The Meade Theatre is a proscenium theater modeled in the style of a European opera house. Seating is arranged in the orchestra main floor, along with three tiers of loge and balcony seats. The theater expects to run a wide range of programming, from the Philharmonic and Opera shows to nationally touring Broadway productions to community-based performing arts groups.
Jaffe Holden Acoustics (JHA) of Norwalk, Connecticut served as the acoustic design consultants on the project, with Mark Holden, Russ Cooper and Robin Glosemeyer developing the acoustic environment of the theatre. Tom Young, senior consultant, and David W. Robb, director of electro-acoustic design, comprised the electro-acoustics team, which developed the performance audio systems for the venue.
Young, who joined the project in June 2002, drew on JHA's solid history of working with world-class performing arts centres around the country. His work on the Meade Theatre included reworking and some additions to the final loudspeaker design and processing functions. "There were several objectives that we had to address, including designing a versatile and functional system for such a wide variety of programs. We also had to resolve the architect's concerns about the visibility of the sound system without compromising the sound system design," said Young.
In order to achieve those objectives, JHA specified that parts of the loudspeaker system act as portable devices. Young and the JHA team worked with sound and video contractor Nor-Com to complete the installation. Nor-Com's Jerry Price and Gary Snyder were the primary contacts between JHA and the installation team and "their attention to detail and real concern for the success of the project added considerably to the impressive outcome," said Young.
"The loudspeaker system is designed so that the left, centre and right clusters provide complete coverage other than to those seats shadowed by architectural overhangs. These clusters can be quickly moved to stored positions above the proscenium header for non-amplified events or offstage for shows where the visitors bring in and fly their own primary speakers," explained Young. "Meanwhile, the under-balcony speakers are affixed to lighting pipes and may be mounted or demounted as needed."
With considerable rigging design coordination from Michael Nishball of Theatre Projects Consultants, ATM Flyware helped JHA to scale the rigging frames and cable baskets to reduce the clusters' overall visual impact. Six JF80s provide front-fill, while 15 JF80s cover the under-balcony areas. Six SM200s, six JF200s and 12 JF80s serve as stage monitors and effects speakers.
The supplemental system consists of 24 UB12Se loudspeakers for the box seats, three MK2294 for over balcony coverage and four SB series subwoofers. A visiting performer has the option to combine the supplemental speaker system with their production loudspeakers. The center cluster and supplemental fill speakers may also be combined to provide speech reinforcement, which is often needed during orchestral pops productions and lectures.
"The economy of EAW speakers allowed us to stay within budget and still achieve a very good sounding, flexible sound system. EAW continues to provide us with the largest palette of quality speakers with which to assemble project-specific speaker systems," said Young. "Another very important consideration is rider acceptability. EAW is one of only a few brands that will be welcomed by virtually all visiting tech crews."
(Lee Baldock)
