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Venue hire Welcome Pack

 

48 Kansas Avenue

Media City

M50 2GL

The Empty Space Theatre Hire Manchester

MAIN STAGE

BACKSTAGE

Bar & Reception

Patio

Studio One & Walk Through

Toilets

About us

The Empty Space is a unique and custom-built theatre space housed in an industrial unit just five minutes from the main studio block at MediaCity.  From inception in December 2016, the venue has developed into a popular performance space, hosting a variety of professional and amateur productions throughout the year (including GM Fringe), college graduate shows, comedy nights, music recitals, showcases, training and rehearsals, as well as being home to Footlights Theatre. 

“We wanted to build a place that everyone could use, to attend and perform in without feeling they had to wear their Sunday best. It’s a place for the next-door neighbour, the accomplished actor, someone just starting out and the established writer, the unheard-of comedian, a place to feel at home. Step through the door and the magic begins,” Jo Fisher, Director of The Empty Space.

Amenities

Accessibility

The Empty Space is an accessible venue including:

  • A Ramp at the entrance for wheelchair users.

  • Accessible toilets.

  • full wheelchair access and ground floor seating. 

  • Outdoor Heating.

  • Large Garage door for further accessibility requirements.

  • Unisex toilets.

HIRE OF THE EMPTY SPACE INCLUDES

  • Main stage with a maximum 155 seating capacity.

  • Backstage area with full-length mirrors.

  • Three separate toilet facilities.

  • Bar & Reception area.

  • Rehearsal area.

  • Dedicated Parking area.

  • Outdoor heaters.

  • Outdoor Patio Area.

  • Full Stage Lighting and sound system.

  • Large Walk through space. 

  • Basic kitchen facilities.

Where we are

Screenshot 2022-10-21 at 10.13.57.png

Tech Specs

Type to enter textStage Area 

 

Black box - performance space 9m wide x 7m deep (height 5m), surrounded by black serge drapes with side entrances (two either side and back corners). Wing space 0.5m Stage Left and round the back, 5m wing/dressing room/props space Stage Right. 

Lighting 

There are three fixed scaffolding structures suspended to I-beams from the roof, with space to rig additional fixtures.
Footlights House does not have additional cabling to alter or change any of the standard rig. There is a DMX Splitter and Dimmer Pack located DSR, providing 3 x 1kw Dimmer channels or 4 x 750w channels. 

The rig consists of 5 x RGBWA & UV LED Pars that are rigged on the upstage bar to use as Backlighting (2 focused U/S & 3 facing D/S). (6m Wide)
The FOH LED wash is fully colour mixable (RGBWW) – The Warm White chip enables pastel colours to be mixed smoothly into the wash. 3 Fresnels cover the stage & are focused as tight as possible – which results in a smooth coverage. (Rigging Position 6m Wide) 

The overhead bar has 1 RGBWW Fresnel used as an U/S Wash & 2 x PAR 64. (This has a rigging position of 4m wide and a fixed height of 5.3m)
There is a DMX Feed installed FOH that is terminated at the Control Position Upstairs. This run is permanently installed but has enough cable to reach the seating bank control position. 

Lighting Fixtures 

5 x Atomic Pro RGBWA &UV LED PARs
4 x Atomic Scala 200 RGB + Warm White LED Fresnel
3 x PAR 64 (Silver) – CP62 Lamps
4 x NJD 500w Fresnels (NJ050A)
(2 x used for House-lighting - paired & 2 x Additional Stage Wash) 2 x Equinox Colour Cabaret in ‘high side’ position
2 x ETC Source 4 Profiles on overhead LX bar 

V4 – Current as of April 2022 – Created by Adam Murdoch 

 

1 x Teatro Teclumen arena 250MSD Follow Spot (c/w Stand & 13a Plug) 

Dimmers 

2 x QTX DIM4 (1 located Upstairs by Control Position & 1 DSR)
All dimming channels are used by the house rig, there are no spare channels. We are using 7 x DMX Channels. 

Control 

1 x Lampy 20 touch screen lighting desk 1 x Showtec DB-1-8 DMX Splitter 

No additional cables or accessories are available additional to the In-House Rig.
If you wish to bring additional equipment into the venue, you will also need to supply additional dimming, cabling and a Power Distro (63/3). 

Type to enter textSound Equipment 

1 x Behringer Eurodesk SX2442FX (Twin FX Unit in-built)
Speaker System Consists of a left and right stereo pair (SUBS also in stereo – running on Sub Group 1):
2 x Active ‘the box pro DSP 115’ Tops
2 x Active ‘the box pro Achat 112’ Subs
1 x 16/4 - W Audio Multicore Stage Box - 30M
2 x Audio Technica Pro45 Hanging Microphones – installed off centre from LX bar
1 x Wired Microphone with 10m XLR and Mic stand
1 x 3.5mm Jack to 6.35mm Jack Lead (Suitable for a Laptop or Phone Input) 

No Additional Cables or Accessories are currently provided. 

There are no tie lines USC or SL so, if you need to run microphones or instruments to there, additional cables must be brought in.
A 30M cable is required to run from the Stage Box (SR) to (SL) on the floor.
The FOH Loom is possible of extending from the Tech Area Upstairs to the seating bank if required. 

Power 

Located SR there is a 63amp 3 Phase Socket available for use (we do not have a Distro)

1 x 13Amp that can become available to use (if needed)
2 x 16Amp Sockets (Permanently in use by in-house lighting rig) 1 x 32Amp Socket (Used by the in-house 6ch Dimmer Rack)

Located USC there is 1 x 13Amp Socket 

Located SL there is 1 x 13Amp Socket (Maximum load 300W) 

Projector & Screen

Screen

Aspect Ratio: 16:9
Viewable Area Dimensions (approx): 

Diagonal: 200′′ (508cm)
Height: 249cm
Width: 443cm
Surrounding Black Border Dimensions (approx.): 

Upper: 100cm
Lower: 4cm
Left & Right: 4cm
Screen surface: Matt White
Projector
Mounted on overhead bar DSC – details to be added 


Access Equipment
Available to use is a set of 12 Rung Combination Zarges – At full extension in A-frame setup, ability to reach all heights within the theatre is possible, providing that there is somebody ‘footing’ the ladder.
No Other Access equipment is provided. 


Load In
Load in is through the front of the Building by a Roller Garage Door, approximately 2.5M wide by 3.5M tall and directly into the venue. Please be aware that the seating bank is between these Get-In Doors and the Stage, so any scenery may need to be lifted over the seating if it doesn’t  fit down the side (approximately 1.5m Wide). 

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