Studio C Cappa
The Small-Town Studio C (known to the CEC community as the Studio C Cappa) is a stage type found at Chuck E. Cheese's locations that opened with the stage from 2003 to 2006, or replaced a previous stage from 2003 to 2009. A total of 63 were installed, and as of January 2023, 28 remain in operation, solely in the United States, although 1 was installed in Canada, but the location (Kingston, Ontario) closed in 2015.
History
In 2002, Chuck E. Cheese's would begin testing a new store format known officially as "small-town stores" at three locations. Those being Waco, TX, Lake Jackson, TX and Dover, DE These would feature a stage called the Studio C Buffet which lacked the animatronic. This test then failed and eventually would be modified into what is now known as the Studio C Cappa.
Beginning in 2003, a revised version of the small-town store concept would debut with the Joplin, MO location, which opened its doors on July 22, 2003. The version stage would be installed at seven stores from July 22, 2003 till September 30, 2003 when the final V1 Cappa was installed at Muskegon, MI. In November 2003 Version 2 of the Studio C Cappa would begin being installed across thirty three stores firstly at Tuscaloosa, AL in November 2003 till early/mid 2005 when it was lastly installed at Evansville, IN. Starting in 2004/2005 at the Lewisville, TX store CEC Entertainment would begin installing stages that combined parts of the Cappa with some fixtures of the Beta. This would be installed at twenty two locations across various locations from 2004/2005 - October 30, 2006. The final Studio C Cappa would open with the New Hartford, NY (now closed) location on October 30th, 2006. The final Studio C Cappa to be installed would be the Alexandria, Louisiana (now 2.0) location in 2009.
Design
Small-Town Studio C V1
The V1 Small-Town Studio C reused parts of the buffet stage whilst bringing a new stage design for Chucks stage. The new design would show a mirror with three rope lights behind the 16m Chuck E. Cheese. The animatronic sat atop an angular, trapezoidal stage with no curtains with the flood lights moved to the spot light bar. Next to Chuck E. was a large platform which all of the elements of the Studio C Beta were condensed into; up top were three 24" rear projection monitors lined up evenly next to each other and below that was a small but wide blue screen with a trapezoidal carpet mat on the floor. For additional lighting the spot light bar had the CEC Spot, three floods, Gemini, Warp, Strobe, Applause and On the Air.
Waco received a unique set up instead of the blue screen it used the same material seen on the stage with the "CEC" letters put on top of it to the left and right it featured two sets of three rope lights. A total of 7 V1 Small-Town Studio C's were installed, with 3 remaining as of January 2023, those are Joplin, Missouri (First store to open with Small-Town Studio C, possibly first or second Small-Town Studio C, as Waco, Texas replaced their Small-Town Studio C Prototype at the same time), Jackson, Tennessee (second store to open with Small-Town Studio C, and last Small-Town Studio C in Tennessee), and Goldsboro, North Carolina (Second-last V1 Small-Town Studio C installed, one of 3 left in North Carolina.)
Small-Town Studio C V2
This design was the second to come out in November 2003, with some changes firstly being the backdrop, it was changed from a mirror, to a spiral shape with lights in it that extends to the wall next to it on the right. The animatronic sat atop an angular, trapezoidal stage with no curtains with the flood lights moved to the spot light bar. Next to Chuck E. was a large platform which all of the elements of the Studio C Beta were condensed into; up top were three 24" rear projection monitors lined up evenly next to each other and below that was a small but wide blue screen with a trapezoidal carpet mat on the floor. For additional lighting the spot light bar had the spot light for Chuck E., two floods, the Gemini, and strobe light.
Small-Town Studio C V3
The final design removed the trapezoidal stage and extended swirl pattern replacing them with what the Studio C Beta looked like. complete with lights and backdrop and working curtains until early 2006 when fake curtains began being installed. The Blue Screen design remained the same as it was in v2. The additional lighting was the same as v2. The final Small-Town Studio to open would be the New Hartford, New York location (Closed in 2020), with theirs being a V3. The last Small-Town Studio C to be installed was Alexandria, Louisiana in 2009.
Current Small-Town Studio C's
TODO: Fix list order
Location | Version | Year Installed | Condition / Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Joplin, MO | V1 | 2003 | First Store to open with Small-Town Studio C, Either First or Second installed. Oldest |
Jackson, TN | V1 | 2003 | 2nd oldest Small-Town Studio C. Last Cappa in Tennessee. Second store to open with Small-Town Studio C. |
Goldsboro, NC | V1 | 2003 | |
Janesville, WI | V2 | 2003 | Only in Wisconsin |
Sherman, TX | V2 | 2003 | |
Hemet,CA | V2 | 2003 | Last in California. |
Dothan, AL | V2 | 2004 | |
Yuma, AZ | V2 | 2004 | |
Dover, DE | V3 | 2005 | Only Cappa in Delaware. Former Small-Town Studio C Prototype |
Albany, GA | V2 | 2003 | Only in Georgia. |
Kokomo, IN | V2 | 2004 | |
Columbus, IN | V2 | 2004 | |
Muncie, IN | V2 | 2003 | |
Salisbury, MD | V2 | 2004 | |
Hagerstown, MD | V3 | 2005 | |
Hattiesburg, MS* | V3 | 2004 | Only in Mississippi |
Ellisville, MO | V3 | 2005 | |
Las Cruces, NM | V2 | 2004 | |
Asheville, NC | V2 | 2004 | |
Rocky Mount, NC | V2 | 2003 | |
Wilkes-Barre Township, PA | V2 | 2004 | |
Greensburg, PA | V3 | 2005 | |
Sumter, SC | V2 | 2004 | |
Longview, TX | V2 | 2004 | |
College Station, TX | V2 | 2004 | |
Abilene, TX | V3 | 2005 | |
Lake Jackson, TX | V3 | 2005/6 | |
Victoria, TX | V3 | 2005 |