American Society of Theatre Consultants

The American Society of Theatre Consultants (ASTC) is a professional organization with its primary objective to inform and assist owners, users, planners and architects about the services that theatre consultants offer and about the value of those services to the achievement of effective and economically viable performance and assembly facilities, whether large or small, whether new construction or a remodeling/renovation project. The types of facilities that an ASTC member can assist in are:
*Theatres: professional & commercial, regional, universities, colleges, high schools and community
*Auditoriums
*Concert Halls
*Arenas
*Stadiums
*Churches
*Multi-use performance facilities (for theatre, dance, concerts, opera, etc)
*Corporate theatres, board rooms, and presentation & conference rooms
*Showrooms

The Members of the ASTC are professional theatre consultants who have demonstrated a broad range of capability and experience necessary to qualify for membership. As professionals, ASTC members have individual and collective interests in providing unbiased, functionally sound and practical consulting and design services to owners, users, architects, and engineers or performance and assembly facilities. These interests are reflected in the objectives and programs of the Society.

Theatre consultant definition

(also see theatre consultant)A theatre consultant, hired by either the architect or owner, is a professional advisor who provides guidance, advice and support to owners and design teams on the planning, design, and equipping of theatres, concert halls, and other types of facilities used for public assembly and presentation of the performing arts. ASTC members must be well versed in technical criteria such as:
*stage layout and specifications (also see Parts of a theatre)
*fly system and rigging
*mechanical systems such as turntables, orchestra pit lifts, etc.
*theater drapes and stage curtains
*seating and sightlines
*stage lighting equipment and lighting positions
*audio systems
*acoustics
*video projection criteria
*dressing room specifications
*loading docks
*front of house
*building and safety codes
*Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

Theatre consulting is an interactive process which engages the collaboration of the owner, the architect and all of the design team members, as well as general and specialty contractors. The consultant informs, guides and contributes to the collaborative process by providing input for the design of the space (the form, layout, and indicated function of a theatre), theatre systems design and specification (the process of applying the available technology to achieve the program requirements, in harmony with the aesthetic goals of the project) along with the management ability to continually inform the process and guide the outcome in such a way that the appropriate solutions are integrated into the building to support the complex nature of the diverse tasks that are to take place in and around the building.

Membership criteria

The members of the American Society of Theatre Consultants are professional theatre consultants who have demonstrated a broad range of capability and experience necessary to qualify for membership. As professionals, ASTC members have individual and collective interest in providing unbiased, functionally sound and practical consulting and design services to owners, users, architects and engineers of the performance and assembly facilities. These interests are reflected in the objective and programs of the ASTC.

Society Membership is open only to individuals whose professional qualifications as a theatre consultant meet the following eligibility requirements:
* Scope of Work: To be eligible, individuals must have general consulting capabilities, as exemplified by personal participation in the broad range of consulting work involved in the programming, planning and equipping of Performance facilities and/or audio-visual studio facilities. However, generalist capability in all of the above facilities types is not required.
* Professional Status: To be eligible, individuals must derive their principal income from work as consultants to owners, architects and/or engineers for Performance, Assembly or Studio facilities.
* Professional Affiliations: Eligible individuals may be independent consultants or may be members of professional firms.
* Experience: To be eligible, an individual must have acted as the general consultant responsible for not less than five substantial projects completed within the past five years. She or he must also have experience equivalent to at least five years of full time professional work as a general theatre consultant.
* Commercial Affiliations: To be eligible, individuals must not be owners, employees or commission agents of any firm that manufactures, sells or installs equipment or that acts as a contractor for the construction of performance, assembly or studio facilities.

ymposiums and Forums

The American Society of Theatre Consultants has a current membership of 58 individuals representing 25 theatre consulting offices. The strength of the organization rests with the ongoing interaction among individual members and the collective mission to establish and maintain best practices within the theatre building design industry.

The design of performance facilities is often stated to be in the same category of complexity as that of hospitals and laboratory facilities, being the most complex physical structures to achieve. ASTC members are committed to an ongoing process of broadening their understanding of this building type through in-depth examinations of the many aspects of performance facility design. Each year, the organization sponsors a Forum at which members explore a new subject and issues are examined in detail. Past Forum topics include:
* Programming and Planning for the 21st Century
* The Artistic Side of Theatre Planning
* Acousticians
* Facilities for Dance
* Casino Theatres
* Outdoor Theatres
* Rooms for Music
* Front of House Design Issues

The ASTC has a continuing interest and involvement in the evolution of building codes and has been a major catalyst in the development of all of the major building and life safety codes pertaining to performance facility design.

Allied organizations

The ASTC maintains close ties with allied organizations including the United States Institute for Theatre Technology (USITT), the International Association of Auditorium Managers (IAAM), the Entertainment Services and Technology Association (ESTA), and the International Institute for Theatre Technology (OISTAT). In 1999, the ASTC established an Internship Program that invites qualified theatre and architectural students to participate in annual Forum activities.

References

*John Russell Brown. "What is Theatre?: An Introduction and Exploration". Focal Press, 1997. Page 203
*Iain Mackintosh. "Architecture, Actor and Audience". Routledge, 1st edition, December 28, 1993. Page 87
*James Moody. "The Business of Theatrical Design". Allworth Press, 1st edition, October 10, 2002. Page 151
*Francis Reid. "Stages for Tomorrow: Housing, funding and marketing live performances". Focal Press, June 1998. Page 33

External links

* [http://www.theatreconsultants.org ASTC website]
* [http://theatreconsultants.org/roster.html ASTC Membership Roster]