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Vendors of pews or chairs have no problem calling their products just that. However, there is another form of church seating that vendors are a bit sensitive about. This type of seating has been called opera seating, movie seating, auditorium seating, theater-style seating, and theater seating. The reason vendors are sensitive and not sure what to call their products is that all of these designations, as well as the seating itself, originate in the secular rather than the church market.

But there's probably no real cause for concern. Worshippers don't know what they're called. And church administrators really don't care—as long as they're adapted to fit with their church. So let's just call them theater seating, and keep the connotations of comfort and style.

Maybe from a distance all theater seat products look similar, or even identical. But the truth is revealed on closer examination that seating manufacturers continue to fine-tune their products for the church market.

ChurchPlaza, Inc., of Sarasota, Florida, offers theater seat products made by Irwin Seating Company in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Tom McElheny, CEO of ChurchPlaza, praises Irwin Seating for constantly developing innovative new products and technology.

For example, seats with different back heights have been developed for tiered seating toward the back of the sanctuary and in the balcony, and for stadium-style rather than sloped-floor seating. "These developments are driven by the Americans With Disabilities laws which regulate the amount of slope and call for better sight lines," McElheny says. He adds that back heights are altered to allow for the proper sight lines. Depending on where you are sitting, the seatbacks can have a different height.

In addition to varying the back heights, Irwin offers four different styles of seatbacks. "The first and most popular choice, about 80 percent, is the plastic back," says McElheny. "It is very durable, very cleanable, and the chair looks good for years to come." Plastic laminate, which is both durable and economical, is a second choice. A solid wood back presents a look appropriate for more formal liturgical settings. Finally, an upholstered seatback gives a "softer" look on entering the auditorium, McElheny says, but does not provide the long-term wear of the other options.

End panels are available in a wide variety of shapes and materials including wood, wood veneer, plastic, laminate, and upholstered. "You can do nice architectural features to match the rest of the sanctuary," says McElheny. He adds that armrest material can also be chosen to complement the design. Popular choices are maple and oak. Irwin also has one option for flip-up armrests that is useful for family situations with young children and for the larger person.

Irwin offers a choice of three different "rides," from a firm, ergonomic seat to a soft, La-Z-Boy-like seat, and one in between. The seat uplift is silent, to do away with the clangs and clatter common with many theater seats.

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