H.J. Ricks Centre for the Arts

The H.J. Ricks Centre for the Arts
122 West Main Street, Greenfield, Indiana 46140

(Temporary website)

Now Open!

Below are a few photos of the H.J. Ricks Centre for the Arts, (formerly known as The Village Theater, and originally the Weil Theater that opened in 1946). The facade has been restored to its original design, including the curved ticket window. The lobby's curved walls and terrazzo floor have been restored, and the old stairwell has been turned in to a snack service area. The upper level - formerly the projection, storage, and mechanical rooms - now houses an art gallery and the office of the Hancock County Visitors Bureau. (Access to the gallery is via a new stairway and elevator.) The auditorium seats 386. The stage has been expanded to approximately 32' x 22', and is properly curtained (the main curtain is approximately 10' upstage of the lip). Two dressing rooms and a powder room have been added for the convenience of the performers.

For Ricks Centre rental and other information, contact:
Dave Scott, Executive Director, Hancock County Visitors Bureau, 317-477-SHOW (317-477-7469) or info@hcvb.org

For technical information scroll down, or contact: Tim Pādrick, Technical Director, 317-894-8749 or Audio@Padrick.net

For a schedule of Ricks Centre events, go here

Bands and Promoters: You can now promote your own show in a quality venue! Total cost for the room, house sound (36x8x2 console, etc.), lights (~ 60 instruments), audio technician, and mic & monitor package (6 mixes from FOH) is approximately $550 per show day *. (At $5 per ticket, that's only 110 people to break even. Fill all 386 seats and you'll walk away with almost $1400. Fill the place at $10 and you'll clear $3300.)

* (Including post event janitorial services. This is a one-time fee at the end of your show's run. You may be able to do the cleanup yourself and save $150).

The theater is also available for rehearsals, auditions, recording sessions, private functions, etc. Rates can be as low as $100 per day (maybe even less).

The view from the back of the house. Distance to the stage lip is about 70 feet.)

The view from the gallery.

TP Audio

Ricks Center Audio Equipment

Input Devices:
1x Audio Technica AE5400 condenser vocal microphone (same diaphragm as the AT4050).
1x Audix VX10 condenser vocal mic (quiet stages; drum overhead, instrument, etc.).
6x Audix OM7 dynamic vocal mic (the best stage wash and feedback resistance available).
1x Audix OM6 dynamic vocal mic (for talking heads, and those with poor mic discipline).
1x Audix CX-111 large diaphragm condenser mic (small ensemble, amp, instrument, etc.).
3x Audix SCX1-C condenser mic (hi-hat, drum overhead, instrument, etc.) .
7x Audix ADX20 "Micro-D" condenser mic (rack tom, snare, horn, acoustic bass, violin, etc).
2x Audix M1244-HC Micro condenser mic (guitar cabinet, acoustic bass, etc.).
1x Audix M1245 Micro condenser mic (horn, acoustic bass, violin, etc.).
1x Audix ADX10 condenser mic (anything an ADX20 is too large for - I have no idea what :-)
1x Audix D6 kick drum mic.
1x Audix ADX118 condenser gooseneck mic (console talkback).
5x Audix D4 instrument mic (floor tom, instrument, percussion, guitar or bass cabinet, etc.).
1x Audix Fireball V harmonica mic.
1x Heil PR40 large diaphragm dynamic mic (kick drum, acoustic bass, small ensemble).
5x Radial Pro48 Active DI (bass, acoustic with pickup, vintage passive keyboard, etc.).
1x Radial ProD2 Passive dual-channel DI (keyboard, sampler, VDrum, etc.).
1x Telex UB12+UR12+SP21 Wireless Headset (talkback, anything that needs to sound bad :-)

2x Crown PCC160 boundary microphone (large ensemble).
2x Crown PCC170 boundary microphone (large ensemble).

Playback Devices:
1x Numark CDN25 Dual CD Player (with single play and cue).
1x Dell notebook computer (MP3 playback, PowerPoint presentations, backup DVD player).
(See below for Video Playback).

An important note about "burnt" CDs

The CDs that are created by many CD burners do not meet Redbook CD specifications. As a result, some CD players and some computers cannot read these discs. For this reason, all playback media should be presented to the theater staff at least one week in advance of the first rehearsal, so the discs can be tested (and re-burnt if necessary).

CDs should be burnt at the lowest possible speed (make sure that this is no more than 4x).

Each artist's tracks should be burnt to a single CD, in the order in which they will be played during the show. Leave at least 2 seconds between tracks (lest there be a click or pops at the end or beginning of a track.)

CDs should be marked in a clear and legible fashion (use full label, or write on it with a Sharpie - tape is not acceptable for various reasons).

CDs should be in good condition. (One would think that this goes without saying, but ........)

Mixing Console (FOH + Monitors):
1x Mark VIII Series 3600 (36 channels with dual inserts, 4 band all-sweep EQ; 8 groups, 8 auxes, 2 matrices, main and backup power supplies). (Courtesy of Mid America Sound.)

Insertables, Effects, EQ, and Processing (House):
2x Rane C4 Quad Compressor/Limiter/De-esser with Sidechain EQ (vocals, instruments).
2x Rane G4 Quad Gate/Ducker/Expander (kick, toms, ?).
2x T.C. Electronic Triple C Multi-band Stereo Compressor (bass, keys, problematic sources).
1x Rane PEQ55 dual channel Parametric EQ (not yet installed).
1x Kurzweil KSP8+RSP8 remote (reverb/effects unit - four stereo effects) (not yet installed).
1x dbx DriveRack 480 Digital Loudspeaker Management System (house crossover and EQ).

Loudspeakers and Amplification - House:
2x SLS LS8695 Planar Ribbon Line Source Array (one per side).
2x QW118 subwoofer (centered under the deck).
2x Crown K1 Power Amplifier (highs - 1200 Watts per side).
2x Crown K1 Power Amplifier (lows - 1500 Watts per side).
1x Crown CE4000 Power Amplifier (subs - 3000 Watts).

Loudspeakers, Amplification, and Processing - Monitors:
6x SLS US8190 Ultra Compact Floor Monitor (with planar ribbon high frequency driver).
3x Crown K2 Power Amplifier (monitor mixes 1 thru 6 - 800 Watts per mix).
1x Rane RPM88 Programmable Multiprocessor (monitor EQ and limiting - six mixes).

Artist-provided in-ear monitors are most welcome! The more the merrier. We can provide a total of six mixes (in-ears and/or wedges in any combination).

Wireless handheld vocal mics: If they are truly important to the quality of your show, no troubles. Otherwise we'd prefer not to use them, as in our experience only mega-bucks models (such as the Shure UHF-R series) offer a level of sound quality that approaches that of our wired mics, especially in applications with a lot of sound on the stage.

Acoustic bassists: We highly recommend the K & K Bassmax and David Gage Realist pickups (both companies make pickups for other string instruments as well). Use either of these into a Radial active DI, and you'll have a great live bass setup.

Misc. Equipment and Information:
Band AC Power Stage Drops: TPA AC power cables.
Drop Snakes: Whirlwind Mini-12 (three).
FOH Snake: Horizon 40 x 18 (yes, eighteen). (Stage box is located 10' off of stage right.)
Loudspeaker cables: Coleman 12/4, with Neutrik NL4 connectors.
Mic and line level cables: Horizon LowZ1, with Neutrik connectors.
1x Crown CE4000 Power Amplifier (spare).

24 track digital hard-disc recording is available (with sufficient advance notice).

For show staff communications, the Ricks Center employs multiple Production Intercom stations (located at FOH, the "crow's nest", the overlooks, offstage left, and offstage right).

The Ricks Center employs an ADA compliant Listen Technologies Assisted Listening System (with four receivers) for the convenience of those who are hearing impaired.

Ricks Center Lighting Equipment

Dimmer Rack:
1x ETC Sensor + (upgradeable to 96 channels; 400 Amp 3 phase mains supply - 140kW total.)

Lighting Console:
1x ETC SmartFade 2496 (48 faders, 96channels). (Or bring your own DMX console - 5 pin output or adapter cable required. Allow plenty of time to patch it, as a 1:1 patch won't do.)

Instruments:
40+x Altman Shakespeare Ellipsoidal (600W).
10x ? Fresnel (not yet installed).
9x ? "Scoop" (500W) (rear curtain color wash).

1x Strand Trouperette Follow Spot (located in an overlook at the rear of the hall).

More instruments are to be added soon.

Ricks Center Video Equipment

1x Eiki LC-X71 Projector (5500 lumens) with AH-24241 lens. (Resolution 1024x728 computer, 800 lines TV.) Inputs include VGA/XVGA, DVI-D/HD-HDCP, Component Video/Computer (5xBNC),Component Video (3xRCA), S-Video. PS/2 and USB computer interfaces are included for remote computer control. (The manual may be downloaded here - see pages 12 on for connection and operational information.)

1x Draper 14' x 14' retractable video screen.

1x Dell notebook computer (DVD and PowerPoint playback).
1x dedicated DVD player coming soon.

Want to video tape your event? You can do so from two overlooks at the rear of the hall (as well as in the hall itself). (If requested in advance, we can supply an audio feed - or a digital recording of up to 24 tracks.)

Ricks Center -Stage and Misc.

Stage is 32'w x 22'd.

Stage dress includes a black curtain upstage, a maroon curtain halfway downstage (both open from the center out), and two black legs per side (to hide the wings).

The deck (stage) is 48" above the auditorium floor (the folks in the first few rows cannot see the deck - please plan accordingly).

Two dressing rooms and a unisex bathroom are located off of stage left (no showers).

Stage access from the house is via upstage right. There is also a movable downstage stairway that can be placed anywhere other than the center (owing to the subwoofers being there). (The stage can also be accessed from upstage left if you don't mind going outside and across the back of the building.) (Theoretically one can cross behind the upstage curtain, but sometimes this is blocked by various items.)

Load-in is directly onto the deck via a 7' wide overhead door. The deck is about 28" above the alley (perfect for vans and pickups).

Internet access is available via an Ethernet port at FOH.
This is for the use of event staff only.
It may be possible to arrange WiFi if requested in advance.

For Ricks Centre rental and other information, contact:
Dave Scott, Executive Director, Hancock County Visitors Bureau, 317-477-SHOW (317-477-7469) or info@hcvb.org

For further technical information contact: Tim Pādrick, Technical Director, 317-894-8749 or Audio@Padrick.net

For a schedule of Ricks Centre events, go here

Above: Front of house rack.

Right: Amp rack.

(The three small racks will
soon be replaced by
a single large rack. - and lots of cable tidy-up)