Poland - Theatre Muzyczny (Musical Theatre) in the seaside city of Gdynia on Poland’s north coast is the largest musical theatre in Poland, with three stages able to accommodate over 1,580 people.
Also known for its world-class performances and high production values, the venue has recently invested in 43 Robe Forte moving lights, which are rigged in its 1,070-capacity main stage venue. These were supplied by Robe’s Polish distributor, Prolight, who won a competitive tender to supply the new tech.
Bartosz Wolak has worked at the Theatre for the last 11 years as chief LX and head of lighting, a multiplexing role that also encompasses designing and operating the lights for their own productions. He and his lighting team of eight were instrumental in choosing Robe for this major technical upgrade that ensures Theatre Muzyczny will continue presenting the very best-looking shows, including frequent licensed productions coming hot from London’s West End.
The Fortes replace the previous moving lights that were installed in another major modernisation in 2013, which included the addition of the new Nova Theatre space plus some structural changes to the main auditorium.
The previous fixtures were becoming costly and time-consuming to maintain, and “apart from that, we needed more up-to-date technology and more flexible lighting to keep pace with increasingly demanding productions,” Wolak explained.
Some of their shows are ‘full-length theatrical dramas with music’ and can last up to three and a half hours, while others are a more traditional musical format which go in and out or run in repertoire with two-day changeovers in between, a programme also benefitting from more adaptable lighting.
Wolak and his team wanted Fortes for several reasons, including “the power, the beautiful colours and the stunning effects,” and with 43 in the rig, they can be used for both beams and spotlights, so with all that power and versatility on hand, they physically need less fixtures to light a show well.
“This is a really magical transformation,” notes Wolak. Critically, it allows them to light a wider range of shows – from complex musicals to typical dramas – with ease.
The stage is 16m wide and 20m deep – also the largest musical stage in Poland – complete with high side wings and a double revolve. It is both a producing and a receiving house and their own shows are specifically tailored and designed to fit their space.
For Calendar Girls The Musical by Gary Barlow and Tim Firth, the show was scaled up from its Leeds Grand Theatre premiere in the UK and subsequent London Phoenix Theatre run. There is some history of Robe fixtures in the house – eight ColorSpot 700E ATs were acquired for Shrek The Musical in 2012 – which have been well looked after and are still in use on the small stage.
This lighting upgrade and the Forte investment is also part of the ongoing switch to LED lighting.
