Concept Unification Stage

The CU 3-Stage in Laurel, MD. (Removed in June 2022.)

The Concept Unification Stage (also known as commonly as the 3-Stage), is a stage setup used in Showbiz Pizza Place locations that underwent Concept Unification.

History

After the failed execution of the Concept Unification Prototype Stage, Showbiz executives decided that the "band" format of The Rock-afire Explosion would be kept, instead using Chuck E. Cheese characters.

Cosmetics for the characters were provided by Diversified Designs, and props were produced by Corman & Associates^[1].

The first 3-Stage was installed at Dallas, TX (13125 Montfort Dr) in November 1989. Five more test shows followed in mid 1990, at the Phoenix, AZ (8039 North 35th Ave), Arlington, TX (3200 Justiss Dr), Mesa (West), AZ (856 S Alma School Rd), Altamonte Springs, FL (541 W Hwy 436), and Orlando, FL (7419 International Dr) locations. A recorded demo of the stage in action was provided to stores at the end of SPP Christmas- '89 / Wave Bday^[2]. Stores were given the Concept Unification Installation Manual and guidance tape to undergo the conversion process^[3]. Generally, Concept Unification lasted from 1991-1993 with 152 Classic Stage shows being converted.

3-Stage shows have been prime targets for removal since the mid-1990s. In August 1996, the Awesome Adventure Machine was installed at the Dallas Montfort location to be installed directly on top of a 3-Stage^[4]. Studio C was tested in 1997, and officially rolled out in 1998. Between 1998 and 2000, 27 3-Stages were removed and replaced with Studio C Alpha shows. The trend of replacing existing stages continued through the 2000s as 17 shows were replaced with Studio C Beta and Small-town Studio C. In the 2010s, Circles of Light replaced 3 of the shows and approximately 30 have succumbed to the Chuck E. Live Stage (Dance Floor) since 2017.

Although 3-Stages were seen as obsolete and considered lower priority after the mid 1990s, plastic cosmetics were made by Cowan Costumes to replace existing latex masks, hands, feet, and shoes^[5]^[6]. Replacement cosmetics for prop characters were never manufactured, so characters such as Pizza Cam and Munch Jr. were commonly removed from shows in the 2000s.

3-Stage shows still exist, although they are rapidly vanishing from stores due to the CEC 2.0 Remodel initiative. As of April 2023, 6 stores still have the 3-Stage show, and 2 have the Concept Unification 1-Stage

Design

Stage Left

Stage Left features Pasqually on a raised pedestal with a drum set, the bass drum containing a flood light. The original plexiglass replacement for the drum front was orange, with a swirl pattern and stars. However, this was varied upon installations. Behind Pasqually is a brick-wall backdrop which reads "Pasqually's Amateur Hour" and has top and bottom molding with a center keystone. Depending on a location's configuration, if the control room was located on Stage Left, a partial wall was built to support the backdrop.

Next to Pasqually is Pizza Cam, inside a speaker box. Early installations also contained a CU Flower (Animatronic) which were later removed.

Pizza Cam was removed from many stages in the 2000s. One remains in operation as of 2023, at the Huntsville, AL (1220 Jordan Lane) store.

Center Stage

Center Stage features Helen Henny, Mr. Munch, and Jasper T. Jowls in front of a city backdrop, lined with flower boxes. More than one CU Flower (Animatronic) were placed on early installations, but later removed. At the center of the stage is the "Munch's Make Believe Band" sign which lights up in various configurations. Behind the building backdrop is a fiber-optic curtain which simulates a starry sky.

Helen is on the left of the stage, with Building rising behind her. To her right is Munch Jr., who peeks out of a metal can. At the center of the stage is organ-playing Mr. Munch. Jasper is on the right of the stage and sits on a large metal can with his guitar. Moon rises behind Jasper.

The center stage valence features the Wink, and a helicopter light was added to the spotlight bar.

In 1994, the spotlight for Munch Jr. was reconfigured to become the "Gobo" light which reads "The Chuck E. Cheese Show."^[7]

Prop characters have been subject to removal since the early 2000s; only five Building & Moon pairs remain. The last Munch Jr. was removed in October 2020, although the character was reinstalled at the Charlotte, NC (7701 Pineville-Matthews Rd) location in 2022^[8] in the form of a fan-made project.

Stage Right

Stage Right features Chuck E. Cheese atop a black speckled triangular platform, in front of a star-shaped light and black rain curtain backdrop. To the right of the star, a red neon sign affixed to the backdrop flashes "Chuck E. Cheese" and is located above a 50" Pioneer monitor designed to look like a jukebox with a flashing top piece.

Many locations with the 3-Stage show have removed the triangular platform to be able to easily access the trap door underneath.

Gallery

Stage Left (Birmingham, AL)^[9]
Center Stage (Helen and Munch Jr., Birmingham, AL)^[10]
Center Stage (Mr. Munch, Birmingham, AL)^[11]
Center Stage (Jasper, Birmingham, AL)^[12]
Stage Left (Pasqually, Birmingham, AL)^[13]

Current 3-Stages

References

[1] ttps://archive.org/details/concept-unification-installation-manual

[2] ttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgHL-OZ8ybY

[3] ttps://archive.org/details/concept-unification

[4] ttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zqMGkGV9xc

[5] ttps://archive.org/details/munch-mask-retro-document/

[6] ttps://archive.org/details/3-stage-mask-prototype-scans/

[7] ttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLgTbE6psxk

[8] ttps://www.youtube.com/shorts/zhSxUG5K118

[9] ttps://archive.org/details/cec-cu-vestavia-hills-al-005/

[10] ttps://archive.org/details/cec-cu-vestavia-hills-al-005/

[11] ttps://archive.org/details/cec-cu-vestavia-hills-al-005/

[12] ttps://archive.org/details/cec-cu-vestavia-hills-al-005/

[13] ttps://archive.org/details/cec-cu-vestavia-hills-al-005/

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