CASTLEBAY SCHOOL THEATRE, BARRA
Nov 2006 Mick Andrew
General Information
Address: Castlebay Community School, Castlebay, Isle of Barra, Outer Hebrides HS9 5XD Tel: 01871 810471.
- Venue is on north side of A888 island circular road, ¼mile west of ferry terminal near Co-op. Car park opposite school.
- Built 1985 as part of community school.
- Capacity approx 150. Non-interlocking, stacking, plastic chairs. Seating rake (can take 97 chairs) currently non-functional.
- Mobile reception only for certain networks. Payphone in school foyer.
- Castlebay has most services.
Hall Details
- Stage: 8.48M (27’10”) wide x 7.92M (26’) deep. Height of proscenium 4.27M (14’), height to grid approx 5.18M (17’). Stage has balcony on stage right and backstage. Crossover behind back drapes. Fly-floor on stage right – 5 hemp set bars. Stage has brown drapes & red FOH tabs.
- Décor: floor lino covered, stage has brown draped box. Auditorium walls – windows lower; wood panelled upper with blue structural steel supports and pale yellow & green curtains.
- Get-in: through fire exit at back of auditorium, straight, flat, single door. Approx 5M from van loading area to stage. 1M (3’3”) wide x 1.98M (6’6) high. Is wider double door access through foyer. Park on main road by gap in railings. Need to work around school hours for access.
- Acoustics good.
- Blackout good – all windows have curtains.
- Heating by radiators.
- No piano. Hall has smoke detectors that can be isolated by janitor.
- A-frame and extending ladders available.
Technical
- Power: 100amp 3-phase supply to house dimmers in switch room behind stage right.
- Studio theatre stage lighting rig – 24 channel Tempus 2 preset desk, 24 channels Strand Permus dimmers (non-patchable), FOH LX bar & 3 stage LX bars, 14 x 650w profile spots, 8 x 650w fresnels, 3 x 8 cell flood battens. Control room is behind stage but remote operating position in stage left wing.
- Small PA system, speakers, amp, tie lines. Other equipment not seen.
- Houselights are switched wall lights or fluorescents. Switches in hall foyer by entrance.
Backstage
- Classrooms can be used as dressing rooms.
- School canteen adjacent.
- No separate toilets.
