All Things to All People
Guidelines for designing a performing arts-friendly sanctuary

By Jim Cochenour, Jerry Halcomb and Peter Wolf

With a growing interest in church-based drama and concert hosting, many leaders are planning early to build a performing arts-friendly sanctuary. With this in mind, Church Business® asked a few notable architects and one Broadway art director and design veteran to talk about building a truly multi-functional worship space.

Cochenour Considers Design

When addressing any communication issue, Jim Cochenour, Vice President of Sales for Cogun Industries, says he prefers to think of how barriers can be reduced. So, he assumed the role of a worshipper to develop four statements that illustrate the functions a well-designed sanctuary will serve.

1. "Help me hear you." Sound, an essential part of any auditorium, has two basic elements: building design and sound reinforcement. Building design is the only absolute (assuming we are inside) since some auditoriums do not need electronic sound reinforcement. Acoustical engineering can maximize a room's acoustical balance. Angled walls, specially engineered block or wall treatments, and even the number of people in the room will affect final, "live" sound. Pre-wired microphone jacks, appropriate monitoring systems and an appropriately placed live mixing setup all enhance performing arts. Optimal placement is a central position about two-thirds of the way to the back of the sanctuary, even if this site is remote from other controls.

2. "Help me see you." Less ambient light is better for performing arts venues. Although many churches would love to have sanctuaries with glass walls and a view of the Rocky Mountains for when the congregation sings "Shout to the Lord," most compromise. Usually, churches allow very little ambient light in the room and control what is there. Multi-media projection is then added for a "feeling" of light. Using rear screen projection eliminates the risk of obstructing the path of light. Front stage lighting should be positioned at a 45-degree angle to minimize shadows. Fixtures that can be hidden in the ceiling are a plus.

3. "Please engage me in your message." Individual engagement, which translates structurally to narrow aisle spacing, steep slopes and individual seats, is right for performing arts venues. Community engagement is often encouraged by a fan-shaped layout (135-degree maximum angle), wider aisles and more open seating to allow for movement and relational interaction. If the distance from the pulpit to the back pew is greater than 60 feet, the floor should be sloped.

4. "Help me communicate more effectively." Adequate sound and lighting, plus a computer control area to accommodate all necessary equipment and operators are a few more design goals. Wire this space for access to the Internet, and don't forget television, cable and satellite reception.

Halcomb's How-Tos

As President and CEO of HH Architects, the guiding force behind a number of noteworthy projects, including 7,000-seat Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas, Jerry Halcomb has a few things to say about designing for pageants and services.

Room design. Consider the congregation's overall personality. Does the style of worship outweight teh need for a "theatrical" feel in the space? Does the room's interior "fit?"

Platform design. Removable stage sections and additive sections build up the platform to provide the desired stage setting are good ideas. Provide for multiple performance points. Consider a major presentation area in the center with a smaller presentation point at each side, plus different stage elevations. Think about the flexibility required for production lighting, mic jacks and sight lines.

If the church has a choir loft in the sanctuary, consider removable choir risers, portable risers or risers you can move with air casters into a receiving room behind the visible platform. On that note, horizontal sliding stage set areas are another possibility.

It is viable to provide a full-stage fly loft if there are no height restrictions and it is affordable. Allow for mic and electrical connections at the leading edge of the platform and under removable pews or seats so the orchestra and performers can both use them.

Platform access. Provide stage access for performers--possibly multiple locations. It might be a good idea to offer access points the orchestra can use during a typical worship service and for stage access for productions. Choir access points can also be used as theatrical access points. Consider how sets and items will be delivered to the platform. Situate a delivery dock that offers direct access to the platform through wide, tall doors without steps or a level change.

Communication. I-Mag units can be easily covered by stage sets because their configuration for worship requires specific points on platform design for good visual communication.

Lighting. Consider step lighting for risers in the congregation or audience. Also, wall cove lighting is good for safety and ambience, and it gives the room "life" and warmth. Unlike a worship service, some theater situations require total darkness. Front-of-house, back-of-house and other stage areas need low-level lighting to function. Keep ambient or production lights from detracting or shining on I-Mag units.

Support areas. Provide a "greenroom" for special guests or performers to use when not onstage. This room might otherwise function as the pastor's preparation room, a counseling room or a classroom. Space for costume production and costume storage is also important. Plan space for set production and storage, as well as portable make-up and dressing units that can be brought into large, adjacent classrooms converted for other back-of-house needs. Design restrooms to accommodate the demands that accompany short intermissions, keeping in mind women's restrooms need twice the capacity of men's. Another good idea is to plan childcare provisions adjacent to the lobby and not far from the worship center. Television monitors in the lobby can broadcast the performance and promote upcoming church activities. And don't forget to plan spaces for ticketing, tape sales and refreshments, plus a hospitality room and first aid station.

Wolf's Pageant Planning Guide

Over the course of Peter Wolf's 50-year career, he has provided art direction and set design for several Broadway shows, including The King and I and Peter Pan. Today, part of Wolf and his associates' work is collaborating with architects to integrate pageants into new sanctuaries. Here, he presents his guide to pageant planning, written with ministry in mind.

Why create a Biblical setting for church presentation? Our challenge is to touch the hearts of our viewers so that God's grace can be received. By giving focus to the story, the Holy Spirit will touch everyone. Today, lighting and special effects make a presentation more vivid and captivating.

Pageant design. Our approach is built around detailed meetings with church music ministers and pastors to assess goals, determine space available and budgets necessary, and to develop a cohesive concept for the presentation of productions throughout the year. In many cases, pageant design is allowed to evolve over a period of several years so cost can be defrayed and productions can remain fresh and exciting.

Since most churches are designed with a large forestage area and an elevated choir loft, we begin by developing a set of platforms and steps that bridge these two areas and allow the flow of action to move freely from downstage to upstage. Giving the orchestra its own space is another consideration when designing platforming. Many times, we find the most effective manner of separating the orchestra from the audience is by building a runway the same height as the downstage areas that surround it. This runway, or passerella, also serves as an additional acting area. We also usually incorporate a ramp on either side of the mainstage area for animal access. The final touch is a mound or small hill located far upstage, which can be used both for the crucifixion and the burial of Christ.

Next, we develop a vehicle for changing the locale of the scenes within the pageant. The proscenium arch, we've found, is the most successful way to accomplish this. This arch serves three purposes: first, it creates a picture frame that focuses the attention of the audience toward the stage; second, it gives us the ability to hide many technical aspects of the show (i.e., lighting instruments, traveler tracks, backstage areas and the rigging for flying angels); and third, it aids in creating a cohesive overall look to the production.

With the development of the proscenium arch, scenic elements can be attached to rolling wagons that can be moved onstage and offstage for each scene. A series of traveler tracks can be hung just below the ceiling, and muslin drops or scrims can be attached to them with different scenes painted on each. A series of roller drops up to 40 feet wide can be used. Or, a turntable can be added to the platforming so that while a scene plays on one side, a new visual look can be set up on the other side.

Architectural considerations. Our experience with church pageant planning has allowed us to develop a set of guidelines.

1. The main platform for the stage should be load bearing and 36 to 42 inches from the floor.

2. Choir levels (or risers) and steps should be removable for clear staging options, or these levels should be flush with new, built-in staging for productions. In any case, provide removable handrails, podium, organ, planter boxes and so on.

3. Create a variety of stage levels and steps for more interesting blocking and pictorial dramas when large casts are involved.

4. Stage level should be interchangeable with wood, marley and carpet. If possible, it should also be marked with a centerline.

5. Place electrical pockets in the stage floor and walls for easy accessibility.

6. None of the audience's fire exits should be located onstage.

7. Create sitelines for the audience that will adapt well to a pageant portal or proscenium arch being introduced.

8. Return air vents should not interfere with soft goods (i.e., borders, legs and backdrops). If these items have air flowing directly into them, it creates a sail or ripple effect.

9. Design built-in storage areas stage right, stage left and/or stage center to store railing, planter boxes and other elements during a pageant. Store scenery and pageant platforms here at all other times.

10. Ceiling workspace over stage should be clear of HVAC ducts. Beams above dropped ceiling should be support weight.

11. Catwalk systems over the stage area should be designed as close as possible to a theatrical grid (i.e., perpendicular to the sanctuary centerline).

12. Supply a rigging, or "grid," system to hang borders, legs, backdrops, traveler tracks and portals above a dropped ceiling or separately under the ceiling. In many cases, this can be accomplished by leasing or buying a chain hoist motor unit and weight-supporting truss system.

13. The drop ceiling should be protected from cable lines passing through it from structural beams to the truss system by six- to eight-inch diameter holes in the ceiling. If possible, lines should be spaced on four-foot centers up- and downstage and should be located stage right, stage left and center stage. Structural hangers should be positioned more than six feet above each hole.

14. Provide an elevator (freight) or ladders off the mainstage area for quick and easy access to the grid or above the ceiling.

15. Keep back choir loft (stage) wall clear of things like organs, trumpets, planters that overhang, sculptures and other architectural details so it can be used for upstage landscape drops and Mylar curtains.

16. Keep the speaker cluster downstage (in front) of potential stage area. Make sure it is as flat as possible, not pendant-style.

17. Plan loading doors or large double doors with a removable center post and at least eight feet of clearance for accessibility from outside the building to the stage area.

18. The first 10 rows of pews in the auditorium should be removable to extend the stage, orchestra, ramps, steps and other features into the "house."

19. Also consider designating a contained and motorized area that drops into subfloor to create a deep orchestra pit.

20. Orchestra lights should be covered with blue gel to avoid audience and actor distraction.

21. Follow-spot positions should be incorporated as high as possible in the last row of balcony--or behind wall of last row--to avoid the "car headlight effect."

22. "God-light" (for when Jesus is in the presence of his Father) should be marked when blocking the show since these are very strong, tight vertical beams.