Winter 2024

C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • W I N T E R 2 0 2 4 129 kitchen for food prep and large screen TVs all around. The room is encircled with a shelf. “That’s a drink rail, an idea I stole from London theaters,” Moorer says. Every fixture, from bath- room faucets to LED cove lighting is top-drawer. Every detail has been meticulously planned and executed, including the golden paint used as trim throughout the building.“When I heard the color was called ‘Tequila Gold,’ I said we have to have it,” Moorer laughs. But the real stunner is the auditorium. Theatergoers may remember the previous seat- ing layout: straight rows, flat and low floor seat- ing—typical mid-century movie theater design. “Now, every seat is turned in, so viewers face the center of the auditorium,” Moorer says. “It affords a psychological effect that puts you in the center of the action and focuses attention on the center of the stage.” And performers love it as well. “They can see the first few rows all the way around.We’ve eliminated the fourth wall, much as we did with our smaller, intimate Circle Theatre.The Founders Theatre capacity is around 280, close to the previous incarnation, but sight lines and the viewing experience are vastly improved—as are the seats themselves. “They’re super comfortable, more like modern movie theater seats than those found in live the- aters.They even have cup holders.” Every system, from electrical to lighting to sound and multimedia, has been upgraded to up-to-the-minute standards. Moorer calls the control room “The Cruise Deck” for its hi-tech assemblage of lighting and audio controls. One detail that the technical crew staff is highly appreciative of is the addition of a restroom in this area, when previously they had to stand in line with the audience during intermissions. Off to the side of the auditorium are two small clos- et-like rooms, designed for actors to be able to duck in for quick costume changes mid-perfor- mance. It's little touches like this that evidence the fact that “this theater was designed by artists and actors with their needs in mind.” Architect Richard McCann was the lead archi- tect on the project. “Richard is the master,” Moorer says,“probably the world’s foremost the- ater architect. He’s worked on Lincoln Center,The Old Globe, the FoxTheatre in Riverside and the- aters in Nashville. He also provided critical advice on the 2016 renovation of Carmel’s Outdoor Forest Theatre, which is also managed by PacRep. What’s Next This recently completed work is Phase II of Moorer’s vision for the Golden Bough.“In Phase I, we upgraded the CircleTheatre and did major infrastructure upgrades in the main auditorium, including the installation of the main stage turntables.That was for the artists,” he explains. “Phase II is for the audience, with a dramatically upgraded theater experience for them.” After taking a breather from construction for a couple of years, plans for Phase III include adding a Tudor-gabled structure on the front of the building to house administrative staff. Moorer says Carmel-by-the-Sea is what he Even before the recent renovation, clever design that includes a two-level center stage turntable has allowed the Golden Bough to stage a variety of complicated productions, including a 2017 production of Disney’s “Jungle Book Junior.” Photo: Courtesy of Pacifc Repertory Theatre