Renderings by Westlake Reed Leskosky
From Michael Bloom, Artistic Director
It’s dizzying to think that by the beginning of 2011 we will have four construction projects in process simultaneously!
• Allen Theater renovation
• Second Stage and Lab theatre construction
• Middough Building operations center
• A close-to-being-determined site for set and prop construction and storage
Reconfigured Allen Theatre
The old seats are already out of the Allen, and I’m looking forward to seeing the new design begin. It’s going to be a beautifully intimate 500 seat theatre, with excellent acoustics, sight lines, and amenities.
Second Stage Configurations
The construction that has caused the temporary detour from the Chester garage to PlayhouseSquare is the beginning phase of our exciting new theatres. The Second Stage will be one of only three fully flexible spaces in the country, with just seven rows of seats. Environment means a great deal to a play; there’s virtually a chemical reaction between a production and its surroundings. And for the first time in decades, CPH will have a truly appropriate space for new work.
Second Stage Lobby
All visitors to PlayhouseSquare who park in the Chester garage will benefit from our project. Instead of the ‘gerbil tube’ passageway, there will be an indoor promenade through our newly constructed theatres.
And thanks to PlayhouseSquare’s decision to buy the Middough building, we’ll have offices, rehearsal halls, classrooms, and a costume shop within 200 feet of the Allen Theatre. We’re hoping to move in at the end of this coming summer.
We’re also about to embark on a lease of an off-site property for set and prop construction and storage. I can’t give details now, but it’s in an area that is quickly being revitalized with new infrastructure and the potential to be an important new manufacturing area.
In subsequent postings, I’ll write about the impact of our move on downtown.
And don’t forget our great shows!
Michael Bloom
Artistic Director
