in St. Louis, high school student Alyssa Gil-Pujols presented her experience working with an ASTC mentor. During her internship she learned about theatre consulting as a potential career path and completed a project to demonstrate some of what she learned.

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Gil-Pujols looked at the sightlines in section, thinking about two possible approaches.

Scott and Robert have told stories to IAVM audiences of many theatre towns over the years, including Pittsburgh in 2023. Photo by Ashley Keen

The ASTC continues to be active at the International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM) Conference, this year in Pittsburgh. Two intrepid ASTC Fellows, Robert Long, FASTC and Scott Crossfield, FASTC, led the charge with the next installment of their history series.

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