Theatre Auditorium Technical Specifications

Aug. 19, 2025

Rules:

Fire Regulations: Exit signs must be illuminated and visible to the general public at all times.  Fire pull stations must be unobstructed and visible or their location clearly indicated via signage and accessible to all staff members and the public at all times.

Indigenous Use of Traditional Medicines (Policy 7.14) & Open Flames and Open Air Burning on Campus (Policy 7.12) will apply to any requests for open flames in the theatre and must be arranged at least two weeks in advance.

Any fabric, drapery, or textiles used onstage must meet Ontario’s Fire Code Regulations & Fire Protection and Prevention Act Subsection 2.3.2.1 Flame resistance of textiles. This means that these items must have a fire-resistance rating of not less than 1 hour. If the client cannot produce a certificate of flame retardant, then the Theatre personnel will test a portion of the item to ensure that the material will pass the match flame test as stated in NFPA 705.

Licenses: The theatre uses Entandem Licensing to have a SOCAN & RE:Sound licenses for all preshow and post-show music in the theatre and lobby areas.

Personnel: Crew is made up of qualified students and a House Crew of IATSE technicians.

You are required to have two (2) technicians present whenever you are working in the space. If you require further technical support the Theatre will engage additional technicians on your behalf or, with the approval of the Director of Production, you may be permitted to supplement by providing your own technicians to run video, act as ASMs backstage, etc.

For performances, you are required to have one (1) Front of House Manager and a minimum of ushers, to be determined based on expected attendance. 

• The Front of House Manager must be present 1 hour prior to curtain until 45 minutes following the show.
• The ushers will be present 45 minutes prior to curtain until 30 minutes following the show.

Safety requirements: Steel-toed shoes must be worn by all persons present in the theatre during load-in / set-up / technical work calls.

Hard hats are required by all persons present in the theatre up to and including the lighting hang.  The use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) shall be enforced.  PPE is the responsibility of the Renter and their workers. Additional safety measures may be enforced at the discretion of the technical coordinator.

Please note that only the staff of the theatre may work at heights. 

Scheduling notes: Labour charges billed will be based on actual time worked by staff.

Each call shall be a minimum of:

• Four (4) hours for IATSE technicians and the FOH Manager.
• Three (3) hours for student technicians and all other Front of House staff.

Meal breaks and overtime:

• Staff are entitled to a paid fifteen (15) minute coffee break after two (2) hours worked.
• Staff will receive a sixty (60) minute meal break after five (5) hours work.  If you infringe upon the meal break a meal penalty will be applied at double the current rate.
• After 8 hrs of work personnel are billed out at one and one-half (1-1/2) times the contracted rate.
• For work after midnight, staff will be paid for transportation home by taxi and the renter will be billed accordingly.

Ticketing: Events can either be general admission or reserved seating—if you wish to do reserved seating, please provide 30 days of advance notice. Ticketing may be handled by the WLU Box Office or by the presenter if they supply their own Box Office Staff.

Space

Dressing Rooms: Two dressing rooms are available close to the stage (TA110 & TAB115). The dressing rooms are located Stage Left.

• TA110 (small) has a capacity for 5 people.
• TAB115 (large, down a flight of stairs) has a capacity for 15 people.
• Both have sinks, toilets, mirrors, make-up lights, clothing racks, and running water.
• Classrooms may be available for use as extra dressing rooms and must be arranged four weeks in advance.

Loading Doors: There are loading doors along the left side of the building, all of which have stairs to enter. There are loading options at street level; for details, please consult with the Director of Production.

Parking: There is no parking available in the loading dock. For the purpose of load-in and delivery, provisions are allowed for a vehicle near the loading access for a limit of 30 minutes.  Should you require more time, a parking permit must be acquired from Parking Services prior to loading.

Seating Capacity: Total capacity = 300-500.

There are wheelchair accessible seats in the middle row of the audience.

If need seats reserved in the audience for performers, please consult with the Director of Production at least two weeks out

Set Installation:

• Scenery may be fastened to the floor at the discretion of the Technical Coordinator. Please confirm the appropriate methods for affixing scenery with the Technical Coordinator.
• No scenery shall be attached/fastened to the building walls.

Stage Dimensions:  Thrust stage made of plywood & Masonite.  Stage surface is Masonite painted black.

• 32’0” deep x 31’0” wide (See floor plan for specifications)
• Height of grid is 20’ from deck
• Proscenium opening = 31’ wide x 14’ high
• Depth of apron = 10’0” 
• Depth upstage of proscenium to Cyc = 22’0” 

Wing Space:  From outside edge of proscenium:  SR 12’ / SL 14’

Floor Dimensions:  Flat floor of painted black tile.  Stage surface is Masonite painted black. 

• 66’0” Wide by 100’0” Deep

Lighting

Control:  

• ETC ION - 1024 channels (uses USB for memory)
• 2 x 10” touch screen monitors
• 1 MacBook laptop or computer monitor that can be used as a designer’s monitor in the house (subject to availability).

Dimming:

• 96 x 2.4kW

Please consult with Technical Director on distribution of circuits and house stock plot

House lights: House lights can be controlled on a separately controlled wall panel

Grid: There are multiple lighting positions throughout the space. See plot for placement. 

*PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS NOT A FLY HOUSE.*

House Plot:
The theatre has a permanent house plot that must remain in place. You are welcome to add additional lights for specials or concepts. You may re-colour but not re-focus the house plot without 4 weeks prior approval of the Technical Director.

Luminaries Inventory: Please consult with the Technical Director for the current inventory and stock plot

Rosco and some Lee colour gel inventory

Rosco & GAM, A size, gobo inventory available upon request

CABLES: Subject to availability please confirm your cabling needs with the technical coordinator 

• Various lengths of 20A Twistlock from 2’ to 50’
• Various lengths of 5-pin DMX and 3-pin DMX 

Booth Location: Centre back of the space. Entrance through lobby.

Various:                                    
4 x boom bases
Various lengths of schedule 40 pipe (3’ long to 21’ long)
1 x Radiance hazer
1 x Fog Machine
1 x Rosco I-Cue & DMX Iris

Audio

Operation:  Flexible depending on needs, complex FOH mixes are done from mid house

Multitrack Recording: Available upon request, may require extra crew, must be arranged 4 weeks in advance

Control and Processing:  Midas Venice in the booth for routing. A&H SQ6 for monitors and A&H Avantis for FOH

Speakers:  

There are 5 house speakers placed in a L/C/R configuration with two fill speakers

There are 2 Speakers in the lobby space

Subwoofer *available upon request* 

Additional QSC K8.2 powered speakers can be made available upon request subject to availability

Playback Devices:  

• Mac Mini with QLab, Spotify

Communication:  

4 x wireless headsets with belt packs

Additional wired Com stations may be available upon request.

Please note that there is no paging system available but there is program sound & CCTV to dressing rooms.

Cables:                                                

Various lengths of XLR from 2’ to 100 ‘ 

Various lengths ¼” Mono Instrument Cable 

Various ¼” TRS to XLR

Various adaptors (RCA, ⅛”, ¼”, XLR) 

*confirm cabling needs with the technical coordinator* 

Mics & stands:                                 

All microphones & stands subject to availability, please consult with Technical Director for full inventory

Extras:                                                 

• Tascam Stereo Audio Recorder
• Yamaha & Steinway Concert Grands
• Percussion and Backline by request, extra charges may apply
• 10 x Williams Sound Hearing Assist 

Video

Projectors:  

• Christie Digital DWU951 (8,500 lumens)

• 1920X1200 WUXGA resolution
• Zoom lens
• Hung in the house and framed for roll down projection screen in proscenium or on Cyc

Also available:

• 2x 43” 4K UHD TV’s on rolling stands for use for Ted Talk style presentations

Cables: Various Lengths of HDMI, Coax, BNC, Cat5e (please confirm availability with technical coordinator) 

Other Equipment: (available upon request):

• 3x PTZ Cameras with PTZ Optics controller
• 1x MAC Mini for Video and DSK
• DataVideo Video Recorder
• 1 x USB Blu-Ray Disc player 
• 2 x Ceiling mounts for projectors 
• 2 x Set of HD HDBaseT Extender

*** Please note that you must supply your own computer for PowerPoint presentations or video content that is not provided to the technical coordinator at least one week in advance of your event. We may be able to accommodate last minute content provided on a USB on a case by case basis.  If you bring an Apple computer please bring the required adapter for HDMI.

Drapes and Equipment

Soft goods: Please consult with Technical Director

Misc.:

• Concert Furniture including chairs, music stands, conductor stools, podium
• 4 x black wooden stools
• 8 x black acting cubes
• 4X8 & 3X8 Wenger risers

Amenities

Wardrobe: There is a washer and dryer in the smaller dressing room that you are welcome to use. High-efficiency soap only.

There is an iron and ironing board along with an industrial steamer.

Front of House

Lobby: There is a large lobby attached to the theatre. The lobby includes: 

• Tables &  Black Linens upon request
• 2x TV’s for program information
• 2x speakers for program

Nothing is to be hung on the walls using tape or pins. Painters Tape is the only approved method of attaching pictures or signage to the walls.

First Aid: The Front of House Manager is trained in first aid as are the technicians. There is a first aid kit in the Front of House Manager’s office in case of emergency.

The theatre is also equipped with an AED (Automated External Defibrillator). The Front of House Manager is trained in its usage.

Food & Drink: You are welcome to sell refreshments in the lobby at intermission, though only plastic bottled water will be allowed back inside the theatre. All other refreshments must be consumed prior to re-entering the theatre.

If you wish to serve alcoholic beverages it is your responsibility to inquire 4 weeks in advance

It is the responsibility of the client to provide the cash float and the people to work the refreshment tables. The Theatre can provide these people at an additional cost but this must be arranged at least 4 weeks in advance of the event.

Merchandise: You are welcome to sell merchandise in the lobby during your event.  It is the responsibility of the client to provide the cash float and the people to work the merchandise tables. The Theatre can provide these people at an additional cost but this must be arranged at least 4 weeks in advance of the event.