Reading, UK – Multi-award-winning arts and performance venue, Reading Rep Theatre, has benefited from an energy and space efficient, high impact lighting solution by choosing to invest in a plethora of the latest Acclaim LED FRESNELS from Strand, a Signify (Euronext: LIGHT) entertainment lighting brand.
The fixtures were originally specified by theater consultancy, Drama by Design, the company responsible for the entire £1m conversion from Salvation Army Hall to 170 seat, technically adaptable, multi-purpose venue.
The fixtures have been well received by both the technical department and incoming designers. Head of production for Reading Rep Theatre, Jordan Harris, says: “The project went well, and the theater is now a creatively welcoming space to work and visit. We love the Strand Acclaims, the dimming curve is great, and the light quality is excellent. In addition, the fixtures are lightweight, small and easy to set up and program. With community at the heart of Reading Rep’s artistic vision, everything in our theater needs to be accessible, easy to understand and operate. It also needs to be energy efficient, work hard, provide good return on investment plus be easy to maintain and store.”
The second production in Reading Rep Theatre’s inaugural season, and the first using the all-new equipment was local born Beth Flintoff’s adaptation of family friendly classic A Christmas Carol. Lighting designer for the show, Simeon Miller, first to use the new Strand lighting equipment said: “The new Strand Acclaim LED FRESNELS at the Reading Rep made my time working on A Christmas Carol a breeze. Being able to be flexible with bright and saturated colors, as well as subtle tones and pastels allowed me to make and remake the world of the play as needed. Despite needing to rapidly move from location to location and through time, I always felt like I had another card to play while using the wide array of LED kit available to make memorable and good-looking lighting states.”
Andrew Stone, managing director of Drama by Design, describes why he specified the Strand Acclaim LED FRESNELS: “Sustainability was a key consideration throughout this project. Wherever possible we ensured the most energy efficient, robust, and versatile equipment was purchased. The Strand Acclaim LED FRESNELS were an ideal choice. Energy efficient, great optics and excellent color rendering. They also offer the saturated colors required for backlight, the pastels and softer colors for front and side light and the natural daylight colors for atmospherics. These fixtures are easy to program and rig, so will make really- useful workhorses for all productions.”
Equipment was supplied by Strand and Vari-Lite partner Henley Theatre Services, Henley on Thames: “I always value working with the team at Henley Theatre Services,” adds Stone. “They are an appreciated partner from initial concept and design discussions through to final installation, training and support.”
In addition to the Strand Acclaim LED FRESNEL, Signify brands Strand and Vari-Lite have donated a number of Vari-Lite 800 EVENTPAR and Strand PL1 PROFILE MKII fixtures. Grant Bales Smith, EMEA & APAC Regional Sales Leader, Entertainment Lighting for Signify comments: “Reading Rep Theatre’s mission is to put community at the heart of its artistic vision and to provide access to the arts for Reading’s most vulnerable communities. These are important values that resonate with the Signify entertainment brands, which is why we feel it’s important to support. What might be a relatively small donation by us will make a big impact on the technical and production values of Reading Rep’s upcoming shows and we are delighted and proud to be able to support that.”
Reading Rep Theatre has been, and remains, the beloved playground for many of the UK’s leading theater makers. It has always welcomed regular collaborations and co-productions with leading regional and London theater, and this looks set to continue, ensuring this new venue sits at the heart of the national theater landscape.
Photos courtesy Harry Elletson
About Signify
Signify (Euronext: LIGHT) is the world leader in lighting for professionals and consumers and lighting for the Internet of Things. Our Philips products, Interact connected lighting systems and data-enabled services, deliver business value and transform life in homes, buildings and public spaces. With 2021 sales of EUR 6.9 billion, we have approximately 37,000 employees and are present in over 70 countries. We unlock the extraordinary potential of light for brighter lives and a better world. We achievedcarbon neutrality in 2020, have been in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index since our IPO for five consecutive years and were named Industry Leader in 2017, 2018 and 2019. News from Signify is located at the Newsroom, Twitter, LinkedIn andInstagram. Information for investors can be found on the Investor Relations page.
About Vari-Lite, Strand, and Zero 88
For over a hundred years, we’ve been blending innovative engineering and a love of performance to create the high-quality solutions that drive some of the world’s most extraordinary experiences. With advanced optics, innovative control, and complete end-to-end entertainment lighting system solutions for installation and rental, Vari-Lite, Strand, and Zero 88 enhance the passion and performance of artists around the globe, whether that’s a school play or a world tour. Vari-Lite, Strand, and Zero 88 are part of the Signify portfolio of brands.
About Reading Rep Theatre
Reading Rep began when Artistic Director Paul Stacey took a £500 overdraft and invested it into a vision he had always believed in: to revitalise Reading’s cultural landscape by making and creating the highest quality theatre, with, by and for Reading.
The company moved into the black box theatre at Reading College, producing packed out plays on a shoestring. Before long, Reading Rep grew to be a beloved home and playground for many of the UK’s leading theatre-makers, including Barney Norris, Roy Alexander Weise and Mischief Theatre. Collaborations and co-productions with leading regional and London theatres including Nuffield Southampton Theatres, Arcola Theatre and Oxford Playhouse placed Reading within the heart of the national theatre landscape.
With community at the heart of the artistic vision of the company, Reading Rep created ENGAGE in 2015, our flagship community outreach programme providing access to the arts for Reading’s most vulnerable communities. We run a year-round programme of workshops, delivered in partnership with Reading Libraries, Reading Borough Council, the Cultural Education Partnership, the NHS and numerous others, that has reached 15,000 children, young people and adults in the last 18 months alone.
With critical acclaim and sell out success, Reading Rep was ready for a new and permanent home. In 2018, just six years after our first production, we began raising funds to convert a former Salvation Army Hall into a 163-seat theatre and cultural hub.
After raising £1million throughout the Coronavirus pandemic, the company is thrilled to be opening its new venue in 2021 with a bold new artistic season of work.
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