A theatre consultant is a

consultant A consultant (from la, consultare "to deliberate") is a professional (also known as ''expert'', ''specialist'', see variations of meaning below) who provides advice and other purposeful activities in an area of specialization. Consulting servi ...

who specializes in the design of facilities for the

performing arts The performing arts are arts such as music, dance, and drama which are performed for an audience. They are different from the visual arts, which are the use of paint, canvas or various materials to create physical or static art objects. Perfo ...

, equipment for those facilities and the operation of

theatre Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The perfor ...

. Professional consultants provide unbiased, functionally sound, practical consulting and design services for performance and public assembly facilities of all kinds. Owners and architects use their expertise to programme, plan and help with the construction of these kinds of complicated buildings. Their

professional organization A professional association (also called a professional body, professional organization, or professional society) usually seeks to further a particular profession, the interests of individuals and organisations engaged in that profession, and th ...

in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...

is the American Society of Theatre Consultants. The international equivalent organisation is the Institute of Theatre Consultants. There are also many theatre consultants that are not members of these organisations. Unlike the practice of architecture or engineering, theatre consulting is not regulated by

professional license Licensure means a restricted practice or a restriction on the use of an occupational title, requiring a license. A license created under a "practice act" requires a license before performing a certain activity, such as driving a car on public roa ...

, but the Institute of Theatre Consultants accredits theatre consultants on the basis of proven work, operates a Code of Practice and provides training to members. Consultants are generally expert in building codes and the requirements of the American with Disabilities Act as related to theatres, auditoria, and concert halls. They typically provide detailed design for special theatre systems such as performance lighting systems, stage rigging, orchestra pit lifts, seating (fixed and movable), acoustical canopies and more. Some theatre consulting firms also provide acoustical and/or audio-visual consulting, although those are specialties in their own right. Theatre consultants may work directly for a facility or organisation, or they may be contracted as a specialty consultant for a project architect or engineer. Services can range from programmatic planning for the development of new facilities, planning for the refurbishment or repurposing of existing facilities, or just (re)design or assessment of specific production systems.

External links

Organizations:
American Society of Theatre Consultants websiteInstitute of Theatre Consultants website
Related Industry Organizations:
USITT-United States Institute for Theatre Technology websiteOISAT-International Organization of Scenographers, Theatre Architects and Technicians websitePLASA-Lighting and Sound Association website
Consulting occupations Theatrical occupations Architecture occupations {{theat-stub