Dundee Rep Theatre
History of the Building
Dundee Rep Theatre’s original award winning, purpose built building was completed in 1982, comprising a 450 seater auditorium, front of house areas and offices. An extension completed 10 years later in 1992 brought in house workshop, wardrobe, rehearsal facilities, provided a small Dance Studio and also much needed room for an expanding Community Department.
The possibility of funds through the Lottery for the first time gave the theatre a real opportunity to solve the problems of inaccessibility for disabled patrons and many years of wear and tear on fabric and equipment. The technology was also very dated and due to a much greater number of employees than when the building was first constructed in 1982, there was enormous pressure on office space. In December 1998 the Rep was awarded a Scottish Arts Council Lottery Grant of £2.4m towards its £3.2 million Capital Project. A further £776,000 was raised from Dundee City Council, Scottish Enterprise Tayside, major local trusts and members of the public and only £40,000 is left to raise on this project.
With a remit to “improve the experience of audiences to the Rep by upgrading facilities, to make public areas of the building fully accessible, and to maximise its potential as a regional and national asset”, the project was completed in October 2000, on time and on budget. Some of the improvements and additions made were…
- full disabled access to all public areas and disabled access to dressing rooms, stage and new workshop
- extended wing space allowing larger-scale shows and shows in repertoire and a flexible fore-stage
- upgrading of auditorium (new seating, carpeting, lighting, sound, heating, ventilation)
- upgrading of the stage (tabs, lighting, sound, lighting rig, counterweight system, prompt desk, stage equipment, improved green room, on site storage)
- upgrading of public areas (lift, heating, lighting, sound, ventilation, furnishing, finishings, better provision of disabled toilets)
