Facilities
Performance Spaces
The CSULB Theatre Arts Department has three mainstage performance spaces within the Theatre Arts Building: The University Theater, the Studio Theater and the Players Theater where its student-run company produces. The Department also has a fourth showcase venue, Studio 24. These venues provide a wide range of design opportunities for both our MFA and undergraduate designers.
The Players Theater is the department’s “black box” space. Current capacity is at 83 and seating configurations can be changed upon request.
The Studio Theatre is a medium-sized configurable venue and can be set up in arena (230), proscenium (225) and thrust (170) configurations, depending on the need of the shows. This space has a small half-fly house over its most upstage area.
The University Theater is our largest venue and is a standard proscenium space seating about 350 patrons. The venue has a full-fly house and a large orchestra pit which is usually covered to extend the apron closer to the audience.
Studio 24 is a movement studio that has been converted into a black box performance space. Current capacity is at 70 total maximum. It has a set of tracked curtains to help shape the space and a dead hug grid for theatrical lighting instruments.
Design Facilities and Shops
Our design and technical support facilities add an exciting level of professionalism to the educational process in our department. We have large scene and costume shops, and several design studios.
Encompasses 5,100 square feet of working space with 30' ceilings in the main construction area. It also houses a metal shop and props storage. This shop is equipped with the professional woodworking, construction, and metalworking tools needed for the high volume of programming we produce. The shop also includes a 160-square-foot paint area. Counterspace for paint mixing, a paint sink, and storage for paint and related tools are located here. Adjacent to the paint area is a motorized paint frame measuring 40' wide x 24' tall.
Encompasses 2,000-square-foot, multi-room facility located in the basement level of the building, and features an entire wall of windows, allowing for plenty of natural light. The shop contains 7 industrial sewing machines, 4 over-lock / serger machines, and 15 home machines, and 2 industrial irons. Additionally, the shop contains 3 industrial irons located in 2 ironing areas. Cutting areas include one 20’ x 4’ main cutting table along with one 4’ x 6’ and two 4’ x 8’ cutting tables. The main room features built-in cabinet and drawer storage for jewelry, trim and craft/findings. Adjacent to the costume shop is a 16’ tall, 936-square-foot costume storage area. Double-hanging wardrobe storage areas in the center of the room are surrounded by floor-to-ceiling box and shoe storage. A separate dye room facilities located in the adjacent building include a newly renovated, stainless workspace, and an additional room housing 3 washers, a stainless dye steamer and dying machine.
A separate classroom space for all costume design classes with built in additional storage cabinets for student storage and project supplies.
The Lab is used as a technical and design classroom. This room is equipped with drafting tables and has a work counter, sink, and compressed air outlets at the back of the room to provide facilities for the construction of scenery models.
Used solely for design classes and is equipped with 20 iMac computers, with advanced video graphics and 27” flat-screen monitors. These computers are equipped with Vectorworks, Lightwright, Sketchup, ESP Vision, Adobe Creative Suite, Qlab, and Protools as well as a high speed internet connection. A large E-size plotter is also available. The lab offers a chance for designers to create designs using drafting and rendering, as well as virtualization in lighting programming with both the Whole Hog and Grand MA consoles using ESP Vision.
Used as a classroom for scenic design and as the scenic design studio. The room provides a workspace for each graduate scenic designer, and is equipped to allow for the construction of scenic design models.
Rehearsal Spaces
The department also maintains three rehearsal spaces: Room 37, Room 38, and Room 241.
Space Rentals
The CSULB Theatre Arts Department does rent out performance venues and rehearsal space to student organizations, independent student projects, and community groups. However, the busy schedule maintained by the department can make availability very limited.
To inquire about renting the University Theater, please contact the COTA Facilities Coordinator Noreen Kimura.
To inquire about renting any of our other performance or rehearsal spaces, please contact the Theatre Arts Production Manager Ashley Boehne-Ehlers.
