PCC auditorium upgrades with Elation
- Details
Pensacola Christian College is celebrating its 50th year of service in the Florida panhandle. The 3,500-seat Dale Horton Auditorium, a spacious multifunctional space with large lower bowl and upper balcony, is used for theatrical performances and other special events. The venue’s existing lighting, dating back to the building’s construction in 1986, lacked dynamic capabilities and was in dire need of modernisation. All Pro Integrated Systems collaborated closely with PCC to address specific challenges within the venue and provide a modern, dynamic lighting solution.
All Pro, who previously carried out an audio upgrade at Dale Horton Auditorium, handled the complete integration and project managed the lighting upgrade from concept to completion. Justin Schwartz, design engineer at All Pro Integrated Systems, played a pivotal role in the project and says the mission was clear: replace outdated conventional fixtures with new automated LED technology, offering dynamic colours, textures, and positioning while addressing specific infrastructure challenges within the venue.
Elation rep firm Freed Sales provided a large number of fixtures onsite for demo and shootout purposes, which All Pro closely scrutinised together with the PCC team. One of the key fixtures looked at was the KL Profile FC ellipsoidal, which was subsequently chosen for its superior performance, particularly its integrated 6 to 50-degree zoom.
Another light in Elation’s KL series, the KL PAR FC, was selected to replace white light PAR fixtures above the audience in the venue’s lower bowl. Tucked into existing cavities in the ceiling to shine directly down on the lower seating area, the full-spectrum KL Par colour changers have turned the lower bowl into an immersive space that extends the onstage atmosphere out into the audience. “The whole area now feels like one space,” Justin says, noting that the college also plans to use the dynamic colour system for other purposes like at summer camp where kids are divided up based on team colour.
Dale Horton Auditorium includes several over-stage electrics, along with two downstage catwalks, all previously full of traditional lighting with no possibility for dynamic colour changes or effect looks. Now, KL Par FC, Artiste Monet LED profile moving heads and Paladin Panel moving panel wash and effects lights populate the overhead trusses with KL Profile FC working from the downstage truss. New lighting positions were added in the form of a side stage ladder system along with new lights at hard-to-access tormentor positions, both equipped with KL Profile FCs.
Populating the downstage truss, a midstage batten and the first catwalk are Fuze Wash 500 full colour LED Fresnel moving heads. According to Justin, the PCC team has been impressed with how seamlessly the Fuze Wash 500 colour matches to the KL Profile FC and the KL Par FC fixtures, giving them unprecedented control over colour and contributing to a more cohesive lighting system.
Justin acknowledges the support of Freed Sales on the project, Elation's manufacturer representative firm, for their responsiveness, extensive support, and commitment to providing a diverse range of fixtures for client demonstrations. “I cannot say enough good things about them,” he says. “They are super responsive and the fact that they had so many fixtures available for the client to demo was just key. They support All Pro like no other company.”
