Westside High School’s auditorium just installed new lights, and this is just the start of the new upgrades for the auditorium. The auditorium is used for performances, concerts, and classes so this change was highly necessary.
“We had architectural drawings down a few years ago for improvements on our theater space, including the addition of a Black Box theater, scene shop, classroom, and more. The district has been incredibly supportive, but with the construction of a new life center, private funding was limited for this particular project,” Mr. Stoll, the director of the theater department, said.
These new lights are not just about making sure our stage is light, it’s about safety too. The auditorium switched to LED lights which are much safer.
“Incandescent lighting is expensive to maintain. Lamps burn out quickly, gels lose their color, and there’s the constant danger of fire when things get too hot. LED lights are a huge upgrade,” Stoll said.
Next, WHS’ auditorium is getting an updated fly system, a system of pulleys used to pull in and out curtains, backdrops and lights. They have a plan to replace the fire curtain, the drapes, and the soft goods so everything can move and function properly.
By the time students return next year, the auditorium will look the same, but behind the scenes it will function better. The final phase of installations will include improved stage lights, catwalk lights, and house lighting, which will all be connected to the same control board to make it easy to operate. The new lighting will even include fun features like touchpad controlled color panels, allowing the lighting booth to create custom lighting for events and performances.
“The new system is not just for theater productions, it will also benefit show choir, band, and orchestra concerts, as well as any future rentals that come through. It’s something we can be really proud of and that will set us apart from many other high school theaters.” Stoll said.
With the new updates, Westside High School is ensuring that its stage remains a place for creativity, transformation, and excellence for years to come.
