Surber Barber Choate & Hertlein

Theatrical Outfit's Balzer Theater

Atlanta, Georgia

Theatrical Outfit is a small professional theater group in Atlanta. They now have a new home, in a building that once housed Herren's Restaurant, in downtown Atlanta's historic Fairlie-Poplar district.

The new venue seats between 180 and 250, depending on performance configuration. Extensive structural modifications have transformed the existing building into a versatile space, with added rehearsal space, dressing rooms, and offices. A new lobby facing Luckie Street welcomes theater patrons. Within the lobby, bold accent colors and warm maple wood tones create an inviting space for patrons. A feature wall provides a blank canvas on which the theater displays a mural highlighting the season's productions. Accent colors are picked up in the carpet tile; its pattern creates an energy that helps move people into the theater.

Office space for the theater was designed with the creativity of the staff in mind. Bright tiles of carpet enliven the open floor-plan. The staff helped select a flexible furniture system which expresses their artistic sensibility.

The Theatrical Outfit building also employs sustainable design principles. Many materials are locally manufactured, with a high-recycled content. Systems are energy-efficient and built to conserve water. The 15,000 square foot facility is a rehabilitation of a ca. 1930 commercial building and has achieved Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification from the US Green Building Council. The theater wanted a green building with clean, quiet air and acoustics, as well as a comfortable and sustainable environment for its audience.

All Images © Gabriel Benzur Photography