et cetera...: The word “iconic” is often used to describe the natural amphitheater in the grounds of Stanford University. Joan Baez, The Grateful Dead and Crosby Stills and Nash are a small sampling of the seminal acts of the ‘60s who performed on what some call “that hallowed stage.” Opened in 1937, Frost Amphitheater hosted University gatherings, but from the 1980s to the early 2000s fell mostly silent. A recent renovation brought new life to the stage for a brief while in 2019 before, well, you know…
3 comments:
I always think it is cool when old buildings or establishments are rebuilt and restored to match their former glory rather than just tearing them down. The Frost amphitheatre takes that one step farther – instead of a complete aesthetic redesign of an iconic space, they took care to do more of a restoration. They modernized the facility while maintaining its historic appearance from its original construction in 1935. On the more technical side of the upgrades, I was very interested by the choice to upgrade the network system to fiber optics rather than traditional ethernet. It makes sense, as fiber optics are fast and, more importantly, reliable over much longer distances than traditional copper cables, but this is the first time I have heard of fiber being used in a lighting network system. It is kind of funny to think about that way, the data communication between the front of house and the systems on stage for the lights is carried in light. I know that fiber optics are relatively common with sound systems to minimize latency, but it makes me wonder if fiber will become commonplace with all technical departments.
3. I think the decision to preserve the Frost Amphitheater is amazing! I like that the renovation team not only took the historic nature of the space, but also the architecture of Stanford University itself into consideration. Personally, I love seeing productions in historic spaces. One of my favorite theatres I’ve been to is Ford Theatre, where I saw “Ragtime”. Abraham Lincoln was shot in the Ford Theatre, and the box he sat in has been persevered. Interestingly enough, “Come From Away” had a run there prior to premiering on Broadway. Additionally, the lighting infrastructure at the Frost is compelling to me. Specifically, the choice to use fiber optics and the decision to create a system that allows for up to 75 years of use. I have never really thought about the systems that exist in large scale permanent outdoor theatres, but I never thought the systems could have such longevity. The theatre has sat empty since 2019 when it was renovated, but despite the elements and lack of use the theatre is still in new condition.
This article was an interesting read on the difficulties and nuances of restoration, especially in a building like a theater that requires such up-to-date technology. The structure’s outdoor nature, as well as its legacy, both presented interesting issues. One was the distance of the wiring, which required the use of fiber optic cables as opposed to traditional copper wiring, tech most definitely not available at the time of the Frost’s original construction. However, this is invisible to any visitors, and doesn’t ruin the feel of the natural setting. A different issue is making it accessible to all levels of productions. But by looking forward in their design, the construction team allowed touring acts to bring in and hook up extra hardware right into the existing system. If they had tried to install every state-of-the-art device, it would become outdated eventually, but by allowing different pieces to be connected as needed, a greater longevity was ensured.
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