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Lighting Grid Project - July/August 2023
With support from Middendorf Foundation and France-Merrick Foundation, Spotlighters Theatre initiated a major capital project to replace the theatre Lighting Grid. The full project was also supported by individual gifts and donations to reach the final goal of $94,000! See donor list below.
The original grid was installed in the 1990s and fitted with instruments and control systems donated from various theatres and educational institutions around the area. Audrey Herman (our founder) was an amazingly convincing and persuasive woman when it came to getting things Spotlighters needed. Over the years, additional bits and pieces of equipment were procured to expand the 16-channel system up to 40 channels. BUT those were all analog dimmers with incandescent lamps, which meant extra heat in the control booth and extra heat over the heads of our actors on stage. The 1990s pipe grid also hung about a foot from the old skylight over the stage, and with instruments hanging, only allowed for about 8 feet of clearance from stage floor to fixtures.
The new Track Grid is mounted to the ceiling over the stage and provides for expanded coverage and options for hanging the new LED lighting fixtures. Plus, the new Track Grid on the outside of the stage space is more properly spaced to provide better light coverage of the stage and the four ramp/corners.
The former incandescent fixtures numbered about 130, . . . the new LED fixtures number 44. This is because each instrument can provide both fill light, color washes, and special pin spots when needed all from the convenience for the control booth. Also, the LED instruments do not generate near the heat of the former Incandescent instruments.
The process began on July 23rd, following the strike of the set of What Was Done (BPF). Our new Technical Director, Rob Books, and a team of volunteers removed all the instruments and power cabling, as well as the stage mics, stage monitors, and house speakers. We had planned for 3 to 4 days, but this determined team didn't want to stop until it was all down!
This prepared the space for Union Electric to come in on July 31 and start the final demolition of the grid and the installed wiring and antiquated patch panel. The team accomplished this in record time. Once the demo was completed, the Union crew started to install the new Track Grid and run new power cabling and install power stations for the new LED Instruments. We had budgeted 10 workdays for this, and Union Electric completed the job in 8 days!
Once Union Electric had completed the Track Grid installation and new power cabling, Spotlighters was ready for Barbizon to deliver the new LED Instruments and control cables. Tech Director, Rob Books, and Fuzz Roark started working on the new Lighting Plot and began working to set up the Lighting Control board for the new instruments. Peabody Audio Intern, Aidan Deighan, had been working on a re-work of the sound system; and was able to start to re-install stage mics, stage monitors and house speakers, all with new shielded wiring, and a better layout. Due to age, two of the theatre amplifiers needed to be replaced, an unexpected expense.
By August 25, 2023, all new LED Instruments had been installed, programed, and cabled into the control board .... and tested; SIX days ahead of schedule! All due to great volunteers and the professional work of Union Electric (Glen Hasting, Scott & June) and Barbizon Lighting Capital (Mark Fink, Amanda Kircher, and Brooke the Tech).
Scroll through the photos below and check out the amazing transformation!
The original grid was installed in the 1990s and fitted with instruments and control systems donated from various theatres and educational institutions around the area. Audrey Herman (our founder) was an amazingly convincing and persuasive woman when it came to getting things Spotlighters needed. Over the years, additional bits and pieces of equipment were procured to expand the 16-channel system up to 40 channels. BUT those were all analog dimmers with incandescent lamps, which meant extra heat in the control booth and extra heat over the heads of our actors on stage. The 1990s pipe grid also hung about a foot from the old skylight over the stage, and with instruments hanging, only allowed for about 8 feet of clearance from stage floor to fixtures.
The new Track Grid is mounted to the ceiling over the stage and provides for expanded coverage and options for hanging the new LED lighting fixtures. Plus, the new Track Grid on the outside of the stage space is more properly spaced to provide better light coverage of the stage and the four ramp/corners.
The former incandescent fixtures numbered about 130, . . . the new LED fixtures number 44. This is because each instrument can provide both fill light, color washes, and special pin spots when needed all from the convenience for the control booth. Also, the LED instruments do not generate near the heat of the former Incandescent instruments.
The process began on July 23rd, following the strike of the set of What Was Done (BPF). Our new Technical Director, Rob Books, and a team of volunteers removed all the instruments and power cabling, as well as the stage mics, stage monitors, and house speakers. We had planned for 3 to 4 days, but this determined team didn't want to stop until it was all down!
This prepared the space for Union Electric to come in on July 31 and start the final demolition of the grid and the installed wiring and antiquated patch panel. The team accomplished this in record time. Once the demo was completed, the Union crew started to install the new Track Grid and run new power cabling and install power stations for the new LED Instruments. We had budgeted 10 workdays for this, and Union Electric completed the job in 8 days!
Once Union Electric had completed the Track Grid installation and new power cabling, Spotlighters was ready for Barbizon to deliver the new LED Instruments and control cables. Tech Director, Rob Books, and Fuzz Roark started working on the new Lighting Plot and began working to set up the Lighting Control board for the new instruments. Peabody Audio Intern, Aidan Deighan, had been working on a re-work of the sound system; and was able to start to re-install stage mics, stage monitors and house speakers, all with new shielded wiring, and a better layout. Due to age, two of the theatre amplifiers needed to be replaced, an unexpected expense.
By August 25, 2023, all new LED Instruments had been installed, programed, and cabled into the control board .... and tested; SIX days ahead of schedule! All due to great volunteers and the professional work of Union Electric (Glen Hasting, Scott & June) and Barbizon Lighting Capital (Mark Fink, Amanda Kircher, and Brooke the Tech).
Scroll through the photos below and check out the amazing transformation!
