Continued

For the orchestra and balcony level side boxes areas, delay speakers were part of the original design, but almost fell to budget considerations. "We selected two rows, one that sat just forward of the actual balcony itself and shot down into the front half of the balcony, and another smaller row that shot back into the upper right and left corners of the balcony. And along each sidewall, the box seats needed some extra fill."

When the project was readied for bid, the speakers for these positions were moved to the "add/alternate" list, awaiting further funding, where they remained. However, Robb made certain that the infrastructure to support these speakers become part of the final spec.

The delay system was, in the final hours, rescued. But it took the demise of another sub-system to do it—seven front-fill speakers that were to have run along the stage-edge. Architectural changes in the course of the project grew out the orchestra pit so that the whole dynamic of the front-fill system changed. "You simply couldn't walk between the front row seats and the orchestra pit if the speakers were put in place," says ECA Technical Director, Jeff Vaughn. And the speakers would have played directly into the faces of front row patrons.

During the tuning of the hall, Vaughn consulted with Robb on the problem. "Since it didn't look like we were going to be able to use these speakers, and we had the amplification and the processing for them," says Robb, "I thought: why don't we press these into service in side boxes and the over balcony?" A quick test of the idea with one speaker in the balcony, made a "wonderful difference," according to Robb.

The other front-fill speakers—four in the balcony and one for each side box—were re-located, with a special yoke fashioned by the head carpenter, and EQ, level, and delay dialed in. The result: a greatly improved listening experience for the people in the balcony and side boxes.

FOH Console

The FOH audio console is a digital Yamaha M7CL-48, a choice championed by Vaughn. "The original spec called for an analog console," he says, "but that was nearly three years before we opened when no one had any idea what sort of events we'd program, beyond what we hosted pre-renovation." By the time Vaughn joined ECA in August '06, the situation had changed. "Knowing the type and range of events booked into the facility, 250 in the first season, the ability to save scenes, and the benefits of being able to insert onboard processing in groups, was something I didn't think we could be without."

Vaughan had demo'd the M7CL for a special event while working at the Seattle Repertory Theater, but his primary audio operator had not worked with a digital console before. "I spent some time with the console and so did my operator, who has a background in musical theater and music production. The learning curve is no big deal. The console's made to be intuitive for people who know how to operate consoles."

One of the groups who used the pre-renovation facility and now use the new one is a local church. The hall is theirs, contractually, every Sunday until 1:30 PM. "After they learned that we were going to be using the M7CL," says Vaughan, "the church approached us and asked if they could use our console rather than their own... For the first couple of Sundays, we stayed around. I helped them get their settings dialed in with their operators, trained them how to load their show, adjust EQ, play around with things... We gave them their key, but there are certain things they can do, and things they can't do, one of which is record over their setup that I helped them create. The y're locked out from access here and to other system parameters." Vaughan adds that they use 16 or more inputs for their service. "They use ECA every Sunday with no staff in the building, let alone a technical resource."

Theater and Lighting Design

Even for a project with very long history, Dale Ward's (Ward Design Group, Inc., Seattle) involvement with the ECA project is extraordinary; he did initial studies for theater design in 1988, and went to school here in the mid-70's. "It's always a challenge to work with an existing structure as old as this one," says Ward, who designed and specified both the stage rigging and lighting systems. "The technical demands of the stage are much greater now than they were in the 30's when this WPA auditorium was built."

Budget prevented enlarging the footprint of the stage: proscenium opening, 37' 10" wide X 18' 6" high; DS Edge to US Wall, 29' 0". "Other than removing some architectural elements that were intruding on the theatrical space," says Ward, "we pretty much had to work with what was given. But I think we were quite successful in giving the center systems that will serve them for decades to come." The Ward Design rigging system is a manual counterweight system with loading bridge and locking rail, located stage right, with 35 linesets. An ETC computerized lighting system consists of an ETC Emphasis 2D with 500 control channels, with an Express 48/96 facepanel. Ward calls the lighting system, "a modest package, but very flexible, one they can always add on to as time goes by." (Stage Craft Industries in Portland, OR handled all theatrical installation.)

Before the doors opened, 173 community volunteers signed up to assist the new ECA staff with ushering, concessions sales, and other support—attesting to an early, genuine connection between the community and its special venue. By mid-February, the center had already hosted 50 performances, rehearsals, and special events, and welcomed more than 15,500 people through its doors.

Early feedback from artists and audiences alike is very positive, particularly with regard to the acoustics. "Whether you are building new or renovating an existing theatre, there is always concern about how the final product will turn out acoustically," says Joe McIalwain, ECA Executive Director. "In the case of ECA, we have emerged from the design and construction processes with a venue that has already been praised by artists from Al Jarreau, to The Ahn Trio, to the Cascade Symphony Orchestra for its excellent acoustical qualities. We have a true gem on our hands."