Emerson College's Paramount Center

[Ron Newman]

Re: BRA approves Emerson College's Paramount Center

Do you know if any performances are planned for the Paramount this spring and summer?

 

[stick n move]

Re: BRA approves Emerson College's Paramount Center

^not with dimmed lights and stage lights on the stage

 

[found5dollar]

Re: BRA approves Emerson College's Paramount Center

I disagree Arborway. I thought the open spaces were quite lively, the black box theater was cool (I'd never been in one) and I think you're right that the screening room was well done. Maybe my opinion is skewed by all the students hanging out, rehearsing, etc. but I didn't find the environment dull at all.

I would love the see this black box you talk about.... do you remember how many it seats?

 

[found5dollar]

Re: BRA approves Emerson College's Paramount Center

Holy hell I'm getting old. I"ve heard it all now. ALSO I am enjoying judgements from people who haven't even been in this theater under proper light conditions!!!!

The mind filters out unneeded information. When the lights go down, it will happen here on the too overly ornate. Pictures can't show how the too overly ornate parts will look. Especially when the only existing pictures are to highlight the restoration/replacment of the too overly ornate parts and not show performance conditions.

For another example, absent audio distractions, can you read a book in the too overly ornate McKim building, as easily as in the Johnson building? I know I can!!!!!

I think of this more like the new deconstructivist art museums than the BPL. They are cool looking, but do they serve their purpose? IMHO, i feel you should leave an art museum saying "wow wasn't the art amazing" not "wasn't that building amazing." The same is true with theaters.

Also, I thought a large part of this forum was people talking about and discussing buildings they haven't been in or in many cases haven't even seen in person. I am taking peoples word that the theater is alot more subdued than it looks in the picture, but I still want to defend my point of view.

 

[riffgo]

Re: BRA approves Emerson College's Paramount Center

IMHO, i feel you should leave an art museum saying "wow wasn't the art amazing" not "wasn't that building amazing." The same is true with theaters.

\QUOTE]

Another narrow point of view. Why can't we say both? I'm concerned with the total experience.

 

[Ron Newman]

Re: BRA approves Emerson College's Paramount Center

I've had the opposite experience -- spent the day at an art museum full of beautiful paintings, only to come away saying "what a terrible place to put them". That was the old Jeu de Paume in Paris, where the Impressionists used to be exhibited. (Now they're in the Orsay, but I haven't been back since then to see the improvement.)

 

[stellarfun]

Re: BRA approves Emerson College's Paramount Center

I would love the see this black box you talk about.... do you remember how many it seats?

IIRC, seats 150.

Pic from the contractor, Bond Brothers, website.

 

[stellarfun]

Re: BRA approves Emerson College's Paramount Center

I've had the opposite experience -- spent the day at an art museum full of beautiful paintings, only to come away saying "what a terrible place to put them". That was the old Jeu de Paume in Paris, where the Impressionists used to be exhibited. (Now they're in the Orsay, but I haven't been back since then to see the improvement.)

They are in the midst of a big renovation of the Orsay, which I think is rather strange, as the Orsay, as a museum, is not that old.

http://www.musee-orsay.fr/en/collections/history-of-the-museum/projects.html

 

[ablarc]

Re: BRA approves Emerson College's Paramount Center

...spent the day at an art museum full of beautiful paintings, only to come away saying "what a terrible place to put them". That was the old Jeu de Paume in Paris, where the Impressionists used to be exhibited. (Now they're in the Orsay, but I haven't been back since then to see the improvement.)

Improvement? Maybe not, Ron; I think you'd still be disappointed in the new place.

Maybe you would not be alone. This might be a symptom of widespread disillusionment:

They are in the midst of a big renovation of the Orsay, which I think is rather strange, as the Orsay, as a museum, is not that old.

 

[Ron Newman]

Re: BRA approves Emerson College's Paramount Center

I visited the Jeu de Paume in midsummer. It was overcrowded (both too many people, and too many paintings on each wall) and not air-conditioned. So I'm sure the Orsay is better.

 

[bdurden]

Re: BRA approves Emerson College's Paramount Center

Why is it that people want beautiful things and beautiful places, we scorn the destruction of artist buildings and historic places in the name of modernism, and then when we actually get what we ask for, a successful renovation or reconstruction effort, it's suddenly met with so much disdain? What does this say about us?

 

[stellarfun]

Re: BRA approves Emerson College's Paramount Center

Head for San Francisco, as the Orsay's Impressionism paintings have been sent there.

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE57O54320090825

The upper floor galleries at the Orsay I thought were cramped, even claustrophobic, and more suited for looking at miniaturist paintings than some of the larger Impressionist works.

 

[found5dollar]

Re: BRA approves Emerson College's Paramount Center

IIRC, seats 150.

Pic from the contractor, Bond Brothers, website.

looks really nice! But again, I hope that bright red wall isn't as bright in real life if they plan on doing theatrical performances here....

 

[bbfen]

Re: BRA approves Emerson College's Paramount Center

looks really nice! But again, I hope that bright red wall isn't as bright in real life if they plan on doing theatrical performances here....

It's amazing what an expert you are on judging ... bad pictures and renderings.

I'm speaking only for myself, but perhaps once you've visited the facility, your opinion will carry some weight with me. In the meantime, don't be so negative. It's a downer. (And I'm about the most negative person on this forum!)

 

[briv]

Re: BRA approves Emerson College's Paramount Center

found5dollar, I think your concerns about the interior of the Paramount are unfounded. Have you ever attended a show at the Majestic, Citi Center (aka the Wang), or Opera House? Those theaters are all pretty baroque. I've never once heard anyone complain that those spaces detracted from the performances staged there.

I agree with Lurker--the space itself is an integral part of the theater-going experience.

 

[kennedy]

Re: BRA approves Emerson College's Paramount Center

I'll put myself in the "I like my Ch?teau Lafite in a Waterford crystal glass" club. Don't care if it's Baroque or Post-Modern (well, I'm not really a PoMo fan) so long as it's a well executed design.

 

[ablarc]

Re: BRA approves Emerson College's Paramount Center

The upper floor galleries at the Orsay I thought were cramped, even claustrophobic, and more suited for looking at miniaturist paintings than some of the larger Impressionist works.

Exactly.

And badly lit, to boot.

 

[found5dollar]

Re: BRA approves Emerson College's Paramount Center

It's amazing what an expert you are on judging ... bad pictures and renderings.

I'm speaking only for myself, but perhaps once you've visited the facility, your opinion will carry some weight with me. In the meantime, don't be so negative. It's a downer. (And I'm about the most negative person on this forum!)

wow... I'm sorry.. I thought that is what we do on this board, judge if we like things by bad photos and renderings (see the boston arch thread for exhibit a). I'm just stating my thoughts on the pictures and renderings we have. Plus I am pretty sure I am the only one on this board that works in a theater day in and day out, so I fell that I know alittle more about what designers and technicians look for in a theatrical space than the average person.

I am not trying to be a downer, in fact I usually stop reading threads once they become to much of "beat up on boston" area. I am just stating my thoughts on what I have been shown and told so far.

everyone is entitled to their opinions on architectural theory and I feel as though bright colors, like oranges and bright reds, do not belong in the permanent architecture inside a theater, especially a blackbox. That is all I am trying to get across. Sorry if it feels like I am beating up on a building a lot of people here like, but I am just questioning the color scheme, not saying the entire building is rubbish.

 

[Ron Newman]

Re: BRA approves Emerson College's Paramount Center

Is the red part of the black box's permanent d?cor, or just the way it looked for one particular event?

 

[Padre Mike]

Re: BRA approves Emerson College's Paramount Center

Actually the red wall should not be a problem at all. It all depends upon the color of the lights that shine on it. Using a combination of green and blue, the wall would end up looking dark grey or black.