University of Virginia, Department of Drama, Caplin Theatre

Location
Charlottesville, Virginia

Owner
University of Virginia

Team
Acoustics and AV - Threshold
Architect - William Rawn Associates
Theatre Consultant - Theatre Projects

Size
24,000 square feet
300-seat theater

Schedule
Completed 2011

Awards
2016 Chicago Athenaeum American Architecture Award
2016 AIA New England Design Awards Citation
2018 USITT Honor Award in Architecture

An academic theatre addition to the Department of Drama's building, the 300-seat thrust theatre pushes into a hillside and meets several challenges to the silence that underlies all drama.

A formidable curtainwall wraps behind the seats, providing a view directly into the theatre from an active quad that lies on the main route from the marching band's rehearsal hall to the practice field. The glass wall keeps Ultimate Frisbee players, lawnmowers, and even the rouge euphonium at bay.

To further complicate matters, a green roof extends the landscaped area of the upper quad, inviting people directly onto the roof of the theatre. Backing the stage up directly against the mechanical room serving the theatre yielded still more challenges. Adapting the green roof system and aggressively dealing with equipment noise help keep the peace.

Flexible AV systems and pervasive cable infrastructure allow the same AV components to redeploy as needed for theatrical effects, musical theatre, film festivals, lectures, and even the occasional concert.