5 Things You Didn’t Know About the Ohio Theatre’s New Orchestra Shell

With the new orchestra shell about to have its big debut at the Ohio Theatre, we thought there were a few things you should know before you “ooo” and “ahh” in person!

1) It took one full year to complete. These things take time! There was a year’s worth of preparation for the new shell, including architect and acoustician meetings and deconstruction of the old shell, followed by one full month of installation. Rome wasn’t built in a day!

2) It fits right in. The new shell is custom designed for the Ohio Theatre. The architects made sure to incorporate the theatre’s Baroque style into the shell’s design, even continuing the gold stars adorning the ceiling of the Ohio Theatre onto the ceiling of the new orchestra shell. Peter Krajnak, Design Principal with Rogers Krajnak Architects, said, “Our team created a decorative design that is in harmony with the theatre’s Baroque-esque style interior and extends that visual grandeur onto the stage.”

3) It’s basically a transformer. That’s right! The new shell can transform into a variety of configurations to best fit the size of the ensemble performing. It also has a variety of lighting possibilities through a new LED lighting system, making every performance unique.

4) We love it! We here at CAPA absolutely love the new shell! CAPA CEO Bill Conner said, “The end result far exceeds our expectations in functionality, beauty, and acoustics.” While we marvel at its beauty, we are blown away by its new and improved acoustics. CSO Music Director Designee Rossen Milanov said, “The Ohio Theatre now becomes a venue where the music can create a sonic impact!”

5) You can see it soon! The shell will make its public debut Saturday and Sunday, November 21 and 22, at the Columbus Symphony’s Beethoven & Don Quixote concert. Come see the beautiful new orchestra shell and see (and hear!) what all the fuss is about!