A New Stage Structure for the National Theatre of Costa Rica

The following paper describes the designs and construction of the new stage structure and metal rigging of the National Theatre of Costa Rica (TNCR). The 125-year-old heritage building was subjected to renovations of the stage and rigging, interweaving a new structure that left the original iron and wood structure intact and respected a fully operational historical stage. The project was innovative because it maintained the original loom and added a dual-stage that supports larger loads in a new bolted metal structure while preserving the craft of the stagehand in the original theatre rigging system.