Ralph
and Ricky Lauren Center
for the Performing Arts
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About the Center
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About
the Center
The
Ralph and Ricky Lauren Center for the Performing Arts is a unique
427-seat performing arts venue — the bold transformation
of a 33-year-old school auditorium into a model space for dramatic,
dance, musical, and multimedia productions. Made possible by a
generous gift from Ralph and Ricky Lauren, the new Center recognizes
the power of the performing arts in the lives of deaf and hard-of-hearing
children and adults and keeps pace with the technological revolution
of our times. It combines an elegant aesthetic with innovative
features including:
-
a
40 foot proscenium with a 30-foot-deep oak stage, accessible
to wheelchairs from both the front and backstage, and with a
"sprung" stage floor, designed for increased lift
in dance jumps and reverberation that can be felt by deaf performers
- a backstage area including a green room, two dressing rooms,
and a bathroom
- a lighting system that includes a computer-programmed lighting
board to manage a new, controlled auto spot and 115 stage lights,
and four-color projection capability
- comfortable and elegant upholstered seats and carpeting
- a control room at the rear of the house with a special video
intercom system, permitting deaf persons to fill technical roles,
as they can communicate visually with all parts of the stage and
orchestra
- multi-channel capabilities permitting simultaneous translation
of performances in eight different languages, controlled by switches
on individual headphones
- four plasma screens, mounted so that sign language interpreters
or video projections are visible from every part of the house
- a super-title screen for simultaneous captioning
- an audio/video system designed with attention to low frequencies
accessible to many deaf and hard-of-hearing people, with digital
audiotape, tape, CD, DVD, and VHS projection possible on a mid-stage
screen or the backdrop
The striking beauty and pioneering technology of the Ralph and
Ricky Lauren Center set it apart. Thanks to the vision and generosity
of the Laurens, it will stand as a model for other performing arts
sites for many years to come.
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