Bloglanta

Atlanta is getting a new theater landmark.  In January 2005, Theatrical Outfit will open the Balzer Theater in the old Herren’s restaurant.  The theater seats about 200 and has a very wide stage.  Further, the space is designed to be intimate.  There are only 7 rows and the upstage wall to the back wall of the theater is less than 60 feet.

What this means is that audiences will get theater that is up close and personal.  It also means that Fairlie Poplar is getting another anchor tenant that will help the neighborhood become what it should have been all along: downtown’s coolest.

Other aspects of the building are very cool.  It’s among the most modern theaters ever built in terms of impact.  Bathrooms are designed to use as much rainwater as possible.  Heating and cooling systems are specially designed, and the structure uses highly flexible spaces to minimize inefficiency.  It’s also one of the most accessible buildings for people with disabilities.  Rarely do theaters include the ability for someone in a wheel chair to use the lighting booth of a theater.  But the Balzer will let everyone see shows and run them.

So, now that the facility is done, what’s next?  Getting people in to see shows.  The hotel and convention businesses will make up much of the weekday crowds, but what about Atlanta subscribers?  Believe it or not, there will be valet parking (something to which Atlanta seems increasingly addicted).  There will also be a lot lot for self parking and the cost is supposed to be limited.  However, the best answer will remain MARTA.  The Peachtree Center Station is 2 blocks away.  Now, Tom Key has just needs to get folks addicted to his content!

This entry was posted on Thursday, January 13th, 2005 at 1:02 am and is filed under Venues and Events. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.