In Dayton, Ohio, in the heart of the downtown Arts District, the Mead Theatre is the cornerstone of the Benjamin & Marian Schuster Performing Arts Center. Opened in 2003, the 2,300-seat world-class venue hosts a wide range of performances, including the Dayton Philharmonic, Dayton Opera, Dayton Ballet, touring Broadway blockbusters, rock concerts, comedians and more. Helping to inspire the imagination and refresh the spirit of the three-balcony facility, Scenic Solutions of Ohio specified and installed FloppyFlex LED neon into the unique architectural details of the venue.
In addition to the installation in the concentric rings of the ceiling that culminate in a representation of the night sky when the Wright Brothers took their first flight, “We used 204 meters of FloppyFlex White 2100K deployed in the existing coves that accent all three balconies,” says Andrew Persson of Scenic Solutions. “We were able to utilize the existing wire infrastructure – with the addition of magnetic dimmable drivers installed remotely – which made circuiting simple and efficient. FloppyFlex was a good solution because of the level of control it allowed, its smooth and consistent output, plus it fit the profile of the incandescent rope light it replaced.
“FloppyFlex was able to conform to the curved shapes of the architecture in which it was mounted and produces a far superior light output compared to conventional rope lights. It has been performing extremely well and uniformly.”
Andrew continues, “The Mead Theatre is an important venue and we wanted to get it right. This was our first experience with FloppyFlex, and it was perfect for the job. We’ll certainly specify it again.”
Beverly Van Zant, also of Scenic Solutions adds, “I saw a performance there last week and it’s like some grand old lady has had her diamond necklaces cleaned. The house looks brand new again. The failure of the incandescent lights was so gradual that, as an audience member, I didn’t notice how much it had taken away from the beauty of the architecture until after we installed the FloppyFlex. Every audience member will now have a feeling that the event they’re attending is extra special and elegant in a way it wasn’t before.”
Schuster Center Production Director Patrick Keough commented, “The FloppyFlex has been great. It has a nice consistent colour temperature and we love that the entire system is now dimmable. The whole install makes for a really smooth and professional look. Having those concentric rings lit up again adds so much to the wow-factor of the Mead house. And I can’t wait to see how much money we’re saving on our energy bills!”
Lighting for the Mead Theater was designed and installed by Scenic Solutions. Dedicated to quality and craftmanship, Scenic Solutions is a full-service production company, turning visions into breathtaking reality by means of lighting, design, fabrication, installation, rigging, specialty equipment, and more!
