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The building housing the Alley, one of the most unusual in Houston, was designed by Ulrich Franzen in 1968 for the 21-year-old theatre company. The building’s fortress-like look comes from its mechanical equipment – plumbing, elevators, HVAC system – hidden in the nine towers along the perimeter of the building. Two stages were designed for the theater, the 310-seat Neuhaus stage, which can be configured with either thrust or arena seating, and the 824-seat proscenium Hubbard stage. The stages, built at a time when theatrical production emphasized costumes over scenery, present a challenge for contemporary directors.
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