World-class Theatre La Bonita
Jan 05, 2007
LOOKING north across the junction of Kimathi Avenue and Colville street from Christ the King church in Kampala, it is very difficult to miss the kaleidoscopic tumble of colours on a gigantic placard announcing the new home of the Ebonies – Theatre La Bonita. This is the same spot where the former
By Sebidde Kiryowa
and Joseph Semutooke
LOOKING north across the junction of Kimathi Avenue and Colville street from Christ the King church in Kampala, it is very difficult to miss the kaleidoscopic tumble of colours on a gigantic placard announcing the new home of the Ebonies – Theatre La Bonita. This is the same spot where the former Neeta Cinema stood.
The theatre was officially launched by the Kabaka of Buganda, Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II, recently.
According to Sam Bagenda, “Dr. Bbosaâ€, the group director, after a decade of traversing the country, taking theatre to the people, without a home of their own, they will now settle in and “bring people to the theatre†as their new slogan suggests.
It is just as well because their new home, La Bonita, is not an ordinary theatre. With a seating capacity of 800 and fitted with world-class accessories to create glamour and comfort, it is probably the largest in the city centre – a magnificent facility that Bagenda reckons is the first five-star theatre in the country.
John Paul Katende, former Buganda government Attorney General and the man behind the theatre, says it cost over a billion shillings. Most of the construction materials and fittings were imported from the US, the UK, Dubai or China.
The gaudy billboard, that welcomes you aside, twin bronze sculptures are perched either side of the entrance.
Past these spectacular curvaceous statuettes, one is ushered into a neat foyer with glistening tiles. To one side lies the box office, while on the other are cafes. The walk-in cafes are for fast foods, as the major eating place is upstairs – a 400-hundred-seater restaurant that will be open every day of the week.
From down here are two separate well-upholstered stair cases leading up to the gallery on two different sides, while another shorter stair case leads into the main auditorium.
The auditorium, a sprawling affair has a well-embellished podium. Huge maroon curtains controlled electronically run its entire width.
The auditorium consists five sections that will cost differently. Cheapest on the ground floor are the first and economy class sections, while the gallery comprises the executive, V.I.P and Royal seatings.
The Royal circle is particularly special. It contains only 11 plush seats, four of which were specially imported for distinguished guests like the Kabaka and the president. But every seat is comfortable, supplied with soft cushions and allowed enough space from others.
The facility is fitted with an American JBL sound system, which has a capacity of 4,000 watts per channel. With two channels, that makes 8,000 watts of sound. The stage is also fitted with small (invisible to the audience) codeless, but highly-sensitive microphones that pick up the sounds of the actors and relay them to the audience through an eight-powerful speaker system.
The sound engineer says only about one-third of the sound capacity will be utilised to ensure audience comfort.
The theatre is also equipped with among others, 3,000 watts of lighting driven by a small DMX commander fader which is capable of synchronising their movements with the sounds on stage. They change according to sound. These are used mainly for dances and are boosted by the flower effect lamps.
There are also special effects lamps that can recreate fire on stage among other things. These are complimented by the strobe lights which can create a running effect for a person standing still on stage. On top of these are stage flood lights which operate on a dimmer rack fader to ensure that the actors are illuminated with no shadow effect.
Since the theatre will be up for hire by other acting groups or musicians looking to launch their albums among other things, there are two control rooms beyond the gallery – for the visitors and the one that Ebonies will use.
For those who would want to experience this exotic ambience, the Ebonies will be showing their play, Gutujja today and tomorrow.
and Joseph Semutooke
LOOKING north across the junction of Kimathi Avenue and Colville street from Christ the King church in Kampala, it is very difficult to miss the kaleidoscopic tumble of colours on a gigantic placard announcing the new home of the Ebonies – Theatre La Bonita. This is the same spot where the former Neeta Cinema stood.
The theatre was officially launched by the Kabaka of Buganda, Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II, recently.
According to Sam Bagenda, “Dr. Bbosaâ€, the group director, after a decade of traversing the country, taking theatre to the people, without a home of their own, they will now settle in and “bring people to the theatre†as their new slogan suggests.
It is just as well because their new home, La Bonita, is not an ordinary theatre. With a seating capacity of 800 and fitted with world-class accessories to create glamour and comfort, it is probably the largest in the city centre – a magnificent facility that Bagenda reckons is the first five-star theatre in the country.
John Paul Katende, former Buganda government Attorney General and the man behind the theatre, says it cost over a billion shillings. Most of the construction materials and fittings were imported from the US, the UK, Dubai or China.
The gaudy billboard, that welcomes you aside, twin bronze sculptures are perched either side of the entrance.
Past these spectacular curvaceous statuettes, one is ushered into a neat foyer with glistening tiles. To one side lies the box office, while on the other are cafes. The walk-in cafes are for fast foods, as the major eating place is upstairs – a 400-hundred-seater restaurant that will be open every day of the week.
From down here are two separate well-upholstered stair cases leading up to the gallery on two different sides, while another shorter stair case leads into the main auditorium.
The auditorium, a sprawling affair has a well-embellished podium. Huge maroon curtains controlled electronically run its entire width.
The auditorium consists five sections that will cost differently. Cheapest on the ground floor are the first and economy class sections, while the gallery comprises the executive, V.I.P and Royal seatings.
The Royal circle is particularly special. It contains only 11 plush seats, four of which were specially imported for distinguished guests like the Kabaka and the president. But every seat is comfortable, supplied with soft cushions and allowed enough space from others.
The facility is fitted with an American JBL sound system, which has a capacity of 4,000 watts per channel. With two channels, that makes 8,000 watts of sound. The stage is also fitted with small (invisible to the audience) codeless, but highly-sensitive microphones that pick up the sounds of the actors and relay them to the audience through an eight-powerful speaker system.
The sound engineer says only about one-third of the sound capacity will be utilised to ensure audience comfort.
The theatre is also equipped with among others, 3,000 watts of lighting driven by a small DMX commander fader which is capable of synchronising their movements with the sounds on stage. They change according to sound. These are used mainly for dances and are boosted by the flower effect lamps.
There are also special effects lamps that can recreate fire on stage among other things. These are complimented by the strobe lights which can create a running effect for a person standing still on stage. On top of these are stage flood lights which operate on a dimmer rack fader to ensure that the actors are illuminated with no shadow effect.
Since the theatre will be up for hire by other acting groups or musicians looking to launch their albums among other things, there are two control rooms beyond the gallery – for the visitors and the one that Ebonies will use.
For those who would want to experience this exotic ambience, the Ebonies will be showing their play, Gutujja today and tomorrow.