19th Century School Gets a 21st Century Lighting Upgrade

Starlite Productions, in coordination with design consultants Schuler Shook and electrical contractors A.C. Scott, upgraded the theatrical lighting and rigging for The Lawrenceville School located just north of Trenton, New Jersey.

The Starlite Productions installation package brought a significant upgrade to the existing dimming and control system at the Kirby Arts Center, including three new Electronic Theatre Controls (ETC) Sensor3 power control racks. With ETC's new CEM3 processors, the capabilities of the system now go well beyond that of a traditional dimmer rack. Coupled with a complement of dedicated relay circuits from an ETC SmartSwitch relay cabinet (including new 208V circuits for the school's existing Vari-Lite fixtures), the new power and control system is a perfect example of the hybrid systems that are becoming more prevalent in today's production lighting. The theatre staff still relies heavily on traditional dimming but is now also able to bring LEDs, moving lights, and other effects units into their productions.

Starlite also provided a new control backbone for the theatre space. The school had already invested in an ETC Emphasis console and a networked control distribution system several years ago. This renovation took it one step further by upgrading the network exclusively to ETC's Net3 protocol for maximum flexibility. The school is now able to completely control their data distribution with the help of fully networked Ethernet control inputs and outputs from the balcony rail to the on stage electrics.

Starlite's systems engineer Mike Hackman developed project drawings for structural engineering review and approval to ensure safety and sustainability. From there, Starlite's custom fabrication department welded new pipe assemblies, doubling the hanging space for lighting fixtures on the house-right and house-left walls. They also fabricated and installed a custom curved balcony rail that gives Lawrenceville's lighting designers a different perspective for lighting performers on stage. Starlite was also responsible for the rigging of the stage electrical upgrade, including the supply and installation of loft blocks, sag bars, and cable supports.

While it is common for schools to undertake large projects during the summer months so as not to interfere with the curriculum during the school year, the compressed timetable to complete these projects rarely allows adequate time to deal with any unforeseen circumstances. In this case, the Starlite team uncovered some potential safety hazards, including weak rope locks, a bent pipe, missing safety batten end-caps, and improperly hung batten trim chains. At the risk of adding more work to an already tight schedule, they brought their concerns to the school's attention. The school promptly approved the safety additions to the project and Starlite worked to meet the end-of-summer deadline. Lawrenceville's theatre master, James Cuthrell had this to say about his experience with Starlite: "Starlite has been an incredibly supportive, professional, and thorough team to work with. From our earliest meetings, their questions helped me to know they were working to serve our needs and enhance our theatre, not just provide technical services. As a result of their care and craftsmanship, I now include Starlite on my list of 'go to' companies for rigging, lighting, and technical issues ... I know I'll always get great service and honest answers."

The artistic vision and technical expertise of Starlite's team members has not only resulted in another satisfied customer, but just as importantly, has provided the opportunity to impact the future by exposing a new crop of students to the cutting-edge technology.

See ETC at PLASA Focus: Stamford, November 12-13.