The Studio Theater is a very unique space. It can be used for many types of productions with many variations. This theater is known as an experimental or black box theater. (Notice, however, that the walls in here are brown.) When a production gets this space, they are given no more than house lights, a black floor, walls, and the grid on the ceiling which can be used to hang various items. Anything else that you may happen to see in this theater is completely temporary and removable. This includes everything from curtains, lights, sets, backdrops, to even the seats. For some productions, the floor is even painted different colors in order to enhance different lighting effects. If this is done, then one of the things required when striking the sets after the production is also painting the floor balck again so that the next prodution has the same workspace to start with.

     There are a few ideas behind this space. Even though it seems like a small and unusual space among the grand theaters that are adjacent to it, it is actually designed for productions that are experimental in nature. Some may have less socially acceptable themes or others may just be trying out new technologies or materials and want to do so on a smaller scale. These often have smaller audiences. Ellnora Krannert thought that it would be nice to give students a chance to get started in a relatively laid back atmosphere. The Krannert Center does have three very nice, large theaters but she thought that these could be intimidating spaces for students to get started in. It is said that Ellnora Krannert described this theater as a space where students could spill paint on the floor and not have to worry about it.

     The Department of Theater puts on a few plays in this theater each year and the Department of Dance also puts on a few dance productions. It is also used for small band concerts and other events as well. Racks of seats are brought in and can be set up in a variety of configurations depending on what the directors and designers want. Seats can be set up on one side of the theater with the stage on the other. This would be known as proscenium seating. Seats could be set up on two sides of a stage in Stadium fashion. They could be set up on three sides to create a thrust stage. They could also be set up on four sides to create theater in the round. The type of seating will often depend upon the type of show. For dance shows, proscenium is most common. For plays, the seating arrangement depends on the show itself and what kind of setting the director would like to portray. Once or twice per year, all of the racks of seats will be taken out and regular tables and chairs will be brought in. A cash bar will be set up and a jazz band or blues combo will come to play a cabaret show.

     This theater can seat between 125-250 people depending on how the seating is configured and the entire theater floor can act as the stage. The only stage entrances to this theater come from the fourth floor. There are entrances in each of the four corners of the room. Actors would either have to enter from the corners of the room, the main entrance of the theater, or from outside through the fire exits.

     There is also a special light on a pole that can usually be pointed out easily in this theater. This is known as the ghost light. There is one in each of the four theaters. They are there for two reasons- one more practical and the second more fun. The first reason for the ghost light is so when someone walks into backstage of the dark theater they don't trip over set pieces and hurt themselves or accidentally walk off of the edge of the stage. The second reason is that back in Shakespeare's time candles were burned in theaters to scare away ghosts from old performances. Many theaters burned down from the simple fact that fire and wood don't mix but since we now have electricity, that is really not a problem.

Production booth in the Studio Theater along with the grid used for light and prop hanging

Home