General Information

The chapel is on the fourth floor of the Good Shepherd Center, and is accessible by elevator or stairs; a ramp next to the main entrance of the building provides wheelchair access. The room is approximately 59’ x 60’ and is divided by four large columns. Maximum audience capacity is 150 (padded chairs that stack on rolling carts). We have a circa-1920s Knabe 9-foot concert grand piano.

Acoustics are quite reverberant. The room sounds wonderful for most unamplified music, but is more problematic for unamplified speaking voice, drums, and electric instruments. The sound system is not permanently installed, and must be set up and taken down for each event. A movable curtain along the backstage wall allows for some control of the acoustics. The large white wall behind the stage can be used as a projection screen.

Stage is approximately 25’ wide x 23’ deep (about 20' between the columns) and is a raised platform six inches above the main floor (no additional risers). Floors are wood and flat, not raked. There no bleachers or seating platforms. Walls are wood panel up to ten feet, then plaster.

There are 27 windows of stained glass, each about 4’ x 8’ or 4' x 6'. Most of the lower ones open, but some do not. There are pull-down window shades so the room can be darkened, though not completely blacked out. Heating is hot water radiators (mostly quiet but occasionally noisy). There is no air conditioning.

Ceiling is 28 feet high, covered in acoustic tile. Lights are hung from three pipes on the ceiling (upstage, middle of house, rear of house) and two vertical box booms on the side walls (accessed with a one-person lift); there are no floor or side lights, catwalk, or grid. The lighting booth is located on the fifth floor at the rear of the space. House lights are fluorescent ceiling cans.

There is a lobby area just outside the entrance to the Chapel with room for ticket sales/concessions/merchandise sales. Two dressing rooms with direct access to restrooms are located at the rear of the Chapel, across the room from the stage. Please note there are no side wings or backstage area, no place to build or store sets, and hours of access are limited, so the space may not be suitable for elaborate theatrical productions.

Sound & Light Equipment

LIGHTING:

Control console: NSI MC-7024 24-channel, two-scene preset with DMX protocol output to 1.2 kW capacity dimmers. Instruments: ETC Source Four Ellipsoidals (18), Pars (8), and Parnells (4). There are three overhead bars to hang lights from: above stage, middle of room, and back of room, and there is one vertical bar on each side of the stage at mid-room for side lights. There is an enclosed lighting booth at the rear of the room on the fifth floor. There is also a one-person lift to access the lights.


SOUND:

Speakers: 6 KV2 EX10 speakers on movable stands + EX 2.2 subwoofer. Mixers: Allen & Heath WZ3 14:4:2 house mixer and Mackie 1202 VLZ stage mixer. Microphones: two Electrovoice ND767a dynamic supercardioid vocal mics; two AKG D3800M dynamic cardioid vocal mics; two Shure SM 57 cardioid instrument mics, and two matched pairs of Rode NT5 small diaphragm cardioid-condensor instrument mics, + six boom stands, two DI boxes, two CD players, cables, snake, etc.

Please note that we do NOT presently have any outboard signal processing or effects devices – no reverb, delay, compressor/limiter, EQ, etc. If you need such equipment, you must bring your own.

The sound system is not permanently installed, but must be set up from scratch and taken down for each show. This adds some inconvenience up front, but allows for much more flexibility in how it is used.

If you plan to use the Chapel sound system for a Wayward Music gig, you must use a qualified, experienced sound technician to set up, operate, and tear down the equipment, and they will need to come in a week or two before your show for an in-person walk-through of the system. If you don't know anyone, we can recommend people who will run sound for a reasonable fee. While this does add some extra hassle and possible expense to your show, it saves you the risk and potential expense of having to replace or repair expensive equipment that is broken by someone involved in your production. If this is a problem for you, you may bring in your own equipment.

PIANO: ca. 1920 Knabe 9' concert grand. If you want the piano tuned, it is your responsibility to schedule and pay for that. You can use your own tuner, or we can recommend one.

Booking Info (Wayward Series)

Here is (hopefully) everything you need to know about booking events on the Wayward Music Series.

HOW IT WORKS: Nonsequitur leases the Chapel at Good Shepherd Center ten times per month for the Wayward Music Series, dedicated to various kinds of contemporary/experimental music and sound art. We share those ten nights with kindred organizations and artists at a subsidized rate. Nonsequitur reserves the right to decline proposed events that do not fit the aesthetic goals of our mission (see Programming Policy below). For events that are not part of the Wayward Music Series, the space may be rented from Historic Seattle (subject to their approval) on one of the many remaining nights in the month.

This is a self-presenting situation! There is no staff to assist you with running your show. An on-duty caretaker will give you the keys to the space and the cash box. That is all of the "help" available, so plan on being self-sufficient. If you are not prepared to do your own promotion, run your own lights/sound/box office, set up your own chairs, and clean up after yourself, then this might not be the right venue for you.

TOURING ARTISTS from out of town who are not well-known are strongly encouraged to find a local person or organization to present them, or to share the bill with a local artist. Experience proves that it is very difficult for unknown touring artists to promote their own shows from a distance or attract an audience; it really helps to have someone here in Seattle to promote the show and get people there. Otherwise, expect a very low turnout.

PROGRAMMING POLICY: The primary mission of the Wayward Music Series is to support various kinds of contemporary and experimental music by (mostly) living composers. While that definitely includes music in the classical tradition, most music pre-dating the mid-20th century (or recent music that sounds like it) falls outside of our interest. Likewise, we do not program Rock, straight Jazz, Folk, World Music, etc. This is not a value judgment - we appreciate all of those things! - but simply reflects our priorities in this particular series. If you want to do something here that does not fit with the Wayward Series, the Chapel is still available via rental.

BOOKING: Dates are available on a first come, first served basis. Wayward Music's ten nights per month are typically filled 6-8 months in advance. Friday and Saturday nights go especially fast. There are occasional cancellations or date changes, so it is sometimes possible to find an open night on shorter notice, but don't count on it. Expect to book at least several months ahead of time. For all bookings, send an email to Steve Peters with your event proposal and preferred dates, or call 206-789-1939.

LIMITATIONS: Due to high demand, individual artists or groups can book events on the Wayward Music Series no more than two times per year (exception: organizations presenting different artists at each event). The building is closed on Sundays and most major holidays, so no bookings are accepted on those days.

RENTAL FEES: For the ten monthly Wayward Music dates, rent is 20% of total ticket sales if they are $200 or more; if the door is under $200, there is no charge - the room is free. For extra tech set up and rehearsals, rent is $60 per hour.

WHAT IS PROVIDED: Use of the performance space, lobby, spacious dressing rooms and rest rooms; 150 chairs, tables, cash box, lectern/podium; grand piano; sound system; lights, Genie lift, gaffer tape; insurance coverage. (see below for details)

NOT PROVIDED: Recording, video, or projection equipment; piano tuning; event promotion; staff and technical crew. (see below for details)

SALES: We do not take a percentage of sales from concessions, CDs, or other merchandise. You keep all of that.

INSURANCE: Nonsequitur carries liability insurance to cover audience and performers for the Wayward Music Series.

RESTRICTIONS: In order to maintain good relations with our neighbors both in the building and the neighborhood, the following restrictions apply to all events:

Events (including sound checks) can not begin before 5 PM on Monday - Friday, although it is possible to load in and begin setting up earlier than that. Saturdays are more flexible. The building is closed on Sundays.

The building must be empty by 11 PM, so all events must end by 10 PM to allow enough time to clean up, put away chairs and sound gear, restore light plot, etc.

Maximum audience is 85 on week nights, 150 on Friday and Saturday.

No alcohol may be served.

PROMOTION: For events in the Wayward Music Series, we send weekly announcements to subscribers to our e-mail list and post info that the presenter provides on this web site. Presenters are responsible for all other promotion for their shows.

STAFFING: All presenters must provide their own staff for their events: box office, ushers, concessions and merchandise sales, clean up, stagehands, stage manager, house manager, sound and light crew - whoever you think you will need to make your show run smoothly. Be sure you have enough people! There is no extra staff to help if you are under-staffed. Only experienced technicians will be permitted to operate the audio and lighting equipment! If you do not have trained people working with you, we can provide you with a list of qualified freelancers.

Location, Parking, Access

The Chapel performance Space is on the fourth floor of the Good Shepherd Center, located in Seattle’s Wallingford neighborhood at 4649 Sunnyside Ave. N (just south of 50th St., eight blocks west of I-5 and one block east of Meridian). It is near to the University, Fremont, Meridian/"Tangletown", and Green Lake areas, with many restaurants and bars within easy walking distance on 45th St. in Wallingford (two blocks south) and 55th St. in the Tangletown neighborhood (six blocks north). The building is set back off the street, surrounded by an old apple orchard that is now Meridian Park.

Closest bus stops: #44 stops at 45th & Sunnyside (walk three blocks north on Sunnyside or Corliss); #16 stops on Meridian at 50th & 46th Streets (enter through park on Meridian mid-block or on the SE corner of 50th & Meridian, or walk one long block east on 50th or 46th to Sunnyside). The #26 also stops about five blocks east of Sunnyside, at Latona & 45th or 50th Streets.


ACCESSIBILITY & PARKING:

The building is wheelchair accessible. Outside the main entrance there is a ramp to the ground floor, and an elevator that goes to the Chapel. There are large on-site parking lots on the north and south sides of the building. Parking is free.

Bringing Children

The Chapel at Good Shepherd Center is an all-ages venue, and we want young people who attend Wayward Music events to feel welcome here. But parents should keep in mind that not all of our concerts are suitable for young children. Much of the music we present is very quiet, or very loud, and quite abstract; sometimes it goes on for a very long time without a break.

We appreciate that parents want to expose their kids to more adventurous music, but often find that the little ones don't have the understanding or stamina to enjoy it, and may disrupt the listening experience of others. So before bringing children to a concert here, please consider: Would you feel confident taking them to the symphony or a chamber music concert? If not, this might not be appropriate for them. If you do decide to bring them, we suggest sitting on an aisle or near the rear exit so you can leave easily if they become noisy or fidgety. If you need a quiet place to nurse or be with your child, please let the box office person know and we will be happy to accommodate you.

Thank you for your consideration.