The auditorium floor set with tables, seen from the balcony

The venue

A working theatre,
not a
function room.

Built as the YWCA assembly room in 1941 and converted to a theatre in 1975. A balcony, a fly house, a rigged grid, and a floor that sets with tables or clears for rows.

Specification

What is here

We are re-measuring the room. Taking the building on, we are verifying every dimension rather than republishing numbers from the old brochure. Anything marked confirming will be given to you in writing before you commit to a date. If a number matters to your budget, ask and we will prioritise measuring it.

Technical specification of the Downtown Cabaret stage
Seated capacity	Configuration-dependent. The house has run at roughly 250 to 290 depending on whether the floor is set with cabaret tables or rows. Confirming exact counts per layout
Floor layout	Cabaret tables and booths, or cleared for rows. The table layout is the room's signature.
Balcony	Yes. Front balcony, balcony sides and two sky boxes.
Fly house	Yes, built in the 1995 renovation. The reason a producer can mount a real set here rather than a concert.
Stage dimensions	Confirming Proscenium width, depth, wing space and grid height are being measured.
Lighting	House rig with control at the rear of the house. Confirming current inventory.
Sound	House system with a booth at the rear of the house. Confirming desk, speakers and mics.
Dressing rooms	Backstage rebuilt in 1995. Confirming number and capacity.
Load-in	Confirming Vehicle access, door dimensions and the route to the stage.
Available days	Monday to Saturday. The room is not available on Sundays.
Air conditioning	Yes, upgraded in the 1995 renovation.
Accessibility	Accessible seating positions exist on the orchestra floor. Confirming current provision.
Food and drink	The room was built around a bring-your-own-picnic tradition. Confirming the current house policy.

Seating

A cabaret floor, not fixed rows

The orchestra level is laid out in round tables, four-tops and booths rather than continuous rows. That is why the capacity moves: how many people the room holds depends on how the floor is set.

For a play or a concert it can be set more densely. For a dinner, a fundraiser or a comedy night the table layout is the point, and the count comes down. We set it either way.

The chart is the 2017-18 house plan from the theatre's own records. A current plan is being drawn.

Seating chart showing round tables, four-tops and booths on the orchestra floor with a front balcony and sky boxes — House plan, 2017-18

The room, set three ways

One floor, different evenings

The auditorium seen from the floor — From the floor

The balcony and side of the house — Balcony and house side

The stage in performance — In performance

The red brick facade of 263 Golden Hill Street with its white classical portico — 263 Golden Hill Street · from the theatre's records

Getting here

Downtown, and close to the train

263 Golden Hill Street sits in central Bridgeport, minutes by cab from the Metro-North and Amtrak station. Trains run frequently from Grand Central and Penn Station, and from Boston.

From New York	I-95 North to exit 27A for CT-25/CT-8 toward Trumbull. Take the first exit toward Golden Hill Street and go straight through the light. The theatre is on the right.
From New Haven	I-95 South to exit 27A, then as above.
From Waterbury	I-84 West / CT-8 South, exit for Main Street South, then right onto Golden Hill Street.
By train	Metro-North and Amtrak to Bridgeport, then a short cab.
Parking	Confirming current arrangements and nearby garages.

Tell us what you need and we will measure it

If a specification is not published yet, it is because we would rather measure it than repeat it.