RFQ- 2526-51 sooner Theatre Design Master Plan

Location:	Oklahoma
Posted:	May 1, 2026
Due:	May 29, 2026
Agency:	City of Norman
Type of Government:	State & Local
Category:	C - Architect and Engineering Services - Construction R - Professional, Administrative and Management Support Services
Publication URL:	To access bid details, please log in.

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CITY OF NORMAN

PARKS & RECREATION DEPARTMENT

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

RFQ No. 2526-51

FOR

DESIGN SERVICES

FOR THE

SOONER THEATRE IMPROVEMENTS

MASTER PLAN

101 East Main St. Norman, OK 73079

PUBLIC NOTICE

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

R.F.Q. No. 2526-51

The City of Norman, Oklahoma, through the Parks and Recreation Department, is soliciting

proposals for:

Design Services

For Sooner Theatre Improvements Master Plan

These design services will be for the design of a master plan for a renovation and expansion

project at The Sooner Theatre, located at 101 East Main Street, Norman, Oklahoma.

Any correspondence, questions, or requests for copies of the Request for Qualifications should

be directed to James Briggs, Park Development Manager, Norman Parks and Recreation

Department, 225 North Webster Avenue, Norman, OK 73069; Phone: (405) 366-5480; and via e-

mail at james.briggs@normanok.gov

Proposals submitted in response to this RFQ will be received in the office of the Parks and

Recreation Department, located at the Norman Development Center, 225 North Webster

Avenue, Norman, OK 73069, until 4:00 p.m. on Friday, May 29, 2026. Responses received after

this time and date will not be accepted. Responses are solicited in accordance with the terms,

conditions, and instructions set forth in this RFQ.

The City of Norman reserves the right to reject any and/or all proposals.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PUBLIC NOTICE

I. INTRODUCTION

A. Requesting Entity Information

B. Project Overview and Objectives

C. Project Funding

II. PROJECT CRITERIA

A. Detailed Criteria

B. Project Schedule

C. Inquiries

III. R.F.P. CRITERIA

A. General Requirements

B. Prohibited Interests

C. Equal Employment Opportunities

D. Insurance Requirements

E. Minimum Content of Proposal

IV. SELECTION PROCESS

A. Right to Reject

B. R.F.P. Review Process

C. Keynotes

D. Ranking Criteria

V. AFFIDAVITS

A. Certificate of Non-Discrimination

B. Non-Collusion Affidavit

VI. LOCATION MAP

Page Number

4-7

7-9

9 - 10

10 - 11

11 - 12

I. INTRODUCTION

A. Requesting Entity Information

The requesting entity is the City of Norman, Oklahoma, through the Parks and Recreation

Department, with municipal offices at 225 North Webster Avenue, Norman, Oklahoma,

73069.

B. Project Overview and Objective

The City of Norman (the “City”) is proposing to design several ADA-focused

improvements to The Sooner Theatre (the “Theatre”), as well as an accessible addition

to this historic building in downtown Norman, Oklahoma, along with cost estimates for

the proposed work. The City will use the design to guide the creation of a program to

improve the facility's accessibility for daily staff operations, performers using the space,

and the general public attending performances and events at the Theatre.

The Theatre is a performing arts venue that has operated as a live theater space for the

past several decades, since the City acquired the building in the 1980’s. Prior to that, it

operated primarily as a movie house, starting not long after its construction in 1929.

always had a stage with counterweighted line sets above it, which have provided

performance opportunities since the original construction. However, there is very

limited wing space, few restrooms, small, non-accessible dressing rooms below the

stage, insufficient storage and set construction space, and other limitations to its use for

live performances in its current state. The building is at the end of its block of downtown

buildings, with the next, adjacent building occupied by a furniture store. These facts

have limited the ability to gain any much-needed space for the theatre, which has been

proposed for several years. It is now time to consider a more robust project that does

not view the adjacent road or buildings as obstacles to growth, but rather as challenges

to overcome.

Since the late 1990’s, the City has worked to upgrade much of the existing buildings to

accommodate modern technology while also preserving the historical details of the

space. Among other things, the Theatre’s electrical system was upgraded from the

original technology, a complete fire suppression (sprinkler) system was added, and the

HVAC system(s) have been replaced regularly, along with the building roof and

miscellaneous plumbing, lighting, seating, finishes, and structural improvements over

the decades. The space below the stage has been regularly renovated and maintained

over the years for use as the dressing rooms for stage performances. Recently, all the

above-stage rigging was completely rebuilt by JR Clancy from Nashville, TN. Also, the in-

house fiber was upgraded by TransTel in 2022, and all stage curtains, legs, borders, and

drapes were replaced with IFR materials from Rose Brand in Secaucus, New Jersey.

The total seating for the space is 535 patrons, including the balcony seating. There is a

business office and two small restrooms on the main floor, adjacent to the lobby, and

additional offices on the mezzanine level, as well as a “Sweet Shop” concession stand by

the lobby, renovated for ADA compliance in 2020. Some of the floor seating is accessible,

but not available in all parts of the audience area (the house).

The space has limited performance windows each year, since all sets are built on the

stage prior to each performance due to the lack of a scene shop or a second performance

space, such as a small “Black Box” space at the Theatre.

The Theatre is owned by the City and leased to The Sooner Theatre, Inc. to operate as a

performing arts venue. They program the space with live theatre, musical acts,

occasional film screenings, and assorted rental events year-round, with their primary

focus on locally cast youth and adult musical theatre performances. These shows use

traditional in-house-built physical sets, as well as modern projection techniques for set

design. They have above-stage electrics and some side-of-house and balcony rail-

mounted light instruments, but no mid-house lighting on trusses/motors, which limits

the lighting design of shows. The sound and light boards are both mounted in the

balcony, instead of at floor level or in a booth setting. The original orchestra pit at the

front of the stage is currently closed off with a pit filler system and often covered with

sets that project past the stage; however, it can be used by live musicians, if needed.

There is very limited wing space for set pieces and actors on both sides of the stage, since

the Theatre was originally built for motion pictures and vaudeville-style performances.

However, the entire stage depth does have several line sets in a fly tower configuration,

which allows sets sometimes to be flown in/out and includes a mid-stage traveler curtain

that can be closed for set changes, along with a rear scrim line set and optional starfield

curtain in the furthest upstage line set to add depth and variety. A movie screen is hung

on one of the downstage line sets, and it is mostly used for rental events or an annual

film festival. All dressing rooms are below the stage; however, temporary ground-level

stations have been placed in the wings whenever a performer with limited mobility or

other inability to use the stairs down to the dressing room has performed in the space.

As we approach the 100th birthday of The Sooner Theatre, we believe it is now time to

masterplan a program of accessibility improvements, along with a physical expansion of

the Theatre to carry it into its next 100 years. Our goal is to bring the Theatre up to the

standards of modern cultural facilities in the region and around the country. We intend

to use this Sooner Theatre Masterplan as a major part of our next taxpayer-funded

proposal for a group of “Quality of Life” projects in Norman. We want to enhance the

accessibility, aesthetics, and overall experience of this cherished historic structure for

the staff who work in it every day and for those who choose to perform in or attend a

special event at the Theatre at any time of year. We want to evaluate all our current

operations and systems to ensure we are getting the best use of the original Gimeno

design, and then plan a way to expand beyond the original structure and add features

that don’t fit in the current building.

The new design shall include a proposal to expand the square footage of the Theatre by

expanding to the west, which would involve closing a city street and moving several

utilities, among other site considerations; OR to the east, which would include purchase

This is the opportunity summary page. It provides an overview of this opportunity and a preview of the attached documentation.