The Dubbo Regional Theatre and Convention Centre (DRTCC), a major project which bought together a new 500-seat tiered theatre and the existing Dubbo War Memorial Civic Centre building, opened in April this year.
The tiered theatre boasts a full state-of-the-art computerised sound and lighting control room, a box office, acoustically designed auditorium, hydraulic orchestra pit, raised stage, dressing rooms, ‘green room’, refreshment bar and designated seating for people with disabilities.
When appointed as the venue’s Technical & Production Coordinator, Shane Lomman knew there was one piece of equipment he had to have – the Robert Juliat Topaze follow spot. In fact he ordered two!
Shane is a great fan of the Topaze follow spot and it seems that wherever he goes it goes too. Previously Shane was the Head of the Lighting Department at Mackay Entertainment Centre where he purchased two Topaze follow spots followed by another for the Mackay Convention Centre and it was the same story before that when he was at the Illawarra Performing Arts Centre.
In fact the photo above is two years old and was actually taken in Mackay but Shane pointed out the Topaze still looks the same and he’s probably still wearing the same shirt!
”In the last eight years I have purchased seven RJ Topaze follow spots,” declared Shane. “I have been hugely impressed by them since day one. I frequently check to see what else is available on the market in that range but there’s nothing that compares. Robert Juliat has always been good to me and I was more than happy to go with them again.
“The optics on the Topaze are really excellent and the balance is good. I do like the internal frost arrangement that particular model has but the most redeeming feature of the Topaze is the dowser and the way it is controlled by a rotary bar half-way down the lens tube of the lamp. It means you don’t have to actually take your hands off the follow spot to fade it up and down. All of the people that I have employed over the years have had nothing but praise for this system.”
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