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Dateline:
20th October, 2003
Sunderland £4m Revamp Gets the
Go-Ahead
Sunderland's Empire Theatre, owned by the local authority but programmed
by Clear Channel Entertainment, has received the go-ahead for a £4m
revamp, which will means that the 2000-seater will close in April and
reopen in December, 2004.
The revamp includes
- the total rebuilding of the theatre's fly tower to enable it to
handle more and bigger sets, plus a new lantern (to funnel smioke
out of the building in case of an on-stage fire);
- the removal of the stage's rake and its widening upstage, plus
the repositioning of the understage dimmer room;
- a larger and deeper orchestra pit, brought about by lowering the
pit floor and removing the wall between it and the understage;
- alterations to the proscenium to give a better view from all seats,
including the adjusting the level of the safety curtain, or replacing
it;
- improvements to the scene dock and get-in area;
- improving access to the stage from the dressing rooms, including
the construction of a new staircase;
- making sure that all parts of the theatre comply with the Disability
Discrimination Act;
- a crossover at stage or understage level;
- new carpets, new seating and some decoration in the auditorium.
The aim of the revamp is to make it possible for the theatre to take
the largest touring musicals and will make it the only theatre between
Manchester and Edinburgh capable of taking shows such as Phantom
and Les Mis.
It will be the biggest refurbishment in the history of the theatre,
which opened in 1907.
Commenting on the refurbishment, general manager Dominic Stokes said,
"Sunderland and the North East are getting the theatre they deserve."
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