Waco Civic Theatre Makes Change to its Space to Accommodate Distanced Seating

Waco Civic Theatre is preparing for the new normal, Waco Tribune Herald reports.

The theatre is making plans to reconfigure its internal space to accommodate distanced seating, as well as adding an outdoor stage.

Workers have constructed a platform in the center of the auditorium space to extend the stage throughout the theater. Seats will be arranged on all four sides of a central acting space, and risers will be added to the back rows. This new 25-by-25-foot Arena Stage will allow for more distance between audience members.

The new arrangement adds space for 35 more seats, though the COVID-19 protocols only allow half of those extra seats to be used.

The new flooring cost approximately $3,200 to build, but the move to arena staging allows for a cutback in sets that could save around $10,000 over the course of a season.

In addition to the new stage, A Cooper Foundation grant will cover installation of new air filtering equipment in the building's heating and air conditioning system. In addition, the grant will cover new video and electronic equipment for taping and possibly streaming WCT productions.

The theatre will also implement contactless ticketing as well as electronic programs.

Read more on Waco Tribune Herald.