Yale University, Pauli Murray College, Lighten Theater
We designed this 65-seat Juliet theatre (think miniature courtyard theatre) within a new residential college in order to give non-professional student groups a versatile space to rehearse, workshop new projects, and stage small experimental works. The scale of the intimate venue is easily filled with an actor’s voice and presence, and a wrap-around balcony creates intimacy, giving performers immediate feedback from faces in the crowd.
We designed a six-windowed brick wall at the proscenium as a ready-made backdrop that could be used as a scenic or staging element or covered with theatrical drapes. A motorized roll hangs above the proscenium and can be used for scenic projection or to use the theatre as a cinema. With all loose seating, the audience arrangement is entirely configurable and the room’s mix of LED and incandescent lighting helps students learn both systems. Additional features like a control booth, dressing room, and AV systems give this tiny theatre outsized potential.
- 65-seat Juliet theatre
