Guild Hall's John Drew Theater Undergoes Major Renovations

EAST HAMPTON, NY — The future is bright for Guild Hall's John Drew Theater.

Originally built in 1931 as a meeting place for the community and a traditional theater for new productions and traveling shows, the 360-seat theater at Guild Hall has continued to grow — and is in the midst of major renovations in advance of the summer season, according to a release.

In 2009, the theater was restored to its initial glory with its circus tent style ceiling, original moldings, and the reconstruction of the "beloved balloons chandelier"; during that renovation, expansive upgrades to the sound and lighting were completed, the release said.

Next, in June of 2018, a new wave of upgrades began with the installation of a more advanced sound system, followed last month by the installation of a cinema industry-standard Stewart perforated screen, the release said.

The octagonal shape of the theater paired with its high ceiling presented a challenge for the acoustics, which required improvement through sound technology, theater reps said.

Michael Conrader, chief audio engineer, was the consulting project manager for the 2018 audio system upgrades, which include a top-of-the-line d&b Audiotechnik point source speaker system with amplifiers that deliver unprecedented sonic clarity and power, supported by 12 channels of Shure ULXD wireless microphones and new professional computers and software for playback of songs and theatrical cuing, the release said.

The system focuses on delivering the same quality of sound no matter where audience members are seated, including the balcony — and, the release said, the new system has been engineered "holistically," so the loudspeakers and electronics work harmoniously to maximize efficiency, consistency, and ease of use.

The Shure ULXD wireless microphones offer uncompromising audio clarity. This hardware delivers the best-performing digital wireless technology available, offering an extended rechargeable runtime that is generations ahead of any other available system in its class, thus ensuring that no amplified word spoken from the stage will ever again be lost.

The perforated screen allows audio to pass unimpeded from onstage speakers newly positioned directly behind it, and affords viewers the chance to be fully drawn into and immersed in the film experience, the release said.

"Dialogue, supporting music and sound effects now emanate with greater clarity and intelligibility from the image on the screen instead of from a distant location across the theater, far removed from the image source. The perforated screen is the new, key ingredient that binds together," all of the other enhanced audio elements, the release said.

“Michael Conrader led our technical team of Kevin Preller, Anthony Quartararo, Sebastian Paczynski, and Joe Brondo, and these gentlemen worked long hours, late nights and pulled off a complex and amazing job racing against a pretty tight clock,” says Josh Gladstone, the John Drew Theater’s longstanding artistic director. “Working carefully within a budget generously supported by Guild Hall’s board of trustees, they spearheaded a two-part campaign that began in June, implementing equipment that sonically lifted the room to amazing new heights. Summer audiences were thrilled with the sound at concerts by world-class artists like Yo La Tengo, Richard Thompson, Bela Fleck, and The Avett Brothers — and the artists were thrilled, too. We got a lot of compliments on the room.”

He added: “With the new screen and speaker positions in place, the whole vision comes together gorgeously — dare I say, symphonically. The cinema and telecast experience sounds just as crisp and sharp as the live concert or play-going experience. Come to the Drew and close your eyes – you won’t be able to tell if Alec Baldwin is speaking from the screen of Mission Impossible: Fallout or live from the lip of the stage 10 feet in front of you. I’m exceedingly partial, but I do believe that the John Drew Theater is now, without a doubt, the best sounding room between Montauk and Hoboken.”

Patch photo courtesy Guild Hall.