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History
The making of the Fourth Stage
The Fourth Stage was formerly known as the Elgin Room, and was used primarily for meetings, conferences, and the occasional performance, although it was not well suited to performing. It had no real stage, no foyer and no dedicated entrance: nothing distinguished it from other non-performance spaces within the NAC.
However, all that has changed! Here's what we've done to transform the Elgin Room into the Fourth Stage:
We began by removing the red carpet that had been placed directly on the concrete floor, and replaced it with a sprung wood floor mounted on rubber supports. The new floor is suitable for dance artists and allows us to install stage sets.
The white-tiled false ceiling was removed and a new grid was installed to hang theatrical lighting fixtures and speakers. An emergency lighting system was also installed, as were new ventilation units to improve air circulation and reduce the ambient noise level of the older system.
To improve the acoustics in the space, valour drapes were installed around the periphery. The valour muffles vibrations and echoes and serves as a divider between the foyer and the performance space.
Electrical outlets and conduits were installed to accommodate the cables and wires required to record performances in the Fourth Stage for television or radio.
We purchased and installed soft, comfortable and attractive seats that meet existing safety regulations.
Backstage, a large lounge, showers and restrooms were constructed.
Finally, we redecorated the foyer of the Fourth Stage and put in a bar for serving refreshments to the public.
The Fourth Stage is a multi-purpose performance space in the black box style, and offers artists a venue they can freely adapt to suit a particular work. It can accommodate various configurations of stage and seating (up to a maximum of 150 seats) and features lighting and sound systems designed specifically for the dimensions of the space.
NAC staff assigned to the Fourth Stage include a technical director, an IATSE technician, and a props master. A dresser and a bar server can also be called upon if required.
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