Welcome to Extreme Makeover: Jubilee Edition.

At a cost of $72 million, the Northern (Edmonton) and Southern (Calgary) Jubilee Auditoriums are reopening with more comfortable seating, increased leg room, better acoustics and state-of-the-art light and sound technology.

The design team, unlike the version on the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition television series, had a lot more time than the one week the cast and crew of the ABC show usually enjoy. In this case, planning started back in 1997.

"It's absolutely worth the wait since 1997 and it will be worth the wait for the patrons as well," says Susan Bennett, executive director of the Friends of the Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium Society, which with its northern counterpart contributed more than $11 million to the overall project.

David Lazarowych, Business Edge
Southern Jubilee Auditorium general manager Michael Denscombe is thrilled by the renovations that have improved sightlines, acoustics and seating at both provincial auditoriums.

"We're very, very proud how the planning has turned this hall into just a superb gift to the people of Alberta for this birthday."

In 1955, the province of Alberta celebrated its 50th anniversary by constructing the two auditoriums as a gift to the people.

Fifty years later, as part of its centennial celebrations, the province kicked in $60 million to bring the halls into the 21st century with overall spending split evenly on each.

"We really think we accomplished what we set out to do," says Michael Denscombe, general manager of the Southern Jubilee Auditorium.

"The main hall was as it was as when it opened," he notes, adding that it remained virtually untouched over the years except for some recovering and repadding of the seats.

The changes, almost identical in both Calgary and Edmonton, saw the main hall being reconfigured.

To improve the view, seating is staggered and slightly angled toward centre stage as opposed to straight as it was before the renovations, while the floor has a greater slope. Terraced seating has also been added.

For comfort, seats are about eight centimetres wider and there is more leg room, says Denscombe.

Meanwhile, acoustics have been improved in part due to the terraced seating. Other sound-related changes include refurnished walnut side-panels, retractable acoustic curtains, a ceiling drape and 300 kilometres of audio wiring.

Denscombe is also satisfied with the mechanical and electrical changes, which he says were overdue for upgrades.

"All the old mechanical systems have been removed and new ones put in, the air delivery system was changed from a top-down flow to a displacement air system that comes in under the seats. There is a new electrical service and new transformers."

There is also room to accommodate more wheelchairs.

Jubilee patrons may also notice that there are actually fewer seats: 2,500, compared to just over 2,700 before to accommodate comfort and sightline concerns.

Both Jubes, as they are commonly referred to, were closed for 14 months and the halls' performing companies, such as Alberta Ballet, had to find alternate locations in the interim.

But Alberta Ballet, which has performed at both Jubes for close to 40 years, is happy to be back and likes what it has seen so far.

"I've seen the theatre (in Calgary)," says Harry Patterson, Alberta Ballet's director of production. "It is extremely exciting."

"The interior of the auditorium is much closer, much warmer. The reconfiguration of the seats is excellent, the viewing angles are much, much better and the colour of the walls and the seats is very peaceful. At this point in time (prior to the hall's reopening) we're assuming the acoustics are greatly improved. From a visual and a sensory aspect it's incredible. It's a huge difference," says Patterson. "Granted we've lost a couple of hundred seats, but it's much, much better and well worth it."

Patterson also likes the fact that there is now a connecting corridor between the front of house and backstage, ending the need to go through the house to get backstage.

At the Northern Jubilee in Edmonton, manager Katherine Huising says she believes patrons will be impressed when they see their renewed Jubes.

"I think the changes to the audience chamber are spectacular and Albertans will appreciate that we've maintained the legacy of these buildings while making improvements," she says. "I think the addition of the terraces will be a dramatic, noticeable change and some of the others will be appreciated but unnoticed, such as changes to the heating and ventilation systems."

As for additional refurbishing, Huising says she has asked for a one-year moratorium without construction.

"In the process of planning the renovations there was a masterplan for a complete renovation to the entire facilities, but given the time constraints of only impacting one season (of performances), we had to determine what would happen in Phase 1. There will be future phases, including back-of-house and front-of-house improvements, but all of those can be done while the building is still operational," Huising says.

"There is no timetable at this time - I've asked for 12 months of no construction. We just want to have a year of operating without feeling like we're in a construction zone."

IT'S SHOWTIME! After being closed for 14 months and after a total of $72 million in renovations, both the Northern (Edmonton) and Southern (Calgary) Jubilee Auditoriums are reopening with a series of special opening events.

* The public gets a first look at the new Jubes on Sept. 1 as part of Alberta's Centennial celebrations with a special AlbertaSpirit Gala with performances shared between the two auditoriums. The free tickets to the event have already been snapped up.

* The reopening events, however, officially kick off on Sept. 2 with Randy Travis and Wayne Brady performing in each city: In Edmonton, it's Randy Travis on Sept. 2 and Wayne Brady on Sept. 3. In Calgary, it's Wayne Brady on Sept. 2 and Randy Travis on Sept. 3. On Sept. 4, both Jubes are hosting an open house from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. to allow Albertans to see their new auditoriums.

(Laura Severs can be reached at laura@businessedge.ca)