The latest purchase includes 12 x MMX Spots, four DLX Spots and four Robin 300 LEDWashes and follows quickly on the heels of 40 x Robe LEDForce 18 PARs and eight new ColorSpot 250E ATs.
The Theatre also now has a total of 36 x LEDWash 600s, the first batch of which were purchased in 2011 from Robe's SA distributor DWR, after being specified by King who was keen to embrace the many advantages of LED stage lighting.
The State Theatre - housed in its distinctive and imposing building in the heart of the city - has five main performance spaces, the largest two being the 1300 capacity Opera Stage and the 650 capacity Drama Stage - and a fantastic reputation for excellence in multiple genres. It also likes to keep moving with the times.
Dr. Quinton W Simpson was appointed as the organisation's new CEO in 2012 and was very conducive to Simon King's proposals to move more and more towards LED lighting as the fixtures became brighter, more efficient and ever more cost effective.
The theatre is 75% a receiving house and 25% producing, staging around 30 major productions per year, several with long runs, plus a variety of other shows and performances ranging from Gospel Choirs, rock concerts, raves, dramas, dance works, opera - and virtually every other type of performance including the spoken word.
"LED makes sense in terms of reducing power consumption and on-going maintenance costs," states King, adding that it's a bit of a 'no brainer' really considering the pace and direction of LED development.
The new Robes are distributed around the theatre's different spaces - the majority on the two main stages.
(Jim Evans)
