Built in 1929 as the area’s first movie theater for ‘talkies’, the Lyric Theater is a unique venue for plays and concerts. Read the history of the Lyric and enjoy this delightful article by Adria English of First Security Bank’s “Only in Arkansas” magazine, check the map for location and directions, and read below for rental information and specifications important to performers, directors, sound engineers, etc.
The theater’s design has tremendous benefits for both dramatic and musical performance. First is simply the intimate design: the center section of the main floor has only seven full rows, and the topmost row of the balcony is only 18 rows back from the stage. In plays with an orchestra, the orchestra gives the advantage to the audience, playing at stage right (usually on the main level, sometimes at stage level), rather than having a pit that adds distance between the stage and seating.
Especially with the extra footage added to the stage in the first decade of this milennium (so much that our seating no longer starts with row A, but row B!), we are something ‘more’ than a traditional proscenium stage, yet not quite a thrust stage, so that we actually offer the benefits of both: the ability to hide props and actors outside of the ‘window’ created by the proscenium arch (aiding in the suspension of disbelief, which has become more of a challenge in audiences conditioned by film viewing), while approaching the fourth-wall-reducing intimacy of a thrust stage.
Seating Capacity
Main floor – 240
Balcony – 125
(15 seats are reserved for OAC use at all performances)
General Specifications
Width of proscenium arch – 31 ft.
Height of proscenium arch – 16 ft.
Overall permanent stage width – 34 ft.
Stage depth from front curtain to back wall – 14 ft.
Top stage size – 15.25 ft. deep by 34 ft. across
Lower stage size –
frontmost, between stairwells – 4 ft. deep by 21 ft. across
principal, behind stairwells – 12 ft. deep by 34 ft. across
with extensions – 12 ft. deep by 43 to 49 ft. across
Stage left wing width – 5.5 ft. by 14.5 ft.
Stage right wing width – 2 ft. by 12 ft.
Stage left side loft with window – 4 ft. by 7 ft.
Stage right side loft with window – 4 ft. by 7 ft.
Standard size stage door
Stage loading door – 88 in. wide by 94 in. high
Front curtain (green velour) travel – Front half 5 ft. by 5 ft.; Back half 7 ft. x 9.5 ft.
Scrim curtain (white poly) travel
Side curtains
Dressing Rooms
2 rooms and hall below stage with bathroom facilities (2)
1 room behind stage with bathroom facilities (2)
Storage and Set Construction Annex (25 ft. by 49 ft.)
The Bailey Annex contains secure storage areas, loft, and large area for set construction with large utility sink downstairs.
Wardrobe and Rehearsal Loft (25 ft. by 35 ft.)
Contains additional dressing area.
Loading Dock
Loading door (5 ft. 9 in. by 7 ft. 10 in. )
Loading from street level with nearby parking
Lighting
General stage washes
No spot or black lights
Extra fee for specific requests
Sound
Allen & Heath GL 2400 console
Mackie S-408 main speakers
Mackie S-410 sub woofer speaker
Mackie C-300 stage monitors
DBX iEQ-31 EQ
TC electronic SL effects processor
Crown XS-900 power amp main and subs
Crown XSL 602 power amp monitor
16-channel quick release microphone snake
8 channels of compression
The stage is wired for four separate monitor mixes with a 1/3 octave equalizer for each mix.
Miscellaneous
Baby grand piano is available for an additional fee.
Want to see your name in lights?
If you are interested in performing in the Lyric, please email us at
in**@oz**************.org
or call 870.391.3504.
Rent the Lyric
The Lyric Theater is sometimes available for weddings, parties, and business functions, at the discretion of the OAC Board and the director and production manager of any play in rehearsals. The minimum cost for a federally-recognized not-for-profit organization for an event for which no admission is charged is $250 plus cleaning deposit/fees; the minimum charge in other cases for events in which admission is not charged is $500 plus cleaning deposit/fees. If admission is charged, 40% of the gate is payable to the OAC, with the aforementioned rental fees as a guaranteed minimum, unless otherwise agreed upon. Sound or light engineers are an additional charge. Please email us at
in**@oz**************.org
or call 870.391.3504.