Own a Piece of History
Wyly Theatre in Dallas Arts District is selling off its Italian-designed seats
The original Wyly Theatre chair can be yours for $150 per chair.
A Dallas Arts District venue is selling off its fancy designer chairs: The Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre, AT&T Performing Arts Center (ATTPAC) has put the seating installed during its original construction on sale to anybody who wants to "own a piece of history."
The Italian-made Moroso chairs, upholstered in a pale green polyester whose official color is "pistachio," can be yours for $150 per chair. According to a release, they are "eye-catching chairs" that can "make a fascinating addition to any room."
It's no Yankee Stadium-level history, but $150 is not bad when compared to the $500 a site called The Cowboy House is asking for a pair of seats from the old Globe Life Park at Arlington.
When Wyly Theatre first opened in 2009, it was praised for its unique architecture and versatility with a floorplan that could be shaped into a number of configurations, including thrust, proscenium, or flat floor.
The seating, on the other hand, left more than a little to be desired. Despite the chairs' prestigious provenance ("Moroso was founded in 1952 and has stood for high quality, unbridled ingenuity, and colourful design furniture," gushes one site), theatergoers have long grumbled about how bad they are, with this Tripadvisor user's review from 2014 containing a common sentiment:
"The chairs are great - there is separation between you and the next person, BUT, oh my are they uncomfortable. Little cushioning, and the angle is awful. Everyone was fidgeting. My back was hurting that night. They really need to fix those chairs."
According to an ATTPAC spokesperson, the new seats are gray and "provide much more comfort both in seating and back areas. The seat pan is wider with open sides for more room and the back is more ergonomic. We added custom, extended armrests for patron comfort. We also upgraded fabric, powder coated for longevity, and implemented a new seat number system that is easier to see."
The old chairs, which have the dimensions of 21" wide, 35 3/4" high, and 27" deep, can be purchased online directly through the ATTPAC. No delivery is available; buyers must pick up their chairs at Wyly Theatre.
Audiences can get their first chance to experience the new seating at the venue when it hosts The Sixties Show on Friday, September 15. The first Dallas Theater Center production with the new seating will be its annual production of A Christmas Carol, starting November 30.
