Guilford High School

Location
Guilford CT

Institution
Town of Guilford

Architect
Tai Soo Kim Partners (now TSKP Studio)

Acoustician
Jaffe Holden

Construction Manager
Fusco/O&G joint venture

Awards
2016 AIA Connecticut Honor Award

The performing arts programs at Guilford High School are robust and consistently award-winning. When their 1958 school building was replaced entirely, the faculty looked forward to new facilities for instruction in performance and technical theater. Nextstage Design principals Tony Forman and Gene Leitermann were project manager and principal in charge, respectively, for Theatre Projects through early stages of construction. The project budget could not support a motorized rigging system, and a counterweight system was deemed inappropriate both for pedagogy and safety. Tony developed a catwalk system over the stage for safe access to lighting and equipment. Drill-operated linesets located between the cross stage catwalks provide the ability to suspend scenery, drapery, and additional lighting. Director of Theatre Arts Cara Mulqueen Teasdale says “Tony and Gene were clear, focused, patient, able and willing to walk through the entire process with us and the result was a performing arts space that is a joy to work and teach in.”

Users
GHS Theatre Arts
Community groups

Construction Type
New Construction

Square Feet
225,000

Completion
2015

Spaces
600-seat multipurpose theater