Ever since it was built in 1971, this theater has had a reputation as one of the City's worst performing arts venues, particularly because of poor sound and a lackluster interior. Therefore, correcting the acoustics and improving the aesthetics were top priorities. The renovation succeeds in creating a theater that is, in the words of the jury, "memorable, with lots of sparkle and a sense of excitement and energy." This improvement was particularly noticeable to one juror, who recalled going there years ago and retaining no visual memory of the theater. Now there is an ambiance of arrival and of having left the everyday world behind. The design takes its inspiration from the nearby lakefront, with its clouds, sails, masts and halyards. The color scheme combines saturated sunset colors with cloud white. Acoustical improvements include wall "sails" (freestanding partitions of fabric-wrapped panels suspended from steel tube "masts") and an adjustable sound system suspended on ropes and pulleys. The interior envelope was reshaped to reduce volume by 30 percent. Dramatic dividing curtains allow multiple configurations to accommodate various audience sizes.