Sauk Prairie High School Auditorium
Grades Served:
9-12
Groundbreaking/Occupancy:
April 1999/March 2000
Cost:
Estimate: $3,200,000
Actual: $3,300,000
Change Orders:
$100,000
General Contractor:
Kraemer Brothers
Plain, WI
Acoustics Consultant:
Yerges Acoustics
Downers Grove, IL
Theater Consultant:
Buerki Brennan Asoc.
Mequon, Wisconsin
“Recently I heard a child quoted as saying, 'Mom, they must really love us to build such a wonderful building'.” – School District Superintendent
For the Sauk Prairie School District, the completion of their new Performing Arts Center in early 2000 will be a long-awaited realization of a planning process begun in 1996. Its construction is a tribute to the determination of the district and resident volunteers to provide a true auditorium facility within their community, where anything comparable was lacking. As such, two main design objectives were defined: design a performing arts center to function equally well for educational and community uses.
An auxiliary Lobby/Art Gallery became a major design component of the addition. In addition to holding spectator overloads during performance intermissions, it also serves as a large group meeting space before and after events; special spotlighting design allows it to achieve dual use as an art gallery. An adjacent serving kitchen expands the flexibility of the space.
The auditorium itself features complete stage rigging, bi-level side stages, rear lighting balconies, a light/sound control booth, and an orchestra pit which can convert into a thrust stage. Support spaces include two dressing rooms (below) with showers and a shared make-up room, costume storage, scene shop, Director’s office, general storage, actors’ toilet rooms, and custodial facilities. The main entrance lobby (right) takes advantage of the auditorium’s broad curving back wall to display artwork, and contains spectator toilet rooms and the ticket booth.
Pendant light fixtures, the three separate colors which cover the upholstered seats, and a lively floor tile pattern accent the facility’s design and provide an engaging continuity from the main lobby to the multi-purpose Lobby/Art Gallery.
Photos taken by Nels Akerlund
Sauk Prairie High School Auditorium
| Grades Served: | |||
| 9-12 | |||
| Groundbreaking/Occupancy: | |||
| April 1999/March 2000 | |||
| Cost: | |||
| Estimate: $3,200,000 Actual: $3,300,000 |
|||
| Change Orders: | |||
| $100,000 | |||
| General Contractor: | |||
| Kraemer Brothers Plain, WI |
|||
| Acoustics Consultant: | |||
| Yerges Acoustics Downers Grove, IL |
|||
| Theater Consultant: | |||
| Buerki Brennan Asoc. Mequon, Wisconsin |
|||
An auxiliary Lobby/Art Gallery became a major design component of the addition. In addition to holding spectator overloads during performance intermissions, it also serves as a large group meeting space before and after events; special spotlighting design allows it to achieve dual use as an art gallery. An adjacent serving kitchen expands the flexibility of the space.
The auditorium itself features complete stage rigging, bi-level side stages, rear lighting balconies, a light/sound control booth, and an orchestra pit which can convert into a thrust stage. Support spaces include two dressing rooms (below) with showers and a shared make-up room, costume storage, scene shop, Director’s office, general storage, actors’ toilet rooms, and custodial facilities. The main entrance lobby (right) takes advantage of the auditorium’s broad curving back wall to display artwork, and contains spectator toilet rooms and the ticket booth.
Pendant light fixtures, the three separate colors which cover the upholstered seats, and a lively floor tile pattern accent the facility’s design and provide an engaging continuity from the main lobby to the multi-purpose Lobby/Art Gallery.