Don Rusell Performing Arts Centre
Mon, 2 Apr 2001, 04:15 pmWalter Plinge14 posts in thread
Don Rusell Performing Arts Centre
Mon, 2 Apr 2001, 04:15 pmGreetings to all
I am currently undertaking a review of the Don Russell perf Arts centre in Thornlie / Gosnells for the City of gosnells.
Basically i am interested in any thoughts / views / suggestions you have about the DRPAC. Its obvious that this venue straddles a couple of areas, being Perfromming Arts, community arts, community theatre, community access, class and workshop facilities and so-on. The areas that i am looking at are as follows:
1. establishing the purpose of the DRPAC and placing it within the greater community facilities of the City of Gosnells
2. Alternatives to the current mode of operation and management of the centre
3. the placement of DRPAC within the professional and amateur theatre communities.
Obviously these last two points have some relevance to users of these pages.
Anyway i welcome all thoughts and am willing to disscuss the overall thrust of the document when its prepared. i should stress that it is up to the City of Gosnells if the actual document is for public consultation or not.
i can be contacted by replying to this, or directly at skunkworks@wafringe.com.au, or on 0413 751 552.
For those of you wondering who the hell i am, i am currently the director of the WA Fringe festival, previously i ran The blue room Theartre,... i have just finished being a theatre fund member of the Australia Council,... I am not an arts consultant!
For those that still do not know who i am i am sorry but i cannot waste more space.
Cheers
Tony Bonney
I am currently undertaking a review of the Don Russell perf Arts centre in Thornlie / Gosnells for the City of gosnells.
Basically i am interested in any thoughts / views / suggestions you have about the DRPAC. Its obvious that this venue straddles a couple of areas, being Perfromming Arts, community arts, community theatre, community access, class and workshop facilities and so-on. The areas that i am looking at are as follows:
1. establishing the purpose of the DRPAC and placing it within the greater community facilities of the City of Gosnells
2. Alternatives to the current mode of operation and management of the centre
3. the placement of DRPAC within the professional and amateur theatre communities.
Obviously these last two points have some relevance to users of these pages.
Anyway i welcome all thoughts and am willing to disscuss the overall thrust of the document when its prepared. i should stress that it is up to the City of Gosnells if the actual document is for public consultation or not.
i can be contacted by replying to this, or directly at skunkworks@wafringe.com.au, or on 0413 751 552.
For those of you wondering who the hell i am, i am currently the director of the WA Fringe festival, previously i ran The blue room Theartre,... i have just finished being a theatre fund member of the Australia Council,... I am not an arts consultant!
For those that still do not know who i am i am sorry but i cannot waste more space.
Cheers
Tony Bonney
RE: Don Rusell Performing Arts Centre
Wed, 4 Apr 2001, 04:16 pmThe City of Gosnels needs to make a capital improvement to the DRPAC if it wants to attract a wider range of shows which will allow for a larger commercial return, but that is not what a Community Arts Centre is for overall is it? Cutting edge youth theatre may only sell ten tickets in a season but will be the training grounds for our next generation of Theatre Professionals.
Will you be publishing the stage dimensions or using photos etc to show prospective users what facilities and space is being offered?
The stage at DRPAC needs to be extended back into the current dressing room to make it more useable. It is not deep enough for large scale musicals or dance production.
The set access is almost non existant thanks to a low airconditioning duct so this needs to be improved.
There is only access to one side of the stage for any fast exits or entrances for large casts, the single door OP is not very practical.
If the stage is deepened then an extra lighting bar needs to be added for the new cyc position. There is not enough lighting outlets on the existing stage for a flexible design so the existing ones cannot be shifted.
If the stage is deepened then the front row of seats can be put back in and the thrust removed which will increase seating.
When you compare DRPAC to St mary's it is easy to tell which theatre was designed by a theatre architect with the users interests in mind.(The answer is not DRPAC Virginia)
It would be interesting to see a comparison of "community" venues and their useage to allow a comparison of how much value councils etc are getting for their money spent. This may tell the City of Gosnells whether they will get a greater useage from their Community Arts Centre or if they have a good assett that they have been taking for granted.
I am a lighting designer so my comments are biased towards good facilities which will allow for better shows.
Will you be publishing the stage dimensions or using photos etc to show prospective users what facilities and space is being offered?
The stage at DRPAC needs to be extended back into the current dressing room to make it more useable. It is not deep enough for large scale musicals or dance production.
The set access is almost non existant thanks to a low airconditioning duct so this needs to be improved.
There is only access to one side of the stage for any fast exits or entrances for large casts, the single door OP is not very practical.
If the stage is deepened then an extra lighting bar needs to be added for the new cyc position. There is not enough lighting outlets on the existing stage for a flexible design so the existing ones cannot be shifted.
If the stage is deepened then the front row of seats can be put back in and the thrust removed which will increase seating.
When you compare DRPAC to St mary's it is easy to tell which theatre was designed by a theatre architect with the users interests in mind.(The answer is not DRPAC Virginia)
It would be interesting to see a comparison of "community" venues and their useage to allow a comparison of how much value councils etc are getting for their money spent. This may tell the City of Gosnells whether they will get a greater useage from their Community Arts Centre or if they have a good assett that they have been taking for granted.
I am a lighting designer so my comments are biased towards good facilities which will allow for better shows.
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