Boston Light & Sound (BL&S) has a longstanding relationship with the project’s theatre consultant, Auerbach Pollock Friedlander. When it became time to choose an A/V integrator for the project, they recommended working with BL&S to execute the extensive A/V system wiring infrastructure they designed.

This infrastructure was installed in such a way as to not detract from the look and feel of the historic structure. This included supplying a 55" display in the lobby as well as eight 32" displays mounted throughout the backstage and dressing rooms. These displays are connected to cameras so performers and patrons waiting in the lobby area can see what’s happening on stage. In addition to the 15 plates for interconnection throughout the theatre, a back-of-house paging system, an assisted listening system, and a robust set up for streaming and recording performances were installed and tailored to meet the end user’s needs.

With the new infrastructure in place, the theatre staff can send digital audio, video, and network capabilities, as well as wireless intercom, anywhere within the facility.

The theatre owners were very pleased with the resulting system and are looking forward to the upcoming season.

A creative solution

Boston Light & Sound® (BL&S) presented a creative solution, including:

• Installing a new state-of the-art digital cinema projector while maintaining existing film projection capabilities
• Installing and tuning High-Q Loudspeaker Arrays on a motorized truss, so it can actually be moved up into the fly loft for storage when not needed
• Coordinating with the Paramount’s stage crew to move pipes to accommodate the “in air” speaker storage configuration
• Installing a new screen and remote-controlled border and masking curtains
• Working in sync with the stage crew, AV contractors, and electricians to survey the work, define the process, and ensure a smooth installation

A rich sound experience

BL&S optimized the sound specifically for movies. The new digital cinema sound processor, screen channel speakers, subwoofers, surround speakers and amplifiers deliver incredible cinema sound in this historic theatre.

A versatile theatre

With the new systems in place, the theatre can easily convert from presenting live music to movies and back again with a minimum crew requirement.

Happy theatre owners “every step of the way”

The theatre owners were very pleased with the BL&S solution.

“I don’t even know how to begin to tell you how pleased and impressed I am with the image and the sound (particularly the sound!!). I knew the digital image would be fabulous but having the ability to position it where we did with the mirror rig makes it as perfect as possible in my eccentric house…The audio is amazing, the clarity and separation is beyond any line array that’s been flown in here for premieres. THANK YOU... at every step of the way... Thank you.”

– Pasquale C. Del Villaggio, Director of Production/Technical Director,
   Austin Paramount Theatre

sophisticated audio, film and video presentation equipment under an
extremely compressed timeline for all three theatre venues. The team’s
project management capabilities and installation expertise came in handy,
helping synchronize activities to meet the tight deadline.

Coordinating multiple disciplines

To keep the project on track, BL&S prewired and tested eight racks of equipment at its staging center to ensure they would work properly once delivered on-site. BL&S then worked onsite to support and advise electricians and other trades, ensuring that all equipment was installed to exact standards.

Flexible, aesthetically pleasing audio equipment

To integrate with the restored vaudeville-era historic design of the main live performance theatre, BL&S installed a main loudspeaker cluster that is retractable when not in use and side column speakers that reside behind acoustically transparent decorative covers. For the black box performance theatre, BL&S installed overhead grid audio equipment and portable speakers, freeing the theatre director to rearrange equipment to adapt to various performance types and seating configurations.

BL&S design and integration

BL&S was also charged with designing the theatre’s screening room. The team sourced and installed specialized dual-mode motion picture film projectors that enable the projectionist to exhibit both archival 35mm and 16mm film. The DCI-compliant digital cinema video projector and alternate content components support a wide array of video formats, including computer sources, Blu-ray, DVD and multiple HD sources. A state-of-the-art cinema surround sound system delivers incredible audio performance for both motion picture film and digital presentations.

Maximum versatility

BL&S integrated equipment together via multiple touch-screen panels that give the screening room maximum versatility and ease of use. For example, BL&S installed and programmed an interactive control at the podium location so the room can be used as screening room or presentation space. Using an intuitive wireless touch-panel, presenters and other staff can easily control the main system. They can display a PowerPoint presentation or video clip, activate microphones, and adjust the sound volume as needed.

The acoustical consultants and theatre owners have been extremely pleased with the craftsmanship and dedication of the BL&S team.

Collaborating with consultants

Auerbach Pollock Friedlander provided theatre consulting and sound, video, and production communication systems design for the redevelopment of the Paramount Center. The firm designed various systems within the three venues, including sound reinforcement and playback, assistive listening for the hearing impaired, production intercom, production video and projection, and show program monitor/paging/audience recall systems.

ways to:

• Install equipment in a way that was aesthetically pleasing
• Make all of the existing and new devices communicate with one another
• Find a way to position the 900+ pound steerable loudspeaker clusters in a very tight space

Moreover, the installation needed to be completed in just three weeks.

Taking a collaborative approach to speaker installation

BL&S collaborated with Boston University, their structural engineer, and general contractor to determine the required reinforcement needed for rigging the loudspeakers in the right spot, and arranged for a winch to allow the speakers to be moved as needed for servicing. From there, they installed Eastern Acoustic Works Anya adaptive column arrays and a single QX loudspeaker to provide better steering and coverage throughout the space.

Finding a creative, cost-effective upgrade path

Joe Patten from CDA designed a way for the center to upgrade to digital. This new solution brought unprecedented flexibility to the sound system. In addition, all equipment is now connected by a Dante protocol. Dante-enabled equipment can send and receive digital audio signals across standard computer networks with a single Cat 6 cable. With the new equipment in place, there is virtually no place in the center where you can’t get Dante connection — enabling mixing control from the house, control booth, and stage.

Gaining versatility in a multi-purpose space

The result: The project was completed on time, with impressive results. The center now has a flexible network that makes it easy to access all analog inputs and outputs. The space can be configured for any type of use — from concerts to lectures to film festivals — with the push of a button.

When Jaffe, Holden and Scarborough Acoustical Consultants designed a sound amplification and music playback system for the newly renovated center, the Wang Theatre chose Boston Light & Sound® (BL&S) to install and tune the elaborate system. The theatre sound system consists of a central cluster loudspeaker system along with balcony and under-balcony delay speakers and two large subwoofer cabinets built into the stage, allowing full sound coverage without detracting from the hall’s historic beauty.

The renovation project has received numerous awards, including a citation by the Massachusetts Historical Commission.

Impressed with the team’s craftsmanship at the Wang Theatre, the theatre owners later hired the BL&S to design and install a new sound system at their smaller venue, the Shubert Theatre.

improvements that digital cinema offers.

Moving from 35mm film to digital cinema

Replacing the existing 35mm film projection system with a digital cinema projection system posed interesting challenges. The original film projector had been installed in a projection booth located high in the upper balcony, but they couldn’t simply replace it with a digital cinema projection system, since the newer DCI systems can’t be tilted down in the same manner. BL&S brought a creative solution to the problem. They custom built a periscopic first surface mirror assembly to re-position the digital cinema projection beam from the lens onto the screen. This allowed them to incorporate digital cinema without making major modifications to the booth.

Supporting alternative content

The new digital cinema projector is also backward compatible, making it easy for the theatre to support all kinds of content, including legacy video, Blu-Ray, HDCAM, etc., in addition to running digital cinema files. The BL&S team chose a 2K projector that’s upgradable to 4K, enabling the theatre to play future exhibition formats as needed. The team also installed an auxiliary input panel, making it easy for the theatre to switch back and forth between any type of content they need.

Enhancing the cinema sound system

To augment the existing sound system, BL&S upgraded the theatre to full discrete channel Dolby Digital 7.1 surround sound and installed state-of-the-art surround loudspeakers and amplifiers, while retaining the existing screen loudspeakers. This upgrade provided the theatre with better sound integrity from its existing equipment.

The theatre staff was ecstatic with the results. Thalian Hall is excited to be able to provide the very best movie viewing experience available to its patrons. They were also amazed by the dramatic difference in sound quality they achieved. The leadership of Thalian Hall is dedicated to keeping this historic theatre in the best state of operation in terms of equipment and technology. “We believe that is the best way to ensure that Thalian Hall is as viable today as when it was built in 1858,” said Executive Director, Tony Rivenbark.

Read more about Thalian Hall's extensive renovation and how installing digital cinema has kept the historic theatre competitive and current.

After a period of neglect in the 1980s, the theatre nearly fell victim to demolition to make way for a parking lot. Spurred by a groundswell of community support, the El Paso Community Foundation—with support from actress Rita Moreno—raised the funds for a major renovation. Having been returned to its original splendor, the theatre was donated to the City of El Paso in 1990.

The Plaza’s main theatre is the 2,000-seat Kendle Elizabeth Kidd Performance Hall. Also contained within the Plaza complex is a 191-seat performance venue called the Philanthropy Theatre, the Bernice Dittmer Donor Salon, the elegant Betty Moor MacGuire Hall, plus a wonderful rooftop garden and reception area called the Alcantar Sky Garden.

Philanthropy Theatre Project

While the theatre remained a popular venue for live concerts and plays, it hadn’t served as a movie house in years. In 2007, the city hired BL&S to change all that. First, the BL&S team set to work creating a state-of-the-art screening room for the beautiful Philanthropy Theatre. Prior to this project, this venue was most commonly used for community performances, recitals, and corporate meetings. The theatre’s production staff wanted to incorporate video projection and high performance, multi-channel audio playback, while still maintaining the room’s ability to accommodate live performances on the stage.

Video projection and audio system design and installation

Since the room was already 90 percent built out when BL&S came on board, retrofitting a high performance video projection and audio system was a creative challenge. It was imperative that the equipment would not detract from the aesthetics of the room. BL&S designed and installed a motorized lift system for the video projector that retracts into the ceiling. Working alongside the general contractor, BL&S made sure that the finish work on the equipment matched perfectly with the theatre’s ceiling.

Next, the team designed a motorized roll-down screen with custom masking curtains to accommodate multiple film and video formats. BL&S also provided custom fabricated portable speakers. Thus, all the theatre needs to do to present a movie is lower the screen and roll the speakers into left-center-right positions behind the screen—ensuring the proper soundstage for cinema audio playback.

The BL&S team also integrated a touch-panel automated control system for ease of use. With this novel setup, the stage crew has the flexibility to run the show from backstage or from the lighting console at the back of the house.

Main Theatre Project - Kendle Elizabeth Kidd Performance Hall

Custom projection screen

Based on the success of this project, the city engaged BL&S to develop a more ambitious projection system for its main theatre. This included designing a custom framed screen and masking system built on a line set controlled by a counter-weight system. This enables the stage crew to simply lower the entire projection screen and side masking system fully intact to prepare for “movie night.” BL&S put additional masking panels in place, giving the theatre the classic look of an old movie house. When a live performance follows a cinema showing, the crew simply raises the line set above the stage and stores it out of sight.

Audio upgrades

Enhancing the audience’s audio experience, BL&S installed a Dolby Digital audio system that patches into the theatre’s left, center, right, and subwoofer loudspeaker arrays, and set the equalization to comply with industry standards.

Multi-media presentation

To support the theatre’s need to run everything from 35mm film prints to newly released digital cinema presentations, BL&S installed two identical Kinoton Film Projectors, allowing reel changeover capability to run archival films. The team also installed a state-of-the-art digital cinema DLP Projector and D-Cinema Server, conforming to the exacting standards for resolution, clarity, and color space required by Hollywood studios for digital cinema showings. This configuration enables the theatre to run any type of video or film media with the best possible presentation. This customized system also supports computer-generated presentations, controlled via an intuitive touch-panel system that walks users through the system operation.

Today, audiences enjoy not only renovated aesthetics but also optimal presentation of movies of all kinds under a striking dome ceiling emulating the night sky in El Paso. BL&S worked carefully to implement high performance projection and audio systems while maintaining the integrity of this beautiful theatre.

First, the BL&S team installed a basic loudspeaker cluster that could stand alone during local performances and allow touring companies to tie in. They installed proscenium loudspeakers with under- and over-balcony delay speakers, as well as digital sound processing to properly tune the house.

Tuned specifically for the unique acoustical characteristics of the Shubert, the new system offers a level of sound consistency throughout the theatre. With the integrated sound system, the Shubert can appeal to larger touring shows as well as small local companies.

of the stage to fill in the first few rows below the coverage pattern of the main cluster. This provides even sound coverage throughout the theatre.

BL&S sound engineers tuned the theatre sound system, eliminating feedback and equalizing the sound inputs for the room’s unique characteristics. The team established multiple input and preset capabilities, enabling the theatre to easily integrate temporary road equipment. The system includes permanent wiring flexible enough to accommodate events ranging from a few microphones to productions using up to 24 mic lines.

In 2003, the theatre trustees set out to restore the Majestic to its original splendor in celebration of its 100th anniversary. They hired acoustical consulting firm Auerbach Pollock Friedlander to design a complete sound amplification and playback system that would direct sound to the newly reopened second balcony, fill in under-balcony sound, and enhance the production intercom and paging systems.

BL&S sound engineers worked alongside Auerbach, installing upper balcony and lip speakers as well as a mixing console that tied in to the existing cluster and fill speakers. They also enhanced the intercom system with new house control and followspot positions and added stage audio monitoring for the new dressing rooms, offices, and public spaces. Theatergoers now enjoy a richer sound experience throughout the entire venue.

In December 2004, the National Trust for Historic Preservation honored Emerson College for its restoration of the landmark theatre. The theatre’s architectural importance earned it a place in both the Massachusetts and National Registers of Historic Places.