It started in November of last year, 2019.
The renovated/remodeled Riverview Theatre opened with the Shreveport Opera’s
production of “Man of LaMancha.”
Those attending who sat on the ground floor had a rude awakening.
The new seats and seating arrangement left very little room between the rows.
So little room that people had to empty out of rows to allow others to reach their seats. And while sitting, patrons became very familiar with their knees virtually being in their faces.
The loss of space between the rows was the result of maintaining the previous seating
capacity while complying with the American Disability Act requirements.
In May of this year, an anonymous donor offered to pay the cost of purchasing new
seats and re-arranging seats to restore the previous seating between rows. This would
result in the loss of a few hundred seats on the ground floor, which is rarely sold out, but add much needed creature comfort.
In October of this year, architect Kevin Bryant advised that a revised seating plan
had been requested from the seat manufacturer. Bryant said that the COVID pandemic was the reason for the delay in meaningful progress.
Drawings of the proposed new seating configuration finally arrived earlier this
month. Bryant and Shelly Ragle, SPAR director, sent these to the primary user groups: the Shreveport Opera. the Shreveport Symphony and the Shreveport Metropolitan Ballet.
The proposed changes will add approximatelyfive inches of knee space. Additionally,
seats that are narrower than 22 inches will be replaced with seats either 23 or 24 inches wide. (Surprisingly, these inches become very important to one’s comfort in both seating and passing in front of others to get
to seats!)
Hopefully, these groups will quickly come to some agreement for a new seating arrangement.
The Symphony is proceeding with its January-June scheduled concerts at First Baptist Church. The Symphony’s fall concert series begins in September with monthly concerts at a location yet to be determined.
The Opera has booked the theatre for productions in January, April and November.
The Ballet has scheduled April, September and December productions in the theater.
The Theatre of Performing Arts has booked recitals for April and July.
The Shreveport Dance Academy has also scheduled a May event in Riverview.
The timeline for ordering new seats and installation is approximately eight to 12 weeks, subject to COVID delays.
Hopefully, the holidays and New Year’s festivities will not unduly delay a much needed decision on how to proceed with a new seating arrangement.
THIS ARTICLE WAS PUBLISHED IN THE December 25 ISSUE OF FOCUS SB - THE INQUISITOR.