The Roda Theater: A Dream Comes to Life
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Earlier this year, Berkeley Repertory Theatre (BRT) celebrated the opening of its long-awaited Roda Theater. The new, $20 million, 600-seat proscenium stage had been in planning for over a decade and is linked via a courtyard to BRT's 401-seat thrust stage next door. BRT has an illustrious 33-year history in the San Francisco Bay Area, and is recognized as one of the finest regional theater companies in the United States. Designed by ELS of Berkeley, with the collaboration of Auerbach + Associates of San Francisco, the Roda is truly the jewel of the city of Berkeley's growing downtown arts district. Combining a flexible, utilitarian stage with a state-of-the-art sound and lighting system, the space sets a new standard for regional theaters in the nation. SOUND FOR ALL SEASONS Working closely with the architects and BRT staff, acoustical treatments were completed in the Roda by David Schwinn of Charles Salter in San Francisco. The primary goal was to create a relatively dry space so that the sound of an actor's voice wouldn't linger. "I wanted the actors not to have to vocally push," says BRT artistic director Tony Taccone. "I didn't want microphones to be required for the human voice." Adds Tom Neville, former production manager with BRT now with Auerbach, "When you're doing voice, the last thing you want is a reverberant space." Integrating a sound system that wouldn't elevate the noise level or distract in any other way was BRT's next challenge. For this, BRT turned to Meyer Sound. It was natural choice, since Meyer and BRT had developed a long, collaborative friendship since the mid-1980s. It was also an opportunity for Meyer to create a signature showcase for it's products, featuring an extensive selection of self-powered loudspeakers and subwoofers. "This theater is my dream system", enthuses Garth Hemphill of GLH Design, a sound system consulting firm based in San Francisco. In addition to helping select system components with John Monitto and Todd Meier of Meyer Sound, Hemphill was responsible for its layout infrastructure. Roda has arguably the largest surround sound capability of any regional theater in the United States. Eight UPM-1Ps serve as dedicated surround and house effects speakers, with 29 additional UPM-1Ps serving as front fills, box fills, upstairs effects speakers, as well as speakers for the upstairs and downstairs lobby areas. Hemphill adds, "The console will accommodate 24 discrete channels of output that can drive as many speakers as we need for surround work. We have 20 side fills and rear fills in the space that could be applied to surround imaging and that doesn't even include the main speakers!" There are eight CQ-1s in use: four in the center cluster, with pairs to the left and right. Says Hemphill, "The great thing about the CQ-1 is that its directional control extends into lower frequencies than most cabinets its size. All cabinets will steer the higher frequency sounds down to a certain frequency before sound starts spreading out. The CQ-1s control features allow designers to keep more of the low frequencies directed at the audience and off the hard surfaces." The CQ-1s are also fed via Meyer Sound's VEAM an all-in-one connector that replaces the AC connector with a multipin connector that will handle AC power, audio, and RMS data. Roda employs four USW-1P subwoofers, specifically chosen for their smaller size so they could be easily moved around. Four UM-100Ps and two UPA-1Ps serve as foldback speakers, providing monitors for the performers as well as a way to bring effects back onto the stage. In addition, twelve of Meyer's new four-inch cube MM-4 speakers have a home here, acting as 'cricket speakers' that can easily be placed throughout the performance space. The rugged MM-4 caught the imagination of BRT former resident sound designer, James LeBrecht, who thought they'd be perfect for delivering ambient sound throughout the theater. For system calibration, ten CP-10 equalization systems were provided. Also, Meyer installed its SIM System II analyzer, making it easy to quickly equalize the sound system for every new show. An RMS system allows operators to monitor what's happening throughout the theater on a computer so that problems can be quickly addressed. THE PLAY'S THE THING The Roda's technological arsenal is impressive, but it was assembled for one purpose only: to facilitate excellent theatrical experiences. "This theater is not about bells and whistles", says LeBrecht. "This is about being able to dream up any use of sounds, music, voices, noise, mistakes, and realize that dream. You should be able to call upon the sound for a show and not be aware of the effort behind it. During The Oresteia [a play by Aeschylus that was the Roda's first production], I never knew when a sound was going to happen. And when it did, it floated in the space, it made its impact, it said what it needed to say and there was no apology in its presentation." Today, few if any regional theaters in the United States can boast the capabilities of the Roda Theater. It sets a new standard for technical excellence, providing a no-excuses environment for sound designers. It is also a tribute to what a theater company can do to help enrich and transform a neighborhood. The opening of Roda Theater is truly a dream come to life, setting the tone for what will be a dynamic arts district in the years to come. June, 2001 |
FEATURED PRODUCTS By Alex Artaud, a musician, sound engineer, and writer living in Oakland, CA. |
