New lights will bring new effects to Theatre Tillsonburg

Joe Sheik has been working for the past two years to secure an Ontario Trillium Foundation grant for the new lighting. He succeeded this year, with the foundation granting $125,100 for the lights. (Contributed Photo)

Jeff Helsdon, Editor

Lights, no camera, action!

A play on this old line from the movies previews one of the major changes underway at Theatre Tillsonburg. With help from an Ontario Trillium Foundation grant, the theatre will replace all its incandescent lighting with LED lighting.

“Theatre Tillsonburg gratefully acknowledges the financial support of the Ontario Trillium Foundation, an agency of the Government of Ontario, for our recent infrastructure improvements. With the generous support of a $125,100.00 Capital grant, we successfully completed purchased and installed 62 new LEDs upgrading the entire lighting facility of our theatre,” said Joe Sheik, a member of the theatre’s lighting committee.

Sheik was excited about the possibilities the new lights will bring, and for the effects the lighting crew can create during Theatre Tillsonburg productions. Saying he “doesn’t want to give away” what audiences will see this season, Sheik explained more about the new lights' capabilities. The lights can create patterns on the stage and make an entire wall a different colour, such as a sunset.

Sheik also explained that, for example, lighting an eight-by-eight-foot spot on the stage with the old lights would take four lights. If the crew wanted a second colour, it would take another four with coloured gels on the lights, and if a third colour was desired, it would take another four lights with a different gel.

“You would need 12 lights to light an acting area,” he said, adding that the new LEDs can change colours with the push of a button, so only four lights will be needed.

Changing out the old incandescent lights for 60 LED lights will also save on electricity costs, with the old tungsten lights drawing 500 watts and the new ones 23 to 30 watts.

Tungsten presently – majority are 500 watts, LEDs draw 23 to 30 watts

“We’ve crunched the numbers, and in terms of our longer-term sustainability this is a major step forward,” Sheik said.

The updates were necessary because parts are no longer available.

“Our lights as a whole are aging out,” he said. “The entire world is moving away from traditional lighting to LED.”

All the lights have now been replaced, except the follow spot. Sheik said this old light, which isn’t used a lot, may be replaced if there is money left over.

“If it’s for an intimate moment, it ruins it because it’s so loud. If it’s a musical, it works well,” he said.

Volunteers worked to assemble the lights together, and 3-E Electrical Services, the theatre’s new season sponsor, completed the installation.

For Sheik the successful grant was the culmination of his third attempt of trying. He gave credit to the theatre’s board of directors, the lighting crew, MPP Ernie Hardeman and Mayor Deb Gilvesy for their support.

The new lighting will debut in Theatre Tillsonburg’s The Numbers Game, which premieres next month.