ran a lot of pumps to get the area dry. We were dealing with a lot of water as we dug down, and as we got to the bottom, we were finally able to handle the water.” Layton fast-tracked the rest of the construction to meet the theater’s target opening date. “Once we got out of the ground, everything else held to schedule,” Adamson said. And they had to. Dietlein and Hale Centre announced its schedule in spring 2016 and tickets were sold for the first performances in Septem- ber 2017. More than 200 construction workers established 1,800 tons of structural concrete and 1,700 tons of reinforcing steel in the construction process. “We allocated for overtime,” Adamson said. “We knew we needed an allowance for acceleration. We knew we couldn’t extend the date. The only other way was to work more hours. It was a huge task, but we hit the date.” Setting the stage Two unique stages, each with sophisticated technology, are the primary attractions at Hale Centre. The 467-seat Jewel Box is a proscenium- thrust stage, while the 901-seat Centre Stage features a theater-in-the- round, which mirrors the stage at the Centre’s previous location. The Centre Theater’s stage includes 11 lifts, and the stage can be low- ered into a pit as a slip stage door comprised of two 20-ton pieces takes its place. The replaceable stage allows for performances to continue without interruption. “The center stage was the heart of the programming,” Dietlein said. “We started there and worked outward.” Tait Towers, with the conceptual design provided by the Hale Centre team, designed the stage wizardry and a flying system that will entertain theater patrons. Above the stage is a lift system, called a bogie, that includes eight winches and dozens of moving pieces that sense the prox- imity between objects and people being lifted by the system. Actors will descend from as high as 80 feet above the stage on hoists and winches built into the theater. The winches and hoists will also be used to drop in pieces on sets for the shows. Equipment and mechanical systems sit below the stage. A hydraulic lift transports stage equipment and workers up to the pit level. Double-leaf terrazzo doors provided by The Bilco Company allow for easy access to the pit area and enable large set pieces to be carried off. Floor coverings on the terrazzo doors hide their functionality from the patrons. “Those doors were important for allowing them to get equipment in and out,” Adamson said. Architects also took measures to ensure audio quality found the per- fect pitch for all guests. A hearing loop technology allows patrons with cochlear implants and hearing aids to hear performers as the sound is projected directly to their hearing devices using magnetic fields.
The Centre Theater’s stage includes 11 lifts, and the stage can be lowered into a pit as a slip stage door comprised of two 20-ton pieces takes its place.
Acoustical smoke vents manufactured by The Bilco Company enhance the theater experience by limiting noise intrusion. The theater is located next to a freeway and in the flight path of a nearby airport. “We were concerned,” Adamson said. “We didn’t want to have people hear all that noise. They were a very important part to the project.” Smoke vents allow for passive smoke ventilation and reduce costs for mechanical ventilation equipment. “The acoustics were an important part, and the passive ventilation system is a lot more cost effective than running temperature control through a mechanical system,” Adamson said. Popular Utah attraction Hale Centre has come an extraordinarily long way since Dietlein joined his grandparents in opening their first theater in Salt Lake City in 1985. The original Hale Centre was formed in a renovated lingerie factory in South Salt Lake with seats purchased from a movie theater. The seats were painted green to match the upholstery fabric, which was the only color on sale. The sound system consisted of a cassette player placed near a microphone, and costumes were made from materials such as bedspreads and poster board. The first performance — I Came to Your Wedding — played to a paid audience of 25 patrons. Above the stage is a lift system, called a bogie, that includes eightwinches and dozens of moving pieces that sense the proximity between objects and people being lifted by the system.
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february 2018
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