In 2008, the Santa Barbara Center for the Performing Arts (SBCPA) completed a historic renovation of a classic 95-year-old, 1,500 seat venue: The Granada Theater. The venue, which Ocean Way Audio founder and legendary record producer Allen Sides refers to as 'one of the greatest venues in California', made significant renovations to its stage, as well as lighting, rigging and artist facilities. In September, the venue—which serves eight resident companies and hosts a diverse range of performances throughout the year—unveiled a new point source sound system from Burbank, CA-based Ocean Way Audio.

The new system is able to distribute 90 degrees of audio in both the horizontal and vertical directions, something not possible with the use of a traditional line array. It is also able to deliver a direct, high-quality stereo signal to every seat in the house with minimal boundary reflections. 

"This is undoubtedly one of the greatest venues in California," said Allen Sides, founder and CEO of Ocean Way Audio. "With this audio system, we believe we have created something here that is unique and sets this theater apart from other venues of similar size." 

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Aside from achieving a full-bandwidth response that is capable of delivering an even, stereo response throughout the venue, the new system is extremely versatile and able to handle a variety of performances across many genres: "You could have the London Symphony followed by Brian Setzer," said Sides. "Getting the acoustics right for these two types of performances is not an easy task."

Point Source vs. Line Array

"When Allen came in, he said, ‘What you need is more of a point source—the speakers you are using are fighting with each other and the engineer can’t hear what is happening or trust what he is hearing,'" said David Johnson, vice president of operations and production, Granada Theatre. "While line array speakers are prevalent today, this set up would not work for us. With traditional line arrays, there was uneven sound dispersion all around the theater and each of our patrons was having a different (stereo) experience. Allen’s idea was to create a system that could deliver sound from a single source, both wide and high, so everyone in every seat can hear both speakers at once." 

Rather than opting for an "off the shelf" traditional line array, Granada collaborated with Ocean Way Audio on implementing a bespoke single point design. The new Ocean Way Audio point source speaker system replaced a traditional split stack line array system that was adequate, but ultimately wasn't able to deliver a pristine stereo signal to every seat in the house. 

"Allen explained how line arrays have narrow and uneven coverage," Johnson added. "For instance, if you sit in the middle, you can hear both the left and right speakers but not on the sides."

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"In a very live venue, the more sources you have of sound that hit and create reflections from side walls, the less clear and less defined the sound is," Sides explained. "And if there are many reflections in a room, it can reduce resolution and definition, even with dialog. Our system is a point-source, constant-directivity system. So instead of being split into four separate pieces, it is a single system that sits in ideal positions. This eliminates tons of reflections from the four sources—you only get one set of reflections from the point source." 

The AeroWave system also features complete directivity-control to 100 Hz, so low frequency information goes out directly into the auditorium rather than creating first, second or third wave reflections. The net result is elimination of most unwanted reflections and a clear, more defined sound.

Even Sound Dispersion 

Granada engineer Jon Fowler was among the first to see the new AeroWave system being implemented and tested. " We are the first theater in the world to use this system, and when it came in the building it didn’t look like anything I’ve seen before, and I have been doing live sound and recording for 15 years," he recalled. 

Now that the new system is up and running, it has made Fowler's job easier. "I’ve been working on the old PA for about eight years now," he said. "But with the new AeroWave system, it's almost like I don’t have to do a lot of EQ work like I did before. You pretty much just pull up the faders and it already sounds good."

 

The AeroWave system is roughly 10 dB more efficient than any conventional line array because of its incredibly efficient straight horn design, which means it takes only a third of the power to reach the same volume. This equates to lower distortion and a more natural sound even at high sound pressure levels.

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Fowler said the new system has achieved the goal of creating even sound dispersion throughout the venue:  "Now, you can move around the room and hear great stereo imaging whether you are right in front, extreme right or left, or anywhere in between—it is really incredible." 

The system was put to the test at a private Grand Opening event for invited guests on Sept. 23 and then again for two public performances of the new Mariachi opera by Opera Santa Barbara and Kostis Protopapas in early October. "We had glowing reviews at the end of the show," Fowler recalled. "A lot of people were coming up to front of house and saying things like, 'It's so nice to hear a show with perfect sound.' It is reassuring to know that I can trust what I am hearing at front of house and know that it is going to translate well throughout the entire hall!"



Located in the heart of Calgary’s Cultural District, the Arts Commons performing arts center occupies a full city block and is home to five theatres and the Jack Singer Concert Hall. Recently, Sapphire Sound (Calgary) installed a d&b audiotechnik xS-Series point source loudspeaker system in the spacious main floor and dress circle lobbies of the Jack Singer Concert Hall, and replaced the complete monitor inventory package for the concert hall itself. 

The Jack Singer lobby areas can be used in conjunction with the concert hall or as a venue on their own. With a capacity of up to 1,000, the space is well suited for conferences, galas, receptions, lectures, concerts, meetings, corporate events, post and pre-show events.

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“As far as our challenges were concerned, the main section, closest to the hall of the lobby has a 2.5-story-high ceiling, but the rear of the lobby is split into two floors that can sometimes even be hosting separate events simultaneously,” said Jack Jamieson, head sound technician. ‘There are also a lot of glass surfaces throughout the lobby placed for aesthetics that can make it very reflective. To solve this, we used two of the d&b 24S loudspeakers as our primary coverage for the large section, and installed three of the 5S, individually addressable, on each level at the rear of the lobby to allow us to control both the level and the content of the smaller speakers. The large speakers are aimed in and down toward the carpeted lobby floor to avoid unwanted reflections and help isolate the system acoustically from the concert hall. There are also three sets of heavy double doors on each side that are kept closed between the concert hall and the lobby when there is a lobby-only event occurring.”

The dipolar arrangement of the two 12-inch LF drivers in a 24S results in directivity control down to 500Hz to keep sound off of walls and other reflective surfaces.

The main floor lobby system is a pair of 24S speakers in stereo, with three 5S speakers each with individual addresses centered under each archway to cover the rear area should that be desired, and three more of the 5S loudspeakers setup the same way to cover the Upper Lobby should that be desired. Each of these eight cabinets has its own channel of amplification, supplied by two D20 amplifiers.

“Arts Commons was initially looking at a d&b V or Y-Series, but I suggested 24S due to the fact that for the majority of events, subwoofers would not be required, and with 24S going all the way down to 55Hz, it would enable relatively full range sound even without the VG SUBs deployed,” said Ben Burrell from Sapphire Sound.

“For the monitor system in the concert hall, the d&b M4 wedge has become the first or second choice product listed on most touring riders that we see,” Jamieson said. “Accordingly, I had a demo of the product brought in, and all stakeholders agreed that it was one of the best wedge monitors we had ever heard or measured. Further, it was capable of more volume than the largest and loudest cabinet from our previous system, and only 0.5 inches wider than our smaller cabinet, and lighter than either of them. It was a unanimous choice from all of us.”

Jamieson said that Arts Commons is extremely happy with the sound of the lobby system both for intelligibility and musicality. “Ben is correct about the low-frequency capability of the 24S. We have so far only needed to deploy the extra subwoofers twice since installation, and in both cases, it was for EDM style musical content.”

The monitor package for the concert hall includes 17 d&b M4 monitors, four VG SUBS, nine D20, and two D80 amplifiers.

With World Theatre Day 2020 approaching on March 27, Point Source Audio is marking the occasion by offering one non-profit youth arts organization the chance to win $5,000 worth of microphones from the EMBRACE series. Featuring a concealable design that stays firmly in place even during the most energetic of productions, the EMBRACE microphones are especially suited to young performers.

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Having previously donated Point Source Audio products as part of its Decade of Innovation competition back in 2018, the manufacturer is once again championing arts education by asking its social media followers on Facebook to nominate non-profit organizations who they think are deserving of the prize. From youth theatre groups to schools, the competition is open to any non-profit community-led organization or group that is supporting young people in the arts.

At the core of this World Theatre Day initiative is a mission to celebrate the unsung heroes who are providing invaluable arts education and development to young performers. “It’s so important to recognize the work of individuals and organizations who are making a difference for young people through performance,” said Yvonne Ho, vice president of sales and marketing at Point Source Audio. “Running this competition is our way of raising awareness of what these fantastic companies are doing to nurture and instill confidence in young talent across the globe.”

Everyone is welcome to enter a worthy school or non-profit simply by visiting Point Source Audio’s Facebook page, and tagging or naming their nomination in the comments section of the post. The competition ends on March 27, 2020. The prize draw is open to any 501(c) non-profit performing arts charity or group for those aged between 6-18, anywhere in the world. The winner will be selected at random within five working days of the competition end date. The winner will be contacted within five working days of being selected and has a further five working days to accept the prize before it's forfeited and given to another entry.

“Fundamentally, we want to make great sound equipment accessible to youth theatres and support arts organizations in making exciting work across the globe,” said James Lamb, president at Point Source Audio. “There is no better way of marking World Theatre Day than celebrating the work of youth theatre organizations around the world. Hopefully, we will be able to help some of the next generation of theatre talent to reach their true potential.”

When you’re trying to convince a theater audience that the action on stage is happening in another dimension, it helps to have a little magic up your sleeve. 

Opened on Broadway in April, Beetlejuice delivers visual enchantment in spades, courtesy of veteran projection designer Peter Nigrini. With a combination of direct-view LED scenery and a chimerical melding of digital projection and stage lighting, the musical transfixes audiences with an atmosphere that fits the delightfully weird Tim Burton world like a glove.

“It’s really that melding of the technology and the art form that I really get excited about,” said Nigrini, who has more than a dozen Broadway shows to his credit. “How to make a $3 million pile of equipment move and participate in the theater in a sort of effortless way—that’s part of what I find so exciting about it.”

Drawing Board

According to Nigrini, the show was initially going to incorporate projection only in a couple select scenes, ones in which the show director Alex Timbers felt “needed something beyond what scenery and lighting could provide.”

“The notion was that it was just those specific moments,” Nigrini said. “But then once everyone decided I was going to be in the room, and that we were going to start using this technology, I’m always a big fan of finding a way that it’s part of the whole fabric of the show.” The plans eventually led to a production that is pervaded by projection—but in a way that’s not always overt. 

“In Beetlejuice, the boundary between lighting and projection can become porous, and you sort of don’t know what you’re looking at anymore,” Nigrini said. “Ultimately, they’re both putting light on stage, just using different technology. Over time it crept in, and I remember Alex [Timbers] one day saying ‘Wow, I really did not imagine that there was going to be projection all the way through the show. But now that there is, I really like it.’ So that was the journey.”

Technical Planning

Running with the idea of projection throughout, Nigrini next had to plan its execution. He specified four 20,000-lumen Panasonic RZ21K LED laser projectors with WUXGA resolution. “I am a great believer in Panasonic projectors,” he said. “Everyone uses them in the theater, and it’s driven by a number of factors.” According to Nigrini, their form factors fit the strict demands of theater, and he favors them for their low noise levels and ability to output true black. “Every video projector, when you send a black signal, it’s not actually black,” he said. “There’s some small bits of light that come out of it. And 90 percent of the users of these things don’t care about that. But in the theater, it’s critical to us.”

At first, he had considered using rear projection for the backdrop as well, but this proved impracticable due to space limitations. “You cannot imagine how little space there is do all these things that we do, the amount of gear and equipment and technology we’re packing into these 150-year-old buildings that were never designed for it,” Nigrini said. “I’m always amazed.”

The only solution for this was to use an LED wall—a choice Nigrini said gave the other creative directors pause. “Everyone said ‘We don’t want LED,’ like they had memorized that picture of what LED looks like on the Oscars or at a Taylor Swift concert,” he said. “And it’s like, ‘No, we can use that device, but we can make it feel like something else.’”

Nigrini ended up specifying a 25-by-18-foot 2.9mm ESDLumen LED wall, then imparted some tricks to disguise it and blunt its output. He and his team placed a plastic diffuser in front of it, then covered the diffuser with a painted sheet of unbleached cotton gauze. “Instead of a corporate environment or something like that where the image is the standalone, sacrosanct thing that you want technical perfection from, often in the theater what we’re trying to do is break the edges of it and get the image to become a part of the scenery and the world we’re in,” Nigrini said.

Pushing the Limits

The shortage of space proved challenging for the stage projectors as well, and required some creative solutions. In fact, one of the projectors needed to be mounted on a lighting truss that moves during the show. “The lighting trusses are all moving in and out, and there’s a flying lighting truss in Beetlejuice that a projector flies with,” Nigrini said. “We are tracking the location of the flying truss, so that we can then correct in real time the image that’s coming out of the projector to make it look like the projector isn’t moving. And that’s all because there’s nowhere else for the projector to be. It’s literally the only place that that projector can be.”

Aiding in the real-time calibration of the projector is the production’s disguise 2x4pro media servers. “It is an amazing product, very sort of bespoke,” Nigrini said. “Disguise has kind of revolutionized the way we think about projection design by making the environment we project in fully three-dimensional. That we think about a full 3D model of the stage at all times, and the ability to manipulate that model in real time, that sort of changed the game.”

Nigrini said that he designed the first theatrical show that disguise provided media servers for, and has had a working relationship with the company ever since. “The number of instructions, the number of cues that are written in a show is often an order of magnitude greater than what they’re expecting to see anywhere else,” he said. “And that’s great for them too; I push their equipment harder, because I have more time.” Nigini said that between an in-town production and an out-of-town production, he might spend 20 weeks working 18 hours a day, six days a week just writing cues for the projection. “That’s a lot of time to write instructions, and do things like sort out this projector that’s flying on a truss, and how to handle all that,” he said.

Setting the Stage

Once Nigrini’s studio laid out the exact location of projectors and display devices and specified the media server environment, the production hired an engineer to create a more detailed schematic diagram and engineering drawings—including specifying equipment like the router and matrix switchers. For Beetlejuice, these include a Lightware MX-FR33R matrix router, Gefen EXT-DVI-FM500 DVI extenders, Avitech Titan 9000 multiviewer, and Adder XDIP KVM extenders.

The equipment list was then handed to AV rental firm Sound Associates, which supplied the gear, and then a team of engineers hired by the production at Nigrini’s recommendation completed the installation. “I have three or four engineers that I like to work with and trust, and who understand what I want from a system,” he said. “And they then do the detailed work of how it’s built. And then ultimately installing—those guys join us in the theater and get it up and actually get it to work.”

Showtime

The musical has proven quite successful since opening in the spring, with The New York Times chief theater critic Ben Brantley calling it a “jaw-dropping funhouse.” For Nigrini, the production’s success lies in its unprecedented blending of lighting and projection.

“The visual integration between the two in Beetlejuice I think was unique, in that so much of the way the scenery is being lit is in fact projection, such that distinguishing between the two kind of becomes impossible,” he said. “And I think that’s some of the excitement of the production, is that integration allows in a way for magic.”

With a stunning view of Lake Tahoe as its backdrop, Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival is nestled in a dune at Sand Harbor, Lake Tahoe Nevada State Park. This year the Festival transformed their sound system with the help of Audio Logic Systems (ALS) of Minneapolis, MN. 

Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival operates in the summer months and beginning in early June, the crew arrives to assemble the entire venue including the seating, towers, rigging, lighting, and speaker systems. At the end of the season in September, the entire venue is stored for the winter leaving only a bare stage deck. Below the deck is permanent infrastructure including the dressing rooms, bathrooms, a small amount of storage, and a room for electrical service and amplifier racks. The Festival season consists of two shows in repertory: one a musical, the other a Shakespeare play, as well as weekly live musical concerts. This year’s season included The Taming of the Shrew and Million Dollar Quartet. 

“An outdoor theater space, the festival area is fully open to the elements where the audience attends as much to socialize as they do to watch the performance,” said John Markiewicz, owner/CMO, Audio Logic Systems. 

The resident designer for the Festival is David Gotwald, and along with sound supervisor Brian Chismar, they selected d&b as the system of choice. “We went to John at ALS because we were interested in an all d&b system. Brian and I had specified a d&b rig for our sister venue, the Idaho Shakespeare Festival, two years ago, and we were thrilled with the response from the patrons as well as our artists. So we knew we couldn’t go wrong with a d&b system for Tahoe.” Gotwald goes on to say that “the transparency and linear response of the cabinets are a huge selling point for me as a designer. Since our venue is completely exposed to the elements, I wanted weather resistant cabinets, which could withstand the blistering sun as well as constant exposure to sand dust. The fact that d&b offers this option was a plus for us. It was a pleasure designing this system with John and the result of our tuning process was extremely successful. A constant complaint we heard before this install was about inconsistent coverage, ‘too loud up front and can’t hear in the back’. With the new line arrays and the point source delay and fill cabinets, we have really solved this problem.”

From a design perspective, the venue is a very complicated and asymmetrical space built on a sand dune peninsula. According to Markiewicz, “If you were to stand in the back seating position and line yourself up with the center of the stage you would be sitting house left, third seat from the extreme side. The first row is three feet from the stage and the last row ends 150 feet to the rear of the dune with 36 feet of elevation. An additional section of seats extends far to the side of the venue, adding to the asymmetrical issues of coverage.... With many measurements, I was able to build an accurate ArrayCalc file for the venue. Most difficult were the vertical heights and getting an absolute trim height estimated for the new array using the existing vertical truss towers.”

The main PA consists of two left and right arrays of 8 x Y12 each. Because of the trim height limitations as well as the 36' rise in elevation, Markiewicz was unable to cover the entire depth of the seating area with this hang alone. To cover the rear seating area, he implemented a delay system from lighting towers halfway back. “This was tricky since the seating is not symmetrical and the two towers are at different heights. To provide coverage for the first few rows and to bring the image forward and down to the stage, we provided two Y10P loudspeakers mounted at the left and right proscenium location. The front fills are six 4S loudspeakers mounted to the stage lip with low frequency handled by the B22-SUBs. Additionally, the four 4S downstage foldback speakers and two 8S can be implemented as monitors or effects speakers as needed. The Yamaha CL console feeds the d&b DS10 Dante bridge.” To complete the audio system for the Festival, ALS also supply Audio-Technica mics and 2 Yamaha Ri8-D input boxes.

While the design itself proved challenging, Markiewicz said that a major installation difficulty was sand everywhere. “Trenching in sand and running new conduit is difficult. Add to that working outdoors for weeks and squirrels eating everything you set down...”

“I’ll start with how thrilled I was to be working with a full d&b rig,” states Bart Fasbender, sound designer, Million Dollar Quartet. “I arrived at the venue after the system had already been installed and tuned to measurements. In walking around the house, and after consulting with John Markiewicz and David Gotwald we made a few EQ and timing changes to taste but generally we stayed pretty close to what the numbers and meters predicted we would need. That first session was mostly about getting the system aligned and neutral. After that was locked, I made tweaks to make the show sound how I wanted it. It was just a pleasure having that reliably blank canvas to work with. As was mentioned, the seating area was just nuts in terms of there being no symmetry; John did an amazing job with David to cover all the idiosyncrasies of the house. The d&b gear was so accurate and predictable that it was easy to get the results we were looking for from the system and for me to get the sound of the show I wanted. I couldn’t have been happier, and I’m looking forward to getting to the next all d&b venue in a few weeks!”

The Well-Spring Group recently built a state-of-the-art 340-seat theater that, in its initial season, is scheduled to host everything from chamber concerts and opera to a reader's theater event and a Black History Month concert, with more events likely to be added. 

Wanting a theater with uncompromised quality and the flexibility to grow, Well-Spring, a community for seniors with high-quality services and amenities suitable for a full range of residents, called on architects Calloway Johnson Moore & West, in conjunction with Theatre Consultants Collaborative (TCC) of Chapel Hill, which served as design consultants for the project. A multidisciplinary collaborative of industry veterans providing an array of design services, TCC ensured every audience member would hear the theater's events by installing digitally steerable line array loudspeakers and subwoofers from Renkus-Heinz.

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"This is the first time we've taken a performance space for one of these facilities to this level," said Jason Prichard, TCC performance systems designer. "We truly made a venue that's like a small version of a performing arts center." The sound system needed to serve a variety of programs with clarity and sufficient power for the space. "We wanted a speaker that would provide full-range support for light music, jazz, and speech; we were not trying to do rock and roll in here," Prichard said. "A lot of the need was to couple high-quality sound with minimal visual impact on the space."

TCC specified a pair of Renkus-Heinz IC Live Gen5 ICL-F-Dual-RD digitally steerable line array loudspeakers to cover the room, supplemented by two DR18-1R single 18-inch subwoofers to provide very low frequencies. The Dante-enabled ICL-F-Dual-RD consists of two IC Live array modules, each containing five 6.5-inch neodymium low-frequency transducers and three one-inch throat, titanium nitride-coated high-frequency drivers. Since every array element has its own DSP and amplifier channel, the ICL-F-Dual-RD offers individual control over each element to form up to eight beams. 

With no balconies or other architectural complexities to accommodate, covering Well-Spring's theater was relatively straightforward. "We used two beams from each ICL-F-Dual-RD, one covering the front section and a second beam covering the rear seating," said Prichard.

Audio was distributed via a redundant Dante network controlled by a Symetrix Radius NX 12x8 DSP, as suggested by Greensboro-based Audio & Light, the installers and system programmers on the project. The Renkus-Heinz speakers are hardwired directly to the Dante switches. The Dante network also feeds audio to a 70-volt speaker system that covers several support spaces, and to a separate building-wide audio system, so that programs can be routed to the rest of the building in which the theater is housed. Similarly, video from the theater can be sent to a building-wide CATV system.

Inputs are connected through custom wall panels designed by TCC, installed at key locations around the stage and house areas. The theater's Yamaha TF series digital mixer can be connected to a panel placed in a raised seating area at the rear of the house for mixing from that position. A Crestron control panel can control the Symetrix DSP directly for quick setup for speeches or simple events.

TCC gave the speakers a low visual profile. "We worked carefully with the architect to incorporate the speakers into the structure on either side of the proscenium," said Prichard. "We requested a custom color and put them into faux column fascia panels; you don't even notice them. The subwoofers are in the front-of-stage at the aisles, hidden behind fabric."

The context of a senior community added considerations beyond TCC's typical jobs. "It is a unique experience working in a theater geared toward an older age group," Prichard said. "We needed to think about sound control in the theater to make sure it was as quiet as possible in the room, and we needed good intelligibility throughout the space." A specialized contractor installed a hearing loop system in the floor of the theater for assisted listening.

Logistics was another issue TCC needed to address. "We had to consider how people are moved in and out of a room like that, and be able to accommodate a lot more walkers and wheelchairs than what we deal with in a standard theater space," said Prichard. "Finally, we didn't want it to ever go completely dark in the room; we needed good light on all paths for those with visual impairment. All of the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) considerations we usually deal with are amped up in a space like this, since a majority of patrons are dealing with those types of issues."

Well-Spring is already working its theater hard. "What I like about the Renkus-Heinz speakers is that they are a quality product," said Prichard. "They give quality sound without a super-premium price. Honestly, if I'm speaking about how compact a steerable array is relative to its sound quality, I think the IC Live Gen5 sits at the top."

The Flyer - San Francisco at Fisherman’s Wharf’s Pier 39 theater attraction gives both tourists and locals alike a bird’s eye view of the city using cinematic artistry and state-of-the-art HD film footage captured with the help of drones and helicopters, and blended with computer-generated imagery. As spectacular as the video is, though, visitors may be even more dazzled by the attraction’s audio thanks to an engaging cinematic soundtrack played back through a high-impact, high-fidelity sound system from L-Acoustics.

The soundtrack and sound effects were written, created, and produced by Mathieu Vachon, audio director for Triotech, the Québec-based company behind The Flyer - San Francisco. Triotech is quickly establishing itself as a major player in the global amusement and theme park industry, and its latest creation follows a fast-paced point-of-view narrative that both documents the city and brings it vividly to life using the same jib, track, drone, and other types of cameras employed by Hollywood blockbusters. The sound had to be big to match, which, according to Vachon, is why L-Acoustics was the ultimate choice for this high-profile project.

At The Flyer - San Francisco, three coaxial L-Acoustics X12 loudspeakers are positioned in an LCR array across the front of the attraction’s theater, behind its massive 1,100-square-foot (50'x22') screen. Two rows of tiny 5XT speakers are mounted on the rear walls for the surround elements—one pair per side, covering and upper and lower seats—while four SB18 subwoofers compete the discrete 5.1 system, which is powered and processed by two LA4X amplified controllers. Montréal-based Solotech integrated the audio complement for Triotech in conjunction with L-Acoustics' Andre Pichette, who performed the final system calibration via the manufacturer’s LA Network Manager software.

When The Flyer experience begins, 28 seated guests, suspended on an active-motion platform, embark on an immersive, high-definition “flight” through some of the Bay Area’s most iconic landmarks and neighborhoods, including the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, Coit Tower, Marin Headlands, Chinatown, the Castro, and more, propelled by Vachon’s energetic score brought to life on the L-Acoustics sound system.

“The soundtrack is extremely dynamic and exciting, and it also follows the emotions of the film very closely,” said Vachon, who adds that it took three months to envision, compose, record, and mix. “But once we were finally on site at Pier 39 and I heard it played through the L-Acoustics sound system, I thought, ‘Wow!’ It was even better than in the studio. The score is huge and orchestral, and these loudspeakers make it feel so alive. The highs are crisp and clear, and the subs deliver a nice solid low end. Combined with the video, the final result is breathtaking, and the L-Acoustics system is a big part of The Flyer’s success.”

New Jersey’s second largest cultural provider, the 1,850-seat historic State Theatre New Jersey, is a magnificently renovated 1921 vaudeville/silent-film house that flourishes today as a premier not-for-profit venue. The theater presents a diverse lineup of world-class performing artists and education programs that enrich the lives of nearly 200,000 visitors each year. 

To make sure each production team has an intercom system that is reliable and flexible, State Theatre New Jersey has upgraded to a Clear-Com HelixNet Digital Network Partyline Intercom System and a FreeSpeak II Digital Wireless Intercom System, purchased from Panavid, with offices in New Jersey, New York City, and Dallas.

With a busy calendar that can stage different events night after night, Willie Weist, head audio engineer, and Roman Klima, head of the video department, designed a system that is perfect from national Broadway touring companies to smaller local performances.

“Most Broadway tours are self-contained—they come in and tie in dry lines for spotlight communication and house light control, or tie into the Clear-Com system, with 99 percent of the intercom being their own gear,” Weist said. “But the smaller the show, the more they rely on our system, whether it’s a mix-and-match or all ours. The new HelixNet and FreeSpeak II systems are open-ended enough that whatever system someone comes in with they can just tie in. With this system we can adapt to any situation, both small and large.

State Theatre New Jersey has been a Clear-Com house for decades, this upgrade being its third system—enabling it to use parts of the previous Clear-Com systems with the new gear. This made the changeover especially easy and cost-efficient.

“We started our theater upgrade with audio and programmable moving lights, saving the intercom system for last,” Weist said. “We had one and a half weeks until our first performance, so while 4U: A Symphonic Celebration of Princewas in rehearsal with musicians, vocalists, and an orchestra, it was the perfect time to change over to our new Clear-Com system.”

Hoping for the best, but being prepared for anything, the existing Clear-Com system was kept intact at each location, with Ethernet lines being run next to existing XLR cable.

“We had both systems, just in case, but the HelixNet and FreeSpeak II worked just like they were supposed to. It was great,” Weist said. “You always worry when things change. We were used to a single-channel system; now users can select from several private conversations with different departments while still being connected to all departments. It only took a short time for the crew to take advantage of the flexibility of this system.

The new digital intercom network consists of a HelixNet digital network partyline intercom system with 16 beltpacks and a FreeSpeak II digital wireless intercom system with 10 wireless beltpacks and four transceivers. An LQ-R IP interface ties everything together.

What State Theatre New Jersey gets with its new intercom system is something it’s needed for years: multiple isolated channels for separate conversations, with the ability to reach anyone on the system at any time. In addition, it allows the theater to service shows that come in that are more demanding in terms of technology.

“The biggest feature is being able to switch between channels for camera operators and the video crews,” Klima said. “I can have channels for the director, audio, lighting, even a general channel. We didn’t have that before. Every group would use their own comms and I used to sit with two biscuits [intercom speakers] and two headphones on my desk.”

“We’ve been looking at FreeSpeak since it first came out,” Weist said. “It’s wonderful to have up to four conversations available on each beltpack with no interference, since the beltpacks are registered to our system. I wish we would have done it sooner, but waiting meant we wouldn’t be installing a new system piecemeal. Now it’s built exactly the way we want it.”

“Anyone looking at a new intercom system should just do it,” Weist said. “It’s the backbone of everything you do. It makes everyone more comfortable knowing that they can have a conversation with anyone. And there’s no more hum and buzz. It’s so clean; you don’t know it’s on until someone starts talking to you. It’s like getting a new pair of glasses.”

Alpha Sound of Salem, OR recently completed the last phase of installation at Portland Center Stage Theater (PCS), making it the first in town to have an entirely Yamaha/NEXO-based audio system for both its main auditorium and building-wide paging system. The main auditorium boasts a NEXO M6 line array and LS18 subwoofer system with NEXO PS15R2 center speakers and a handful of NEXO ID24 multipurpose speakers. 

A Yamaha QL5 Digital Audio Console and two MTX5 matrix processors have been installed that allow flexibility for designers and engineers, all running on a Dante digital audio network with a variety of Dante-enabled peripherals.

“This last installation phase tackled the building-wide paging system,” said Devin Sheets, lead design and installation technician at Alpha Sound. “PCS has two fully functional theater spaces, several rehearsal halls, many offices and workshops, and operates as an independent event venue, all simultaneously nearly 24/7. With eight input sources requiring constant reassignments by various personnel to over forty zones on four different floor levels depending on daily activity throughout the building, we chose the MRX7 matrix processor with three additional MTX5 units and a Tio16 stage rack to be distributed and connected via Dante. Customized iPad control with ProVisionaire Touch allows instant and intuitive patching and parameter changes to the more than 400 control options.”

Resident sound designer and AV supervisor Casi Pacilio worked closely with the Alpha team. Pacilio has been awarded by PATA and Drammy, and has worked both on and off Broadway productions, touring internationally as well as serving PCS for the past 13 seasons. “Her in-depth knowledge and understanding of theater sound was a great asset during the installation process,” said Sheets. “It was a pleasure working with Casi and the theater, and we are very proud of this project.”

“The GEO M6 is deceptively loud and clear,” said Sheets. “When we first installed the arrays, the guest engineer was worried about their small size and whether the rig would get loud enough for the rock musical they were doing. Upon hearing it for the first time, he could not stop smiling.”

Duane Sheets, president of Alpha Sound, said that PCS was a fairly intense install, not so much because of the size but because of the high standard for audio quality at every point. “We would not have considered anything other than Yamaha and NEXO equipment for this application," said Sheets. "They are the only brands that we can trust to deliver.” 

Pacilio said she appreciates Alpha Sound for being very responsive to the theater’s needs and requests through the years. “The NEXO and Yamaha systems are absolutely incredible, and we have had extremely positive feedback from guest engineers,” she said.

Although Elite’s videographer documented the installation, the case study would remain incomplete until an authentic testimonial was acquired. For this, Miles Cooper, an actor at the Beverly Hills Playhouse sat down to give his testimonial after using the screen on multiple occasions. The venue is 35 years old and has been the home of many Hollywood A-list celebrities such as George Clooney, Gladys Knight, Michael Pena, Tom Selleck, Patrick Swayze, and many more. Miles Cooper is continuing that tradition.

Beverly Hills Playhouse features a scene study class and the screen is primarily used to show its student’s films. “We chose the rear projection screen because we can’t have the projector in front since the backs of the student’s heads would shadow the screen,” said Cooper. “The actors and film makers can now stand in front of the screen anyway and they won’t cast a shadow on the material.” When asked about the setup, Cooper said “the installation was super easy. So, we had a sturdy metal (ceiling beam) with some brackets and it literally took about 30 minutes. It was super easy to install and now it just takes a click of the button and the screen comes down.”

The dual-projection material means that regardless if it is front or rear projection, there is an equally bright and clear picture on either side of the material. If Elite can provide a product trusted by the Hollywood A-list, imagine the possibilities everywhere else.

The product featured in the video is a CineTension 2 WraithVeil Dual (TE150HR2-DUAL) 150” screen in a 16:9 HDTV format. This product is available in 120” to 200” diagonal sizes.

Markel Auditorium is a live performance venue with a 40-foot thrust stage, an orchestra pit that can be raised or lowered, and a modern 5.1 theatrical surround sound system using an Allen & Heath dLive S Class S5000 Surface and DM48 MixRack.

Located at Hillsdale College in Hillsdale, MI, the auditorium’s original audio system was an LCR design with an older digital mixer. To modernize their system, the theatre undertook a major audio upgrade that gave them 5.1 localization of theatrical effects with highly transparent and natural sound quality while being rider-friendly for the many touring acts who perform at the theatre.

Design/build contractor Cory Champion of Fortress Productions recommended Allen & Heath’s dLive S Class digital mixing system to Markel, which would integrate with QLab, a multimedia playback and cue-based software from Figure 53, to manage the theatre’s new system. Markel’s dLive includes a DM48 MixRack in the theatre’s sound booth and three DX32 Expanders, which can be located where needed on the stage or in the orchestra pit to accept microphones and other sources and feed monitor loudspeakers. Champion installed a Dante card in the dLive, which connects to a Mac running QLab software. The dLive provides native 5.1 sound effects placement and panning under command from QLab, which takes theatrical cues from a director/producer in the booth.

A graduate of Hillsdale, Champion acts as sound designer for many college productions and mixes performances from touring acts. He said monitoring in the enclosed sound booth is very accurate and he appreciates the added ability to mix on an iPad from a seat in the audience. 

When Champion introduced the retiring theatre department chairman to the new system, “He was in sound effects heaven being able to put things specifically where he wanted in the sound canvas of the space,” said Champion. 

Champion also demoed the system for a music professor using the theme song from “The Magnificent Seven”. The professor said, “This is phenomenal. Even though the level is low, I can clearly hear the percussionist, every cymbal crash and every bass drum beat as he hit that head.” 

Champion said, “There is nothing else on the market that’s as flexible and easy as the dLive with this kind of transparent and natural performance.”

The What: Christie has launched the Christie Mirage SST, a high-performance RGB laser projection solution featuring Christie TruLife electronics.

The What Else: With TruLife electronics, the Mirage SST delivers 4K resolution at 120fps, or, with an optional license, 480fps at 2K resolution. High frame rates remove blurring and strobing effects in fast-moving images, critical to creating an immersive experience for audiences. The Mirage SST further creates an ultra-realistic experience by achieving greater than 90 percent of the Rec. 2020 color space and 5,000:1 on/off contrast with ultra-high contrast lenses. With rich, highly saturated colors, a more natural color reproduction is also possible. 

“The Mirage SST joins the recently released D4K40-RGB in Christie’s lineup of RGB laser projectors,” said Mike Garrido, senior product manager, Christie. “The Mirage SST brings flexibility to system design and incredible image fidelity, and, as a result, we believe the creation of the next generation of spectacular, immersive visual experiences is now possible.” 

The Christie Mirage SST can be installed in single or multi-projector configurations and is compatible with Christie Mystique Install, which simplifies the design, installation, and maintenance of multi-projector arrays, and Christie Guardian, which offers automated, invisible, real-time blended image correction, even when content is playing.

The Bottom Line: Featuring a compact, fiber-coupled projection head, the Mirage SST is well suited for complex, demanding applications including theme park attractions, dome theaters, and planetariums. Weighing 110 pounds (50 kilograms) and with its small form factor, the Mirage SST projection head enables installation where space constraints have previously been a barrier. The remote light source allows the chilling equipment to be placed away from the projector head, saving space and providing a whisper-quiet experience for audiences.

The Christie Mirage SST ships in Q1 2019 with a three-year parts and labor warranty.

When looking to upgrade the loudspeaker systems at two Northern California educational institutions, Rocky Giannetta, president of independent services provider Layer 8, knew he needed amplifiers that offered both Dante connectivity and advanced DSP with pristine sound quality. In searching for the perfect solution, Giannetta turned to Powersoft’s Quattrocanali—a compact, four-channel amplifier platform—for not only its comprehensive feature set, but also its reliability.

“As far as I’m concerned, the real selling point for the Quattrocanali is its advanced DSP processing and specifically its ability to easily import FIR filters to do accurate loudspeaker system optimization,” Giannetta said. “That is a primary design criterion and selling point for us, and the systems integrators we work alongside.”

Heritage High School—Brentwood, CA

At the end of August, just before school started, Heritage High School, a 9th-12th grade high school located in Brentwood, CA, one hour east of San Francisco, replaced the amplification in its gymnasium loudspeaker system, which features eight speakers.

Giannetta specified, programmed, and tuned the new Powersoft system, which included two Quattrocanali 2404 DSP+D amplifiers. For this installation, Giannetta needed an amplifier to cover advanced DSP functionality across four channels.

“The key element was the fact that with the advanced DSP processing we were able to optimize the entire system, while making major improvements to it,” Giannetta said. “Also by installing the Quattrocanali 2404 DSP+D amplifiers, we were able to reduce rack space and draw way less power than the previous amps the school had installed.”

Modesto Junior College—Modesto, CA

Meantime, located just off Modesto’s busy downtown DoMo district sits Modesto Junior College—a public, two-year institution with a significant performing arts program. The college’s theater’s loudspeaker system is used regularly throughout the year for productions such as Aesop’s Fablesand Agatha Christie’s Spider’s Web. When it began suffering system failures, Giannetta was brought in to program the DSP system.

During the process, Giannetta also specified a new amplifier platform for the LCR loudspeaker system and selected four Powersoft Quattrocanali 4804 DSP+D amplifiers—both for their advanced programming and compact size.

“The original amp took up 24 rack spaces, and with the Quattrocanali, we were able to replace it with four rack spaces of amplification,” Giannetta said. “To top it off, the folks at the theater have said that the system sounded better after we installed the amplifiers then it did when it was first installed eight years ago.”

A Peace-of-Mind Solution

An avid user of Powersoft products for 2.5 years, Giannetta said the company’s all-around ease to work with makes it an effortless choice every time. In addition, the overall reliability of Powersoft’s amplifier platforms has been a key ingredient to his success.

“We’ve had zero failures in the 2.5 years I’ve been working with Powersoft amps,” Giannetta said. “That’s a big deal for power amplifiers because they can generate so much heat, but we are happy to say that’s been our experience from the start with Powersoft.”

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Starlight Express, which has been playing at a purpose-built theater, the Starlighthalle, in Bochum, Germany since 1988, has upgraded video production using disguise to drive video for a refreshed run, making its debut this summer.

Starlight Express is about a nine year-old boy’s dream in which toy trains come to life for a spectacular race across America. The long-running musical, performed entirely by actors on roller skates, includes new material and significant technical updates to the auditorium.

The Starlighthalle in Bochum features tracks on three levels in a U shape with the audience sitting in the middle and around the tracks. Video is projected over the entire set, including the skating floor, arches, and back wall. The video projections take the audience to each scene location and provide graphic backdrops for some of the show’s numbers.

“Our design brief was to bring context and location to the show’s songs and story,” said Duncan McLean, video and projection designer. “As the production had existed for 30 years, it was our job to utilize existing surfaces to bring the projections to life.”

Duncan explained that using the disguise pro range was the logical choice for the complex needs of the production. “Given the heavy 3D mapping that the production required, we felt no other media server would have given us the technical flexibility and support we needed. The 3D previs function always makes the whole process so much quicker—it gives you a great idea of what will and what won’t work in the space.

“We were able to previs many of our looks within disguise in the weeks leading up to the production period. This gave the whole creative team a real understanding of what the content would eventually look like.”

According to programmer Emily Malone, disguise’s QuickCal “was a feature we heavily relied upon. One of our mainprojection surfaces is the floor, which is quite a complicated set of curved surfaces covered by 12 projectors. With QuickCal what would have been a difficult and very laborious focus is now a very straightforward methodical process.

"disguise allowed us the flexibility we needed during rehearsals, where ideas were constantly evolving, and the visualiser was an absolutely invaluable asset. Interactions with other show elements were intuitive to set up, and the Multi-Edit sessions allowed us great freedom in how we worked.”

The production demanded that Duncan’s team “push the system as hard as we possibly could, with a raster of 6,000x5,000 pixels running off of one 4x4pro,” McLean said. “The media server handled extremely well. As always, support from disguise was impeccable!”

Salvador Avila and Ethan Forde are the system engineers with the production, Gustaf Lindströmthe lead animator, and Stanley Orwin-Fraser, Bradley Purnell, and Alex Uragallo the animators.

Meyer Sound and the Telluride Film Festival have announced a decade-long partnership agreement, which outlines a fourfold expansion of theaters equipped with 100% Meyer Sound cinema systems. For this year’s festival, held over Labor Day weekend, the Galaxy Theatre joined the flagship Werner Herzog Theatre as a second venue to offer complete, premium Meyer Sound systems. In addition, the Palm Theatre and the Nugget Theatre will be fully furnished with Meyer Sound systems in the coming years as part of the continuing collaboration.

“Even though many of our theaters are temporary venues for film, we are committed to offering our audience a world class experience,” said Telluride Film Festival executive director Julie Huntsinger. “By partnering with Meyer Sound, we can be assured of benefiting not only from the world’s finest cinema loudspeakers but also the on-site technical expertise to make sure each system is fine-tuned for optimum performance in its acoustical environment.”

For each festival run, Telluride’s middle school gymnasium is transformed into a first-class cinema with special acoustical treatments and finishing design touches inspired by pioneering French filmmaker Georges Meliés. The Meyer Sound cinema audio system comprises Acheron 100 coupled with Acheron LF systems for the screen channels, HMS-12 surround loudspeakers, and X-800C subwoofers for the LFE channels. Processing for drive and optimization is — appropriately — supplied by a GALAXY 816 network platform. For film introductions and panel discussions, the venue has a separate PA system with UPQ-1P loudspeakers and a 750-LFC low frequency control element.

“Telluride continues to gain wider recognition as one of the world’s leading showcases of new and noteworthy cinema,” said Miles Rogers, Meyer Sound’s business development manager, cinema and content creation markets. “Great films deserve sound to match, and we’re proud to be playing an important role in making sure every film’s sound is heard exactly as its creators intended.”

The Galaxy joins the Werner Herzog Theatre, where the Meyer Sound complement is anchored by the same trio of Acheron screen loudspeaker systems plus 22 HMS-12 cinema surrounds, 10 X-800C subwoofers and three Galileo 616 processors.

Although the Werner Herzog Theatre’s building serves as Telluride’s community ice rink outside the festival season, it nonetheless offers a first-class experience for filmgoers. “Watching movies at Werner Herzog is a wonderful sensory experience — great picture, great sound!” said film critic and historian Leonard Maltin.

Slated for a complete Meyer Sound upgrade in the coming years are the Nugget Theatre, a smaller year-round venue housed in the historic First National Bank building, and the Michael D. Palm Theatre, a 587-seat performing arts venue located on the campus of Telluride High School. The Palm Theatre already is equipped with a compact Meyer Sound line array system which is used regularly for the venue’s range of live music performances and community events.

The Telluride Film Festival was established in 1974 and is held annually over the Labor Day holiday. In a departure from typical film festival procedures, neither the films nor the special guests are announced prior to the festival weekend. Films featured in either the Galaxy or Herzog this year, with celebrities on hand for the screenings noted, included “The Old Man and the Gun” (Sissy Spacek, Robert Redford and Casey Affleck with director David Lowery); “White Boy Rick” (Matthew McConaughey with director Yann Demange); “Destroyer” (Nicole Kidman with director Karyn Kusama); “Front Runner” (Hugh Jackman with writer/director Jason Reitman); “The Favourite” (Emma Stone with director Yorgos Lanthimos); and “Meeting Gorbachov” (theatre namesake director Werner Herzog).

The American Repertory Theater at Harvard University (A.R.T.) and sound designer Jonathan Deans selected the Shure Axient Digital wireless microphone system and ADX series transmitters to provide clear and precise audio support for the world premiere of the rock musical, “Jagged Little Pill.” The high-energy musical is inspired by Alanis Morissette’s Grammy-winning 1995 album of the same name. The stage adaptation incorporates songs from Morrissette’s catalog, plus new material into an original and timely story. The production’s audio team sought Shure’s sound performance to ensure the audience would experience every lyric in a new element.

Tasked with creating an audio experience that matched the quality of the Grammy-winning Album of the Year, the Axient Digital wireless system, Shure PSM 1000 Personal Monitor System, and Wireless Workbench 6 software worked to match the physicality required of the actors without sacrificing critical audio standards of quality, clarity, and tonality.

“From an audio standpoint, I wanted this production to be as clean and as pure as possible to replicate the sound of the album,” said Deans, sound designer for “Jagged Little Pill.” “Shure Axient Digital is so clear that it feels like the microphones are wired, and the ADX micro transmitters were distinctively designed with performers top-of-mind, evidenced by the incognito bodypack that can comfortably perform night-after-night in an intensive production. The system allowed me and my team to essentially not think about the audio when the curtain went up, which is a tremendous benefit. We had full trust in its consistent performance and flexibility during this complex show.”

Along with Axient Digital, the production team relied heavily on the ADX1M micro bodypack transmitter that features an internal antenna for enhanced concealment and comfortable wear. Wireless Workbench 6 also delivered added management and networking for the Axient Digital wireless devices to help control gain structure and frequency. Additionally, the company band also used more than one dozen Shure PSM 1000 in-ear monitors for audio monitoring.

With the American Repertory Theater located in the heart of Cambridge, engineers also required a solution with an adequate wireless channel count that would accommodate a densely-populated area while still producing audio quality.

“We’re running about 40 channels with 50 band inputs that make up the ins and outs of the production,” said Mike Tracey, production mixer on “Jagged Little Pill.” “To have the channel flexibility and range across this shrinking RF spectrum is critical to the quality of our play. We have over 20 performers at a time, including actors and musicians, wearing wireless microphones, and Axient Digital paired with the Wireless Workbench software goes above and beyond our demands.”

The show explores a number of dramatic topics, depicted through taxing physical performances that require specialized equipment for the performers.

“The internal transmitter antennas are a critical feature for a show like this, where the actors are performing intricate choreography and frequently changing costumes,” said Alison Schaefer, production audio technician at A.R.T. “It’s one less external point of failure we have to deal with, and we’ve had actors get so comfortable wearing the micro bodypack transmitter that at times they’ve forgotten that they’re still wearing it,” she said.

The success of Axient Digital has inspired the A.R.T. to obtain additional channels for future shows.

“We were incredibly pleased by the performance of Axient Digital that we plan to purchase 24 channels with 11 AD2 Handheld Wireless Microphone Transmitters and 22 ADX1M Micro Bodypack Transmitters,” said Sam Lerner, head of sound at A.R.T. “The micro bodypack was the bread and butter of ‘Jagged Little Pill.’ All the performers wore one, and night after night it performed flawlessly.”

“Jagged Little Pill” debuted at the American Repertory Theater on May 5, 2018, and completed its run at the theater on July 15. The musical sold out 79 performances at the A.R.T.

Located on St-Denis Street in the heart of Montreal's famous Latin Quarter, the St-Denis Theatre is one of the most modern and prestigious cultural arts venues in the city. A major downtown Montreal landmark, the theatre boasts two halls with a seating capacity of 933 and 2,219, respectively. Equipped with all the latest sound and lighting technologies needed to keep up with today's sophisticated and demanding audiences, the 2,219-seat St-Denis Theatre recently had the opportunity to use a Yamaha RIVAGE PM7 Digital Audio Console for a production of the Broadway-inspired musical, Fame. Solotech of Montreal provided the console.

The Yamaha PM7 was used by front of house engineer, Maxime Lambert, who was hired by Juste pour rire as the engineer for the production of Fame.

“Solotech strongly suggested that we take a look at the PM7 as it fulfilled most of our requirements,” said Lambert. “After a moment of reflection, the show’s sound designer Colin Gagné and I decided that it could be the right fit for us. We used many Yamaha mixers before, mostly CL5, QL5, and M7CL. Solotech provided us a day in their warehouse for training by Yamaha systems application specialist Kevin Kimmel.”

Lambert cites several features that were an important aspect of the console mix for Fame: the new sub-scene management and the multi-user interface. “Having the possibility for two operators on one control surface at the same time is really useful when you have 100+ inputs to manage,” said Lambert. “Another great feature of the PM7 is to have the option of choosing the send point of each channel to any mix. It made mixing monitors from front of house a lot easier. We had the Rupert Neve Designs EQ810 and MBC4 multi-band compressor on all of our mix busses and mostly used the Yamaha SPX reverb for effects. The Rupert Neve Designs 5045 also came in handy when needed.”

24 Sennheiser MKE1 with SK 5212 were used for the actors with a total of 40 wireless inputs and more than 50 wired microphones for the band. Serge Rodrigue was hired by Juste pour rire as the wireless technician for Fame and has previously worked on many of Juste pour rire musical productions.

“When I say that the Yamaha RIVAGE platform is a powerful tool for musical productions, I mean that it has almost everything that’s needed to achieve the highest level of control over audio reproduction in a live environment in a fast and efficient way,” said Lambert. “It is easy to use, straight forward, fast, and sounds great. During the creation of a musical production, you need to be able to react quickly to the demands of the director, the actors, and the band. We never had to stop during the rehearsal period because of anything to do with the sound and that’s mostly due to the reliability of the PM7. I never had a doubt that the PM7 would deliver.”

As the technology centerpiece of a total renovation project, a Meyer Sound Constellation acoustic system has been installed in the 561-seat Alexander Theatre at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia. Originally designed and built for spoken word dramatic presentation, the Alexander Theatre is now capable of hosting the full spectrum of acoustic music performances and, in conjunction with the complementary LEOPARD line array direct reinforcement system, all genres of amplified performances as well. The Constellation system is the first in a dedicated performing arts venue in Australia.

The impetus to renovate and repurpose the 50-year-old auditorium originated with Professor Paul Grabowsky who, in addition to serving as executive director of the University’s Academy of Performing Arts, is renowned throughout Australia and beyond as a jazz pianist and composer for opera, film, and television.

Recognizing that the theatre’s physical acoustics were poorly suited to musical performance, university administrators engaged the international consulting firm Arup to evaluate possible solutions.

“We were given two options,” said Grabowsky. “One was to create an acoustical environment suitable for music through physical means by use of materials and slightly reconfiguring the space. But no matter what was done it could never be great acoustically because of the existing constraints of the building structure.”

The other solution presented was an active acoustic system. “Initially I was very skeptical,” said Grabowsky. “When you talk about intervening in a space with electro-acoustic devices, your mind immediately goes to, ‘Well, why would you want to do that? It’s not genuine.’ But the potential was intriguing so I decided to give it a listen.”

Grabowsky organized a delegation to audition several different active acoustic systems in Europe, the U.S., and Japan, at times bringing along a string quartet to perform the same pieces in evaluating each system.

The seminal moment came with a visit to SoundBox, the San Francisco Symphony’s conceptually innovative and widely acclaimed alternative venue. “Other than for us, the room was empty,” Grabowsky said. “The quartet set up and played at one end of the room, which is quite a large space. I was amazed that it didn’t matter where I was in the room, or which direction I was facing. The clarity of the music remained true, but more importantly the quality of the music did not suggest any kind of electronic intervention. It simply sounded clear, crisp, and warm, as if you were in a very good concert hall.”

Grabowsky’s preference for a Constellation solution was cemented by a later visit to SoundBox, this time for a full concert program. “Again I moved throughout the room, and that experience convinced me that, in terms of what the system was doing, it allowed for more flexibility and more musical detail than the others we had heard,” he said.

As installed at the Alexander Theatre, the Constellation system comprises three elements: sensing of the ambient acoustics, high-resolution digital processing using the patented VRAS acoustical algorithm, and distribution of early reflections and reverberant signals using more than 150 loudspeakers. For ambient sensing, 16 compact cardioid microphones are placed on stage, 16 miniature cardioid microphones are placed in the auditorium, and eight boundary-mounted omnidirectional microphones are placed in the orchestra pit. The processing is accomplished by a D-Mitri digital audio platform with 18 modules for input and output, core processing, and creation of the acoustic presets. The loudspeaker complement includes 133 full-range Meyer Sound systems (MM-4XP, UPM-1XP, UP-4XP, and UPJunior-XP) along with 19 compact subwoofers (UMS-1XPSM and MM-10XP).

Because all Constellation loudspeakers are self-powered and receive dedicated, discrete input signals from D-Mitri, the hardware component also provides a dynamic, immersive sound environment with Meyer Sound’s SpaceMap 3D panning software. Using SpaceMap with the Constellation infrastructure allows dynamic movement of multiple sounds in three dimensions throughout the auditorium.

“The possibility of using the spatiality of the system enables one to add a new dimension to a musical composition that has been talked about for perhaps a half a century,” said Grabowsky, “but has never been realized to this extent. I remember when I talked with John Meyer he referred to Constellation as an instrument, not just equipment, and that’s a profound indicator of this system’s potential. It allows a degree of spatial flexibility beyond any other system I have experienced.”

In the first months since reopening, the Alexander Theatre has used Constellation to optimize acoustics for a wide spectrum of events, including acoustical musical ensembles, musical theatre, and amplified concerts as well as conferences and lectures. Two notable events were a recital by celebrated classical pianist Stephen Hough and a recording session by jazz great Branford Marsalis.

To support amplified concerts, the theatre offers a direct reinforcement system anchored by 12 LEOPARD compact line array loudspeakers along with six 900-LFC low frequency control elements for deep bass support and eight MM-4XP miniature loudspeakers for front fill.

The renovated Alexander Theatre is the largest of three venues in Monash University’s Ian Potter Centre for Performing Arts. The new arts complex was designed by Peter Elliott Architecture and Urban Design in collaboration with Irwinconsult Engineers and Marshall Day Acoustics, with the latter firm’s Peter Exton responsible for physical acoustics in the Alexander Theatre. Exton worked closely with the team at Marshall Day Entertech, the firm’s theatrical consulting division, to ensure seamless integration into the wider scope of the project. The centre will soon offer two more venues: a 190-seat jazz club and 130-seat sound gallery, both scheduled to open in 2019. Also equipped with a Constellation system, the sound gallery will provide a free-form environment for innovations in musical composition and performance.

A public research institution founded in 1958, Monash University has a total enrollment of over 70,000 students at multiple campuses both in the Melbourne area and at overseas locations.

For more than a decade, Diablo Sound has provided stirring sound design for many of Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles’ (SCLA) productions.

Back in 2006, Diablo Sound was newly formed by its President and Principal Designer Drew Dalzell, when they designed the sound for SCLA’s production of "Two Gentlemen of Verona" at the outdoor L.A. Cathedral Plaza.

This year, Diablo Sound designed the sound for SCLA’s highly publicized outdoor production of "Henry IV" in an entirely built from the ground up venue on the West Los Angeles VA Campus. Under the artistic direction of Ben Donenberg – SCLA’s founder and executive artistic director – "Henry IV" was staged by Tony Award-winning director Daniel Sullivan with a world-class cast that included Tom Hanks as Falstaff, Hamish Linklater as Hal (Prince Henry), and Joe Morton in the title role. Tom Ware was the executive producer.

“In the beginning, it was a very big deal. Shakespeare Center Los Angeles was one of our very first clients,” Dalzell said. “We provided them with sound equipment to reinforce vocals, and at that time, it was all the equipment we had. Now, it’s just a tiny part of our offering.”

These days, Diablo Sound provides sound design, show control, audio content, and project management for theatre, theme parks, cruise ships, and corporate clients such as Universal, Disney, Marvel, and Nickelodeon.

“We also provide sound equipment rentals in the Los Angeles area and have a small recording studio on site,” said Dalzell. “We always work closely with our clients and give careful attention to every project, from small rentals to full corporate designs. But we have a special place in our heart for SCLA.”

Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles – which celebrated their 30th anniversary in 2016 – enriches and nurtures personal growth, professional development, and social change through engaging and accessible arts experiences inspired by Shakespeare’s plays and poetry, with a special focus on empowering underserved youth and veterans. In recent years, SCLA has been a national leader and innovator in the field of arts and human services. Partnerships have included the National Endowment for the Arts, U.S. Department of Justice, Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health, U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, Arts and Healthcare, Volt Workforce Solutions in Anaheim, and the Linked Learning office of the Los Angeles Unified School District.

“Drew’s work has been invaluable to our ability to present our shows in site specific and outdoor venues,” said Ben Donenberg, SCLA’s artistic director. “There is nothing more important in Shakespeare than to be able to hear the language, and there is nothing more challenging than supporting sound outdoors. I know those things will be successful with Drew’s expertise.”

• Both companies have grown in the intervening years, as has their professional relationship. Since 2006, Diablo Sound has designed the sound and provided the sound equipment for numerous productions produced by SCLA in multiple spaces, including A
• "Midsummer Night’s Dream" and the aforementioned "Two Gentleman of Verona" at the L.A. Cathedral Plaza, a second production of "Midsummer" as well as "Romeo & Juliet" at the Japanese Garden on the West Los Angeles VA Campus, and a Macbeth-themed Haunted House in SCLA’s downtown headquarters.

This year, Diablo Sound went back to the VA Japanese Garden to design the sound for SCLA’s critically acclaimed production of "Henry IV". Diablo Sound provided the complete PA system needed to support the sound design for "Henry IV".

“Our mixing console was an Allen & Heath SQ6,” Dalzell said. “It was our first time using the new console on a theatrical production, and it worked beautifully. We took advantage of the digital mixer’s impressive Automatic Mic Mixing to manage mic levels on the fly.” Diablo Sound also incorporated QSC K Series speakers, Shure ULX-D wireless microphones, and wireless Clear-Com with 8 channels for crew communication.

“Supporting the Shakespeare Center is truly a labor of love for us,” said Dalzell. “I value the collaborative relationship we’ve created, and I look forward to many diverse, thought-provoking productions to come.”

Bag & Baggage Productions (B&B) could write the book on flexibility. After all, the Hillsboro, OR-based theater company started touring the town in 2005 with nothing more than a van, mobile sets, and a handful of actors. By 2008, they had grown to become a popular fixture of the community and leased the historical converted Venetian Theater in the heart of the city’s Main Street. However, B&B required a new home when it was slated to be sold in 2016.

Nimble as ever, the company set its sights on its own permanent residence and found a 5,000-square-foot bank building just two blocks away. B&B aptly named the new home The Vault, as a nod to the building’s history as well as a signifier of the company’s permanence in the city and within the theater scene.

Unlike the Venetian—which was a large, 386-seat proscenium theater that was originally a movie theater—The Vault was built out as a small, black-box-style theater. This style is known for being simple. There’s no stage, just a flat floor and unadorned walls. Guests are situated around the four walls with the actors taking “the stage” in the middle of the floor. This change in setup was just one of the ways the company was reinventing itself.

“We had been at the Venetian for eight years, so we had gotten used to doing things a certain way,” said Jim Ricks-White, technical director for Bag & Baggage. “The Vault was a refreshing departure from that. When we started this process of looking for a new space, we started recalling our early years of operating out of a van. Everything had to be flexible. We wanted this space to reflect that humble beginning and not only function as theater but as a multipurpose event space that we could rent out to the community. To be that flexible, we had to be really selective of what technology we used and optimize the space for it.”

Technology has been the driving force for achieving that vision. Due to the size of the space, larger physical sets weren’t possible and something the company wanted to move away from anyway. Therefore, B&B decided to rely heavily on lighting and projection technology to set the scene, which, from a technology viewpoint, would make what was happening behind the scenes in the control booth just as important as what was happening on stage.

With that in mind, the executive team at B&B and Opsis Architecture created a facility that could host any kind of event, from corporate meetings to wedding receptions and film festivals, and specified technology that would allow them to carry that off. That included a BenQ 4K BlueCore laser projector, eight Mitsubishi projectors, a full JBL surround sound system with Lutron control, a Da-Lite projection screen, and a Crestron controlled digital lighting rig in the theater and in the control booth all manner of behind the scenes support such as a video camera and monitor to visualize the theater from the booth, an audio mixer, a wireless video distribution system, a patch bay panel, and a control system.

Because space was at a premium, B&B needed a rack that can handle many inputs while at the same time being incredibly accessible. Opsis Architecture selected Middle Atlantic Products SR Series Wall Mount Pivoting rack. Designed to address the need for space-saving solutions to house system distribution points, the SR Series’ innovative design allows the rack to be mounted on a wall and pivot open 90 degrees on a floor base to provide quick access to rear equipment connections without having to leaving room behind it. The rack also incorporates Middle Atlantic's built-in cable management and tool-free QuickMount system to integrate technology to best-practice standards.

“Having the ability to control and plug and play all of the technology to the show or event specifications has afforded us an incredible amount of freedom,” Ricks-White said. “Though we’re operating from a smaller space now compared to the Venetian, everything is right there in the rack—our camera input and monitor, all our HDMI connections, and our entire sound system. Access to the back of the rack has been incredibly useful in getting to our HDMI ports, which are in the back of the rack. For the first couple of shows, I was in the back of rack two or three times a show. Being able to swing open the rack and quickly plug into my next inputs was critical. It’s fast and simple.”

From a stage and technology management point of view, the consolidation of all that tech in one space has been a benefit for the crew, giving them something they didn’t have at the Venetian: better access and control of the technology. Previously, the sound booth and the lighting booth were in separate locations in the balcony. This required two operators for every show because if something went wrong in one place during a show, the other person couldn't get up and go fix it. Now everything is right where it’s needed.

“For example, if I suddenly lose signal on something at the mixer, I literally take three steps, look at the rack, and see if I'm getting signal at the switcher,” Ricks-White said. “There’s no digging around. It gives me three points that I can look at before I have to come down to the floor and figure out what's going on. It makes troubleshooting so much faster. It’s also key to our future as an organization. With everything we do, we keep asking ourselves how we, as a theater company, can move into the 22nd century. We will by staying flexible through technology and investing it in.”

To that end, The Vault was recently awarded a $50,000 technology grant to fund the purchase of the 4K projector. With the projector, the company has created a state-of-the-art digital projection laboratory that allows area artists, students, animators, innovators, and digital content producers to experiment with 4K technology. The projector also allows them to screen film festivals with 4K HD movies in the space as well as serve any presentation requirements for banquet, corporate, and event clients.

“We’re already doing 4K projection mapping for scenes, and we’re going to keep pushing the technology envelope and evolving,” Ricks-White said. “Our system will change down the road to naturally keep pace with what’s available. With a rack like this, we’re ready for that. It’s the brains of our operation.”