Corbett Hall typically hosts the school's major musicals, such as last fall's Wizard of Oz, as well as performances by students in the vocal department, orchestra and band. SCPA also offers a career technical programme that trains students for jobs in the field or prepares them to go on to an arts college. Lighting design instructor Jeffrey New supervises the students who operate lighting fixtures and lighting consoles for SCPA performances.
"When I first saw Topaze I thought it would be a fantastic light to have," he states. "I had been talking to Bill Conner of BCA Associates in Chicago about acquiring lights with specific size, voltage and ease of use requirements because of the student operators, and Bill recommended Topaze."
Although two Topaze fixtures were originally destined for Corbett Hall and two for the school's 400-seat concert recital hall, all four have been earmarked for productions in Corbett Hall.
"They are really user-friendly, and the compact size is great," says New. "They're very manageable for students. Even students 13 years of age, male and female, find them lightweight and easy to handle."
(Jim Evans)
