House Specs

Load-in

  • Loading bay from rear car park.  Dock doors at 0.64m above car park floor level.  2m aluminium ramp provided.  Level access from loading bay doors directly to stage.
  • Loading bay outer doors - 2.15m (w) x 1.93m (h), maximum diagonal 2.85m.
  • Loading bay inner doors to stage - 1.61m (w) x 2.42m (h), maximum diagonal 2.9m
  • To navigate to load-in with Google maps, set destination as;
    • St Editha’s Parish Church, St Editha’s Close, Tamworth, B79 7DA.  Our car park entrance is to the left (west) of the war memorial at the north end of St Editha’s Close.  Final approach must be via Corporation St, then Church St, then St Editha’s Close.  
      Car park dimensions – 11m x 23m.

Stage

  • Type of stage - End-on proscenium arch with black box stagehouse.  Italian masking.  Side masking legs can be removed to increase playing width if required (at the expense of sight lines). 
  • Rake - 1 in 36 (1.59°) in stagehouse.  Apron in front of prosc has no rake.
  • Surface - Harlequin Standfast on 6mm ply.
  • Drilling/Fixing - No drilling into the stage floor is permitted.
  • Nominal playing area dimensions - 6.5m (w) x 7.5m (d)
  • Proscenium arch width - 6.36m (skirting to skirting), 6.56m (wall to wall)
  • Apron size - 9.6m (w) x 1.38m (d)
  • Stagehouse size - 9.0m (w) x 5.9m (d)
  • Depth from apron front to rear tabs - 7.5m
  • Height auditorium floor to stage level - 1.05m.  Treads to stage, apron left and right.
  • Height to mother grid - 6.2m
  • Standard height to stage LX bars - Approx. 4.5 to 5m
  • Standard working clearance below lanterns - 4m
  • Maximum height clearance below pelmet with sightline to back row of balcony - 4.4m
  • Maximum clearance height below LX bars - 5.14m (at LX4 upstage)
  • Maximum clearance beneath fly bars - 5.4m
  • Wing space stage left - 22m2, 3.5m x 6.2m.
  • Wing space stage right –  14m2, 2.3m x 5.9m
  • Fire Safety curtain - Yes, at proscenium arch.  Fire curtain drop line cannot be impeded.  
  • Trap - No

Our wings are outside the stagehouse side walls and are accessed through several structural openings, dimensions as follows; 

  • Down stage left (to SM’s station) - 0.83m (w) x 2.07m (h), maximum diagonal 2.16m
  • Mid stage left - 0.94m (w) x 2.13m (h), maximum diagonal 2.2m
  • Up stage left - 0.88m x 2.02m, maximum diagonal 2.1m
  • Upstage doors to loading bay - 1.6m (w) x 2.42m (h), maximum diagonal 2.85m
  • Down stage right - 1.0m (w) x 2.17m (w), maximum diagonal 2.3m
  • Up stage right - 1.74m x 2.39m, diagonal 2.9m
  • Up stage right wing space to corridor - 1.6m (w) x 2.29m (h), maximum diagonal 2.78m
  • Doors to New Green Room - 1.62m (w) x 2.29m (h), maximum diagonal 2.83m

Operating Positions

  • Standard operating positions are;
  • LX -  Tech Box (Seats 2 persons maximum).  Maximum console footprint of 1.9m x 0.6m.
  • Sound - Mix Position @ rear of retractable seating bank, 2.7m x 1.87m.  Maximum console footprint of 2.7m x 0.76m.  Technicians operating at the mix position must be seated to avoid blocking the sightlines of customers behind them.  

If you require further operating positions or do not think your equipment will fit in the Tech Box/Mix Position please contact us at the earliest opportunity to discuss alternatives. 

Flying System

  • Powered
    • 2 x Unibar powered line-sets - Upstage and midstage (midstage set carries mid-stage tabs)
    • SWL - 250Kg UDL
    • Barrel diameter - 48mm
    • Barrel length - 8m ladder barrel
  • Manual
    • 8 x manual hemp lines - Single lines, no counterweights.
    • Barrel diameter - 48mm
    • Barrel length - 8m
    • SWL 60Kg UDL
  • If visiting companies intend to fly equipment or scenery , this must be notified in advance. The theatre reserves the right to refuse to fly any equipment that it deems would be unsafe.
    • Maximum recommended cloth size 8m x 4.5m
    • Swipe track - 2 available. Length 8 metres.

Stage Management Facilities

  • Stage management position - Mid-stage left, rear of prosc arch wall. 
  • Monitor screen - Front stage view, camera on tech box.
  • Talkback - Metro Audio, 2 channel, 4 headset comms system.
  • First aid boxes available at stage left, box office, bar and office.
  • Show relay Show relay is available in all dressing rooms. SM cue mic to relay system is available at DSL.
  • 15 x 12.5Kg stage weights

Prohibitions

  • All paint/finishes on set/scenery must be water-based, not oil-based.
  • Pyrotechnics are forbidden by order of the Fire Officer.
  • Naked flames are forbidden by order of the Fire Officer.
  • Confetti and streamer cannons are forbidden due to fire risk presented by debris gathering in heating trenches.
  • All cloths brought into the venue must be inherently flame retardant or treated to make them flame retardant. 
  • The use of laser fixtures is tightly controlled and permission must be sought in advance.  Please see our lighting page for further information.

Drapery

  • Main house tabs - Durable blue velour on Triple E variable speed powered track.  Control available at DSL and Tech Box.
  • Mid-stage tabs - Black wool serge, manual pulley operated.
  • Stagehouse perimeter masking - Black wool serge in 7 sections to mask full stagehouse perimeter.
  • Top borders -  3 sets, 2 of black wool serge, 1 of blue velour, 8m width, on hemp lines.
  • Legs - 2 pairs, black wool serge, 1.5m x 5.5m.  These can be removed to maximise playing width. Mid-stage tabs effectively act as a third set of legs.  

Power

  • 1 x 63 amp 3-phase Ceeform, DSL. 
  • 1 x 63 amp single phase Ceeform, DSL. 
  • 2 x 32 amp single phase Ceeform, DSL. 
  • 4 x 16 amp single phase Ceeform USL, USR, DSL, DSR. 
  • 8 x 13 amp socket outlets USL, USR, DSL, DSR. 
  • 4 x 20 amp powercon outlets, apron front dip trays. 

Accommodation

The backstage fire limit allows a maximum of 100 persons in total. This number includes the stage area.  No exceptions to this limit can be made under any circumstances. 

  • Dressing rooms 
    • Stage level;
    • Dressing Room 1 - 2.32m x 2.2m, 5m2. 
    • Dressing Room 2 - 2.15m x 2.2m, 5m2. 
    • The New Green Room - 5.58m x 6.56m, 36m2 (can be used as an overspill dressing room for larger casts). 
    • Basement level;
    • Dressing Room 3 - 4.85m x 2.17m, 11m2 (can be divided into 2 with screen). 
    • The Old Green Room (Overspill Dressing Room) - 8.97m x 4.27/3.29m, 35m2. 
    • Kitchenette available at basement level.

Access

  • Level access to backstage is available from rear car park via ramp to stage level.
  • Access between stage level and basement level is via stairs or lift.
  • A roll-on chairlift to FoH is available.
  • Accessible shower room and toilets available at stage level.

Auditorium

  • Auditorium width - 12.2m
  • Auditorium height - 9.98m
  • Auditorium total depth (prosc arch to rear wall) - 21.16m
  • Prosc arch to balcony frontage - 17.42m
  • Apron DS edge to rear wall - 19.61m

Capacity

  • Standard seating layout – total 351 seats
  • Stalls – 129 seats
  • Retractable tiered seating - 175
  • Balcony – 47 seats
  • 11 seats must be removed on retractable seating unit to accommodate sound consoles in the auditorium.

Orchestra

  • Orchestra pit - New Green Room or Old Green Room can be used as an offstage band pit. 
  • Lit music stands - No 
  • Chairs - 20, no arms. 

Risers

  • 6 of Milos X-Stage S10 2m x 1m risers. 
  • Legs available at 300mm or 600mm. 
  • Guard rails to rear available. 
  • 1 set of steps to 600mm height 

Videographers
If your event is to be filmed, all camera positions must be agreed in advance and the appropriate seats reserved. If your show is sold out and you have not reserved camera positions you will not be able to film.  Gangways must not be blocked by camera equipment under any circumstances. Audio feeds for camera recording must be agreed in advance. 

Safe Staffing Levels
The safety of everyone in our theatre is of paramount importance.  To that end, Tamworth Assembly Rooms reserves the right to ensure technical staffing levels are at a safe and appropriate level, and to determine what these levels will be.  This may result in an increase to requested technical staffing levels to ensure safe working practices for specific tasks or periods of work, and may also include the addition of supervisory or duty technician roles to ensure the safe running of the theatre.  Any such supervisory or duty role will not have show-critical cues. 

House Opening Times
The policy of the theatre is to open the auditorium at least 30 minutes before curtain up, if you require a different time please discuss with the FoH and technical team in advance of your event. The building will be opened to the public for pre-drinks 1 hour before curtain up. All companies must ensure that any setting or soundchecks are completed in good time so as not to disrupt FoH operations. 

Tamworth Assembly Rooms cannot guarantee that all of the facilities or equipment detailed above will be available for the use of visiting companies.