Garrison Theatre
Encyclopedia
The Garrison Theatre is a 280 capacity venue in Lerwick
, Shetland with a sprung proscenium
stage with fixed raked seating. It has 19 rows, named A to S which either has 8, 12, 13, 15 or 16 seats in each row.
The venue hosts dance, drama, stand up comedy, pantomime
and music productions together with regular film screenings (Shetland currently has no dedicated cinema so the Garrison Theatre has monthly film screenings. A new cinema is due to open in 2011 - see Mareel
).
It was opened in 1903 and used as a Drill Hall and gym
nasium during the First World War. It was also the headquarters of the 7th Volunteer Battalion Gordon Highlanders. The building was converted to a theatre by ENSA
in 1942 to be used as a venue to entertain troops during the Second World War. During the 50s and 60s it was owned by the Zetland County Council
, who decided to repair and refurbish the theatre in 1989, and was programmed by Islesburgh Drama Group and an Entertainments Committee. Ownership was then transferred the Islesburgh Trust before coming under Shetland Arts
management in April 2007.
At the entrance there is a mini food and drink stall plus a box-office to buy tickets for those who have not yet bought a ticket for the event on in the theatre.
Backstage there are two large dressing rooms, three toilets and two showers.
Lerwick
Lerwick is the capital and main port of the Shetland Islands, Scotland, located more than 100 miles off the north coast of mainland Scotland on the east coast of the Shetland Mainland...
, Shetland with a sprung proscenium
Proscenium
A proscenium theatre is a theatre space whose primary feature is a large frame or arch , which is located at or near the front of the stage...
stage with fixed raked seating. It has 19 rows, named A to S which either has 8, 12, 13, 15 or 16 seats in each row.
The venue hosts dance, drama, stand up comedy, pantomime
Pantomime
Pantomime — not to be confused with a mime artist, a theatrical performer of mime—is a musical-comedy theatrical production traditionally found in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Jamaica, South Africa, India, Ireland, Gibraltar and Malta, and is mostly performed during the...
and music productions together with regular film screenings (Shetland currently has no dedicated cinema so the Garrison Theatre has monthly film screenings. A new cinema is due to open in 2011 - see Mareel
Mareel
Mareel is a music venue, cinema and educational facility currently under construction on Lerwick's waterfront in Shetland adjacent to Shetland Museum.-Facilities:...
).
It was opened in 1903 and used as a Drill Hall and gym
Gym
The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, that mean a locality for both physical and intellectual education of young men...
nasium during the First World War. It was also the headquarters of the 7th Volunteer Battalion Gordon Highlanders. The building was converted to a theatre by ENSA
ENSA
ENSA may refer to:* ENSA, the Entertainments National Service Association* ENSA * École Nationale des Sciences Appliquées d'Oujda, an engineering school in Morocco* EC-Council Network Security Administrator...
in 1942 to be used as a venue to entertain troops during the Second World War. During the 50s and 60s it was owned by the Zetland County Council
Shetland Islands Council
The Shetland Islands Council is the local authority for Shetland. It was established by the Local Government Act 1973 and is the successor to the former Lerwick Town Council and Zetland County Council...
, who decided to repair and refurbish the theatre in 1989, and was programmed by Islesburgh Drama Group and an Entertainments Committee. Ownership was then transferred the Islesburgh Trust before coming under Shetland Arts
Shetland Arts
Shetland Arts Development Agency or Shetland Arts for short, is a charitable organisation formed in 2006 with a remit to "encourage and assist in promoting and advancing the creation, practice and presentation and study of all forms of art - visual, performing and creative."The organisation, based...
management in April 2007.
Technical specifications
The stage width is 6.7 metres and the depth is 5.5 metres. It has four lighting bars above the stage and one (plus the sidebars) in the auditorium.At the entrance there is a mini food and drink stall plus a box-office to buy tickets for those who have not yet bought a ticket for the event on in the theatre.
Backstage there are two large dressing rooms, three toilets and two showers.