EVENTS AT THE MULTIPURPOSE STEINMETZ HALL – A VIEW OF THE FIRST THREE YEARS OF OPERATION (2021 – 2024)
Steinmetz Hall at the Dr. Phillips Center Performing Arts Center in Orlando is referred as “one of the world’s most acoustically perfect spaces”, letting “guests enjoy a range of performances—with or without amplification—by local, national, and international artists.” This N-1 world-class performance hall is equipped with 524 Gala Venue® movable seats. This transformable seating system, makes it a “one-of-a-kind multiform theater [that] transforms in shape, seating, and sound to accommodate a variety of art forms and events.”
A High Level of Transformation Crucial to Serving the Entire Community
Data collected over the first three years* reveals that the hall has achieved an impressive average of 177 transformations annually, with the primary full-seating setup accounting for approximately a quarter of all usage. As Spencer Tong, Executive Vice-President of Operations, highlighted, “The ability to transform the theater from a fully seated hall to a flat floor in under 15 minutes is incredible for us! It is really important to our functionality, our business model, our ability to transform the space for multiple types of work forms to enjoy and to have a space for everyone in the community.” This high utilization of the hall is directly due to its quick transformability, with the venue being used in configurations other than a fully seated raked auditorium for three-quarters of the time.
Evolution of Configuration Usage from 2021 to 2024
Over the first two years of operation, as management familiarize themselves with the system while managing COVID-related challenges, they relied on the original 12 pre-programmed configurations to address various needs. These include cabaret events, seminars, and flat-floor layouts. By 2023-2024, they expanded the system by programming 9 new configurations to accommodate evolving demands, such as additional cabaret setups and arrangements for board meetings with voters—applications that were not initially foreseen. And this is just the beginning, as Tong pointed out: ‘’Now we are looking at how we can take advantage of the capability and the customization of the [Gala Venue] floor beyond just seating. The possibilities are endless, and we are very excited about that.’’
Hall Usage from September 2021 to July 2024
As the number of configurations increases, management confidently reiterates the need for the Gala Venue system which allows flexibility and adaptability. Programming new configurations enables Steinmetz Hall to welcome unexpected art forms and unique events.
* Data automatically collected daily by Gala Systems’ control panel from September 2021 to July 2024.