One of the greatest challenges of a theatrical restoration is to install high-tech systems into a facility that was built years before the technology ever existed and to do so in a manner that the systems complement (that is, disappear into) the architecture.

Live Technologies, Inc. of Columbus, Ohio is more than familiar with the philosophy of “fitting in” new systems, having been involved with a number of high profile theatrical restoration projects, including Columbus’ historical Ohio Theatre, The Southern Theatre and the latest effort, the Midland Theatre in Newark, Ohio.

The Midland opened in 1928 as a movie theatre and Vaudeville house, and survived until 1978 when it closed. In 1992, Dave Longaberger of The Longaberger Company purchased the deteriorating Midland with a vision for a facility that could be used for both company meetings and serve Newark as a cultural center. The company undertook an 8-year, $8.5 million renovation and restoration, and entrusted the property to the non-profit Newark Midland Theatre Association.

Through combined efforts of the Longaberger and NBBJ architecture team, plus consultants from Tiffin Scenic Studios, Acoustic Dimensions, Crosslights, Live Technologies and M-Engineering, the Midland now boasts modern technical systems while remaining true to its architectural roots, re-opening in late 2002 with comedian Bill Cosby.

Live Technologies handled all the design and installation of the audio, intercom, paging, movie and video systems, which include ElectroVoice Xi-1123 speaker systems controlled by two Yamaha DME32 mixing engines.

“While the owner and the design team wanted a great sounding system, they didn’t want to see it,” explains Live Technologies’ David Mead. “However, a system for a 1,900 seat facility isn’t easy to hide, and to provide proper and uniform audio coverage, seventeen separate systems were installed for the audio of the 35mm movie system. Those include: left and right main; balcony; balcony delay; underbalcony delay 1 and 2; mix delay; Subs; front fills; and L-C-R movie. Two Yamaha DME32 digital mixing engines control all these systems. Each system has its own Crown amplifier channel and address on the audio processor.”

Systems were individually tuned and unified into three selectable programs: Performance, controlled from the FOH position; Stage Manager, controlled from stage right; and Movie System, controlled and oriented from the Movie processor.

“The Performance program is controlled via a forty-channel Yamaha M2500 analog mixing console located at the rear of the balcony,” Mead continues. “The console, associated compressors, gates and effects processors were designed to meet the requirements of national touring artists. Up to four monitor mixes can be run from this position.

The Stage Manager program is controlled from the Stage Manager rack located stage right, and that system contains CD and cassette playback, two wireless mics and two additional wired mics. The Movie program changes the orientation of all the speaker systems. The movie speakers are flown behind the movie screen. When in surround mode, the DME32 gets information from the surround sound processor that is part of the 35mm projection system.”

Speakers selection included the ElectroVoice Xi-1123 three-way cabinet, with a high frequency horn for balcony coverage (upon recommendation from John Gadenzi of the Gadenzi Company).

Mead adds, “Our team basically poured over some ‘nearly accurate’ original building prints, and it appeared as though the proscenium arch had some air space between it and the stage house wall. Cutting cavities into the arch would allow for speaker installation and coverage of the main floor from a left and right position. However, after the cavities were opened, we discovered that the original plans were not accurate; the cavities weren’t as deep as hoped, and the cabinets would need to stick out from the arch. Speaker grilles that resembled other decorative architectural components in the theatre were designed, along with custom support mechanisms. Subwoofer cabinets had to be custom built to fit the available air space. It was tight.”

The Midland’s flexible audio patch system contains patch locations for mics and monitors at stage right and left, upstage center and in the orchestra pit, plus additional patch points at center stage and the balcony rail. Next to the stage manager rack is a master patch position to be patched to the M2500 either individually or by multicable. Five wireless systems in the stage manager’s rack may be patched from this location into any house console channel.

“The stage manager has two methods of communication with actors,” Mead explains. “He or she can use either the dressing room paging system that covers dressing rooms and the backstage hall, or they can facilitate two-way communication via the intercom system. Each dressing room and all the production positions (Sound, Lighting, Spotlights, projection Booth, Fly Rail, Grid, Stage left and the Orchestra Pit) have an intercom station.”