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MSU - The Wharton Center, Great Hall
Fully functional Broadway theater, this is the largest venue in the Lansing (Michigan) area, hosting the Lion King, and Phantom of the Opera, and is home to the Lansing Symphony Orchestra and M.S.U. Symphony Orchestra.
As seen in the pictures, this venue holds most of its seating on the main floor in long horizontal rows. There is a balcony (Tier) which slops steeply to the ceiling. Several large white columns stretch on both sides. One pair of these houses lighting and access to the catwalks. The walls are of solid brick, and the floor of the flanks are of solid stone.
The stage is very large, and rarely seen in its entirely. For orchestra concerts, usually two or three clouds are flown, and a shell is installed; the back of the shell to the front of the stage is a little more than half the actual depth of the stage. There are also two pit levels. The outer can be lowered and used for additional seating.
There are two sections of the catwalks that hold recording equipment. The first hovers just above the first pit. Slightly stage right is an XLR snake box running back to the second dressing room backstage. There are matching balconies facing the house where organ speakers are placed, and this is where outriggers are hung. Center is the main cluster, but just enough room to drop a line for a center mic (connecting to the lighting bridge). The main lighting bridge has cable for microphone relays to the main catwalk snake box.
