Gaston Hall’s stage can no longer support large groups of performers, like those in Rangila, and will undergo construction this summer, after an engineering analysis conducted recently found structural problems with the platform.

According to the Office of the President’s Chief of Staff Joseph Ferrara, the engineers who evaluated the space said that the stage is not structurally sound for groups of over 45 people. The first consequence of this analysis will be the relocation of the South Asian Society’s Rangila dance show from its traditional Gaston performance to the Kennedy Center this weekend.

“Most events could continue as planned with two important restrictions,” Ferrara wrote in an email. “First, we should not do an event with more than 45 people on the stage at the same time. Second, we should not do an event that involves a lot of dancing, jumping and stomping on the stage.”

The engineers’ study was prompted after last November’s Rangila performance, in which people noticed the stage flexing and pieces of plaster falling into the Philodemic Room below. Rangila has been held for 19 years on Gaston’s stage.

“Gaston stage was built on the floor and as it turns out, the floor structure which was built 107 years ago does not accommodate the activities that have been on Gaston’s stage,” Vice President for Planning and Facilities Robin Morey said.

According to Morey, the structural problems will be fixed by next fall to accommodate larger productions. Construction, which will take place over the summer, will include disassembling the stage and rebuilding it so that the impact of heavy loads will be better supported.

“[This is] a safety interim measure and we’re doing a design now to strengthen up the stage so we can have those events there,” Morey wrote. “I think it’s affected a very small number of events and obviously Rangila’s the big one and we’re looking at doing the construction to minimize the impact the summer of 2015.”

The new limits on the types of events that Gaston Hall can accommodate have also impacted Groove Theory, which will not be able to hold its showcase in Gaston this year. The event will instead take place in the Lohrfink Auditorium.

According to Groove Theory Director of Communications Camille Squires  (COL ’15), the group was able to perform in Gaston during the Mr. Georgetown pageant Oct. 24 without any issues.

Squires expressed frustration with Groove Theory’s inability to hold its event in Gaston this year, in light of the fact that it encountered no issues during the Mr. Georgetown performance.

“I guess we’re just kind of dealing with the situation as it is. On one hand, we understand that the structural issue is no one’s fault, but at the same time, we’re frustrated by the lack of communication around it and perhaps the lack of communication around solutions,” she said.

While participants in the Homecoming Weekend Mr. Georgetown pageant, who also put on a dance number, did not experience any immediate trouble with the stage, they did have to change their acts somewhat to accommodate these new stipulations.

“We were warned not to do anything too crazy on [the stage],” David Edgar (SFS ’15), who participated in the pageant as Mr. Capitol Gs, said.
The problems in Gaston Hall have not affected more typical events, like those of the Georgetown University Lecture Fund.

“We’ve had no problems using Gaston Hall this semester. It continues to be a very special place to hold lectures,” Lecture Fund Chair Marcus Stromeyer (SFS ’15) wrote in an email.