This major undertaking was funded by Scarborough Borough Council, the Yorkshire Forward regional development agency and the European Regional Development Fund. The 1,924 capacity Grand Hall, at the heart of the Spa Complex, has already reopened for business with brand new production lighting, audio and video systems.
Aside from the new, installed lighting rigs, most of the new production systems have been flightcased by 5 Star Cases, with audio, video and comms tie-lines throughout the Complex allowing totally flexible use. These include plasma screens, projectors, vision, audio and lighting consoles and control, and both moving and conventional lights.
The audio system centres on an Opus Audio PA system in the Grand Hall, with left and right flown arrays of AT-1000 3-way active cabinets, Opus subwoofers and ISO6 distributed delay units loudspeakers, all driven by Opus amplifiers and stereo crossovers and controlled by BSS Soundweb London. Monitoring features 16 Opus Audio MP400 two-way 400W 12+2" wedge monitors and matching amplifiers, mixed on a 48-channel Allen & Heath GL4800.
A Midas Verona 48-channel desk at front of house is partnered with Klark Teknik Square One eight-channel dynamics processors, BSS DPR402 dual channel compressors, KT DN360 graphic EQs, an Yamaha SPX2000 and Lexicon PCM81 effects. Other new audio equipment includes playback machines, Shure, Sennheiser, Neumann and Crown mics, and Sennheiser radio and assistive listening systems. Portable systems feature the Spa Complex's existing Bose 802s, powered by MC2 T1000 amplifiers, supplemented with EAW FR129Z/Rane/MC2 systems.
Production lighting system is based around ETC control, dimming and conventionals and Martin Pro and Robe moving heads. Four main trusses carry the rig which is based around 24 ETC Source Four Parnels and 15-30° Zooms, 24 Selecon Rama Fresnels, 12 Selecon Lui cyc floods, 72 Thomas PAR 64s, a Martin Atomic 3000 strobe and two JEM hazers.Moving lights comprise six Martin MAC 700 Profiles and eight Robe Colour Wash 575 Zooms. Control is courtesy of an ETC AVAB Congo desk and a Zero 88 Fat Frog, with ETC Sensor dimming and Le Maitre Pyroflash system.
Video is well catered for, with site-wide video tie lines and portable DataVideo switchers, Panasonic, Sony and Tascam playback and editing machines, 2000 lumen Sanyo PLC-SU70LMP and 4000 lumen Christie LX40 projectors, two 6500 lumen Christie LX66 projectors, projection screens and specialist conference equipment.
The Spa Complex's other venues - the 600-capacity Spa Theatre, the Grand Hall (1,924) for concerts, the Ocean Room (900), the Promenade Lounge, Sun Court for open air concerts, and various other rooms, cafes and bar areas - will be reequipped under Phase 2 of the project this spring and summer.
General manager Mike McCarthy says: "Diversification really is the name of the game, and this investment has made the Spa a venue complex fit for the 21st century."
For a full report on the refurbishment of the Scarborough Spa theatre, see the February issue of Lighting&Sound International magazine.
(Lee Baldock)
