How do you build a theatre stage with scaffold? It’s not as simple as putting up some boards and calling it a day. You need a scaffold system that can support the weight of actors, musicians, and props. This past spring, in preparation for the highly anticipated upcoming production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child in Toronto, Northstar provided the unique scaffolding design and gear, along with supervision, to build the practice stage at the Elgin Theatre.
Unique Scaffold Stage Build Challenges
The new practice stage required some tricky build work. The sloped floor towards existing stage and it needed to be level with the other side for both safety reasons as well as production design considerations. Overall the practice stage was approximately 40 feet by 40 feet.
It was a challenging build because the seats had to remain in place and could not be removed because of their historical designation.
Special thanks to our team members Dan and Tom for their collaboration and efforts on this challenging design!
On the Main Stage
Right now, the stage is not where the magic is happening. For the Ed Mirvish Theatre, $5-million renovations are underway to ensure that audiences can handle the enchantment of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child when it finally Toronto on May 31.
While the Ed Mirvish Theatre has been closed to audiences through April, it has been cleared out, with seats in storage and carpet removed. The transformation is designed to create an immersive environment for an open-ended run of the Tony-winning Potter play. With new walls, seating and built-in fantasy, the venue will be reduced from a prepandemic seat count of around 2,200, which is bigger than any of the Broadway theatres in New York, to just 1,600.
You can read more about the project here.
Our Team of Scaffold Experts Can Help!
Our team loves solving for your unique scaffolding access design challenges! If you need help finding the perfect access solution for your project, we want to help! With years of experience in the industry, we can help you find the perfect product for your needs and budget. Contact our Team today!
