The Office of Planning and Facilities Management completed renovations to Gaston Hall this summer, with its reopening on August 27 marking the end to the stage’s limited availability. Concerns about the stage’s structural stability primarily sparked the renovations, but they led to additional upgrades as well.
“Originally the stage was built on the floor itself, and the floor itself was not designed to house the kind of events that the stage currently has, like Rangila where there is a lot of dancing and jumping up and down,” said Robin Morey, Vice President of Planning and Facilities Management
After a structural engineering firm determined last summer that the stage would be unable to handle such active events, use of the stage was limited for the 2014-2015 academic year. Renovations occurred during a three-month period this summer from June through August in an effort to avoid closing the venue during the 2015-2016 school year.
To structurally support the stage, new steel members were installed that cover the length of the stage and anchor it on both sides. This should also serve to prevent vibrations during performances with large groups.
The Office of Strategic Communications confirmed that additional upgrades improved ADA accessibility, lighting, Wi-Fi, and audio-visual capabilities. The stage was also refinished with new wood flooring.
The electrical, audio, and visual improvements provide the opportunity for other occasions beyond traditional speakers to be held in Gaston.
Aakash Bhatia (MSB ‘16), President of the South Asian Society which coordinates Rangila, said, “You could have different types of performances that rely more on sound and lighting, so rather than just lectures, have more performances such as dancing and singing.”
The completion of the renovations allows for student groups to return to the stage as well. Morey said that last year’s limited closure of Gaston primarily affected about six events. Among these was Rangila, which was consequently held in the Kennedy Center.
Rangila is scheduled to return to Gaston Hall this fall, and Bhatia acknowledged the transition back to performing in Gaston. “[The Kennedy Center] obviously is very different – not just the size of the stage but the lighting features, the sound, all of that is kind of a different ballgame. But at the same time the last 19 years before last year they were held in Gaston…so it’s kind of going back to familiar territory to an extent.”
While a cappella performances were not interrupted by the difficulties with the stage last year, the renovations guarantee a venue for the groups to perform. “The nice thing about this is it ensures we will be able to continue using the space,” said Ed Crotty (MSB ’16), the Business Manager for the Georgetown Phantoms. “So this is good that [the renovations] are sustaining this because we love performing there.”
Use during NSO were the first events held on the stage since the renovations. Upcoming events held in Gaston are to include speakers from the Global Futures lecture series and the Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life.
