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General Information

Penn State is an OSHA-compliant university. 

The Charles S. Schwab Auditorium is an 894 seat, Renaissance-style proscenium stage theatre which presents music, drama, and dance programs by nationally and internationally recognized performers in a theatre/concert hall setting. The theatre is open year-round to the central Pennsylvania community. 

  • Production Manager: Michael Blake 
  • Production Office Phone: (814) 867-4983 
  • Email: mcb29@psu.edu 

Crew Personnel: The Auditorium is staffed by a paid student crew who work all the events presented in our facilities under the supervision of the Production Manager. 

Loading Facilities

There is no loading dock in the traditional sense. There is one small space at the SL entrance for a single-vehicle. Unloading must be at a right angle up approximately four feet of concrete steps. This gets to the house level in front of the stage. The stage is 32 inches above the house level. 

Stage Dimensions

  • Proscenium opening height: 23'-6" 
  • Proscenium opening width: 42'-8" 
  • Proscenium opening width – between Grand Drape: 36’0” 
  • Height of stage from the audience: 2'-8" 
  • Stage width between the side draperies 40’-4” 
  • Stage width from wall to wall: 46'-8" 
  • Stage depth from plaster line to curved downstage lip: 5'-8" max. 
  • Stage depth from plaster line to upstage black traveler curtain 17'-0" 
  • Stage depth from plaster line to last upstage batten (CYC) 18’0” 
  • Stage depth from plaster line to upstage wall 22’6” 

The stage is raked 6” rake over 20’ from upstage to downstage. 

There is access from Backstage to the Front of House from SL through the basement. The Crossover is located upstage, behind a black traveler curtain. Crossover depth is 4’ maximum. 

Stage Floor

The floor is hardwood that is finished in black with ROSCO Stage paint. The stage is on a 6" rake over 20' upstage from the plaster line. There are no trap doors and it is not waxed or polished. Tape may be used to lay ground cloths, dance floors, etc. Lag screws, stage screws, and/or drywall screws of any kind are not permitted and may not be used on the floor. 

Stage Rigging

Schwab does not have a grid or fly system. The stage house has (7x) total line sets on electric hoists. There are (4x) support battens, each 38'-0" long, with an 800# capacity. Three of the battens carry their own wire ways for in-house lighting, with a 1300# capacity. Hoist controller panel is located stage right. There is a black wrap-around curtain hung on a traveler track around the stage. Additional hanging points are not available. 

Batten Locations

Note: Schwab Auditorium has no grid. Battens may only be used to support scenery and lighting fixtures. All battens are 38’0” long and are 1-1/2” Schedule-40 pipe. 

Batten Locations
Distance Set # House Hang Comments
0' 0"   Plaster Line  
0' 7" 1 Grand Teaser Blue - Dead Hung
1' 0" 2 Grand Drape Blue - Dead Hung Traveler
2' 6" 3 #1 Electric Wire way with 20 circuits
4' 10" 4 #1 Batten  
7' 2" 5 #2 Batten  
9' 4" 6 #2 Electric Wire way with 20 circuits
11' 4" 7 #3 Batten  
13' 4"   Projection Screen Cannot be removed
15' 4" 8 #3 Electric Wire way with 18 circuits
17' 0" 9 Upstage Traveler Drape Black - Dead Hung Traveler
18' 0" 10 #4 Batten Cyclorama (30' wide max viewable)

Stage Curtains

The Grand Drape is directly behind the Grand Teaser. Both are blue in color. The Grand Drape can only be traversed and the operating position is stage left. There is a permanent black curtain on a traveler track around the stage. The house has (2x) sets of legs, and (2x) borders with no fullness sewn in. 

Stage Curtains
Drapery Height Width Color
Leg Panel 21' 0" 8' 0" Black
Borders 5' 0" 38' 0" Black

Stage Equipment

  • 1 each 25’ “Genie” personnel lift 
  • 1 each 10’ step ladder 
  • 1 each 8’ step ladder 
  • 1 each 6’ step ladder 
  • 1 each hand truck 
  • 2 each 4 wheel dolly 
  • 1 lectern available for lecturers

Projections Facilities

There is a dedicated space for projection equipment in the center of the control booth located at the rear of the balcony level. Distance from the control booth to the stage is 88 feet. The house has a Panasonic DZ770 7000 Lumens, DLP projector. 

Dressing Rooms

PRINCIPAL DRESSING ROOM:

There is one principal or “Star” dressing room at stage level, located directly off stage left. It has a capacity for two performers and contains limited furnishings, mirrors, and a small private restroom with toilet and sink. 

CHORUS DRESSING ROOMS:

There are two chorus dressing rooms, located in the basement, one of which will hold 12 performers and the other 8 performers. Each room contains tables, chairs, mirrors, lights, and sinks. The restroom facilities are located at the end of the hall and are shared with the audience. There are no shower facilities in the building. No elevator access is available. Basement access is via the stairs stage left only. 

GREENROOM:

There is a furnished green room area located in the basement, directly below the stage which is available for use by the performers. No elevator access is available. Basement access is via the stairs stage left only. The theatre does not contain a washer or dryer. An iron and ironing board are available for use. 

Electrics

Control Console:

The lighting control console is an ETC Element 60/500. It is located at the rear of the orchestra level on the house right side of the auditorium. 

Dimmers:

There are 96 ETC Sensor 20 ampere dimmers in the stage lighting system. 

House lights:

House lighting is via an ETC Unison architectural lighting system, independent of the stage lighting system, although they may also be controlled by the stage lighting control console. 

Company Switch:

The company switch is 100 amps, 3 phase-5 wire Cam-Lok panel, with Female, J-Series receptacles. This is the only source of power available for use. It is located in the basement, below the stage, and is directly accessible through a small hatch located offstage left. 

Lighting Positions:

The auditorium ceiling has three (3x) FOH Cove lighting bays with (4x) 20 amp stage Pin circuits available in each. The Coves provide a 45-degree angle of light at the Plaster Line and are equipped with three (3x) ETC Source 4 - 26-degree fixtures and one (1x) ETC Source 4 - 19-degree fixture per bay. There are four boom positions, two on each side of the house, along the balcony rail. 

Onstage Lighting:

There are 3 battens with electrical wire-ways onstage. These three (3x) battens are on electric hoists that can be operated stage right. (See page five for locations) 

  • Electric # 1: (20x) 20 amp stage pin circuits and 2 work light circuits 
  • Electric # 2: (10x) 20 amp stage pin circuits and 2 work light circuits 
  • Electric #3: (16x) 20 amp stage pin circuits – circuits shared with backstage pockets 
  • There are four (4x) surface mounted boxes backstage and six (6x) surface mounted boxes in the balcony. 
  • Backstage Pockets: (16x) 20 amp circuits total – circuits shared with #3 Electric 
  • Balcony Pockets: (26x) 20 amp circuits total 

Follow Spots:

Two (2x) Altman Comet follow spots are available, which operate from the projection booth at the rear of the balcony level. 

Lighting Inventory

Fixture Inventory: This table lists the remainder of the house inventory that is available for use: 

Fixture Inventory
Manufacturer Model Number Type Wattage Quantity
Strand SL19 19 degree ERS 575 20
Strand SL26 26 degree ERS 575 18
Strand SL36 36 degree ERS 575 28
Strand SL50 50 degree ERS 575 10
Strand 12091 6" Fresnel Spotlight 750 18
Strand 12091 8" Fresnel Spotlight 1000 18
ETC Source Four PAR Par Can 750 52

Sound System

The Schwab Auditorium House Sound System is designed to be capable of sound pressure levels in excess of 100 (dB), with frequency response from 20hz to 20khz. 

The House Mix Site in Schwab Auditorium is permanently located at the rear of the orchestra level on the house right side of the auditorium, in an open area adjacent to the house right center aisle. The system operator has an unimpeded view of the stage and a clear line of sight to the house loudspeaker system. 

MIXING CONSOLE:

There is a Yamaha M7CL-48 Digital Mixing Console at FOH. 

PLAYBACK:

There is a Denon DN-500C Compact disc player with iPod Dock at FOH 

MAIN LOUDSPEAKERS:

Electro-Voice EVA-2082 (5x) line array cabinets suspended on the centerline, above the proscenium arch. Mounted on the floor in front of the stage are (2x) Electro-Voice QRX-218S dual 18 subwoofers. FOH equalization is provided by Symetrix Radius processing. 

STAGE MONITORS:

Electro-Voice ELX112 (8x) stage monitor wedges. There are (4x) mixes available via auxiliary sends from the House Console. 

Sound Inventory 

MICROPHONE INVENTORY:

The House has a full selection of microphones available for use: 

Microphone Inventory
Shure AKG Audio Technica Countryman

(10x) SM58 

(1x) D112 

(4x) AT4041 

(6x) Type 85 

(8x) SM57 

(4x) C3000 

(2x) AT2020 

(2x) Type 85s 

(1x) Beta52 

 

(10x) AT2021 

 

(1x) Beta91 

 

(1x) AT2010 

 

(4x) Beta98AMP 

 

(1x) AT410 

 

(4x) KSM32 

     

(4x) MX393/C 

     

WIRELESS MICROPHONES:

The House system has (8x) Audio-Technica 3000 Series Wireless Systems. Each system is outfitted with either T341b handheld transmitters or T310b bodypack transmitters. Body packs can be fitted with a selection of either AT831lapel microphones, ATM350CW clip-on instrument microphones, ¼” instrument cable, BP893CW Earset Microphones, BP894CW Earset Microphones, or Countryman E2 Earset Microphones. 

INTERCOM:

Single-channel Clear-Com intercom system is available with (8x) belt packs and headsets. 

HEARING ASSIST:

The Auditorium has an induction loop system that covers the main and upper balcony seats. 

MONITORING:

The monitoring of stage is distributed to the lobby, all production areas, and dressing rooms. 

COMPANY SWITCH:

The company switch is 100 amps, 3 phase-5 wire Cam-Lok panel. All Receptacles are female, J-Series. This is the only source of power available for use. It is located in the basement, below the stage, and is directly accessible through a small hatch located offstage left. There are also 120 volts, 20 amp circuits on both sides of the stage and the upstage wall.