Sinclair’s Blair Hall Theatre underwent a makeover this summer in the form of new seats and flooring. The decor that had been there since 1973 has been replaced with wider and more comfortable seating, and stylish new carpeting.
The changes in the old seating can be seen as the new 445 seats with oak armrests are higher and have an updated and more user friendly numbering system with row and seat labels that stand out.
“Now there’s an ‘I’ in Theatre at Sinclair” said Patti Celek, Sinclair’s theatre and dance marketing manager. “Many theaters leave out the ‘I’ row and go straight from ‘H’ to ‘J’ because ‘I’ can be mistaken for number ‘1’, said Celek. The proud and prominent numbers and letters eliminate that problem.
The old Blair Hall was criticized for seating the front row audience too close to the stage for comfort. The new Row A is set farther away from the stage to provide enough room for people to sit, and for actors or graduates to walk by.
The renovation made the theatre more accessible to handicapable patrons as well with 14 removable seats with armrests that flip up for easier access to those in wheelchairs. New ASL (American Sign Language) positions were included in the renovation and provide a better sight line for those workers.
LED lighting on the stairways replace the old light strips. The new gray carpeting replaces the red carpeting there since 1973. The lobby recieved ceramic tile as well. “The changes are not only cosmetic, but experimental,” said Rodney Veal, an adjunct dance instructor and Dayton community figure. “We really look and feel like a real theatre,” Veal said.
Blair Hall’s new seat numbering has the potential to throw off regular audience members at first. The new configuration puts seat 1 next to the left wall, and the aisle breaks at seat 13 or 15 depending on the row.
Rows A through M are on the main floor of the theater, and the balcony hosts rows AA through EE. The number of seats was reduced from 459 to 445, though the changes to row A make for a larger number of accessible seats.
The renovation comes right on time for Sinclair Theatre’s upcoming run of performances titled “One Hot Season.” The new season starts on October 6, with Pearl Cleage’s “Blues for an Alabama Sky”. Sinclairs music department’s concerts also begin in October, with the Wind Symphony Concert happening on the 22nd at 2:00 pm.
The Sinclair Foundation has a Take a Seat program for patrons who wish to honor a loved one or gift a lover of the arts. A $500 donation to the theatre program earns the donor a 5″ x 1″ plaque on the armrest of a seat in the theatre.
Will Drewing
Reporter