Quick view:
- By reusing existing truss systems and reconfiguring wiring alongside a new DMX512 network, Media Design Group and Vari-Lite modernized the 360-seat Monolithic Dome theater cost-effectively without structural overhauls.
- The installation of the Neo X5 Console, Vision.net Controls, and RigSwitch+ infrastructure simplified moving light management and system operations, creating a user-friendly environment for both high-level productions and student learning.
- A full package of Vari-Lite fixtures unlocked new production possibilities for concerts, theater, and community events with dynamic color control.
A 20-year-old performing arts center in Gainesville, TX, has been transformed with a comprehensive Vari-Lite theatrical lighting renovation, unlocking new creative possibilities for students, faculty, and the wider community at North Central Texas College.
The Performing Arts Center is a 360-seat proscenium theater housed inside a Monolithic Dome structure which posed an architectural challenge that had long made lighting the space a complex undertaking. Since opening in 2005, the facility had relied on its original dimming, controls, and lighting systems. We quickly realized that we needed an upgrade so we could unlock this building's true potential," Calvin Russell, Visual and Performing Arts facilities coordinator at North Central Texas College, explained.
Rick Robinson, principal of Media Design Group, was brought in to assess the facility's long-term needs. The new system needed to serve theater productions, music performances, lectures, community events, and student showcases, all while functioning as a working classroom. As Robinson noted, "the design had to balance creative flexibility with reliability, ease of operation, and long-term maintainability." Vari-Lite and Media Design Group worked with college stakeholders to develop the full design package, reusing the existing electrics and truss system by reconfiguring the wiring and adding a new DMX512 distribution network. The solution protected the college's investment while delivering a fully modernized result.
Infrastructure was central to the design. A RigSwitch+ 48, Custom Control Rack, and Vision.net Controls form the backbone of the system, with constant power controlled via a DMX relay system feeding both static and automated fixtures.
At the heart of the system sits the Neo X5 Console. "The Neo is a much more user-friendly software that allows an easier experience to a lighting designer," said Russell. "The Neo makes the use of moving lights so much simpler than other systems."
The fixture package balances reliable stage coverage with creative flexibility. VL600 Acclaim PLE and ZoomSpot fixtures provide front-of-house and stage coverage, while Acclaim Fresnels deliver soft, even washes across the performance space. VL600 Acclaim Cyc fixtures illuminate the cyclorama, and VL800 EventProfile and EventWash fixtures expand the rig's ability to support concerts, dance, and special events with saturated color and sharp beam control. RGBL LED technology gives the team dynamic color control at the touch of a button. The project was awarded to Associated Controls and Design (AC+D) of Dallas who completed the installation on schedule and provided full training for theater personnel.
"This new lighting system has given us the ability to incorporate things that we haven't tried before," said Russell. "I am most pleased with the improvement of creativity that has been shown with productions and concerts."
For Robinson, the project delivers on every objective. "By combining robust infrastructure, flexible controls, and adaptable fixtures, the design provides North Central Texas College with an impressive theatrical lighting system that supports all events and helps prepare students for modern performance environments."
