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Hazelwood High School theaters modernized with Elation lighting and Obsidian control systems

New Elation professional lighting and Obsidian lighting consoles have helped revitalize theater spaces across the Hazelwood School District in the greater St. Louis area. Installed by Schillers Audio Visual, the upgrades at Hazelwood Central, Hazelwood East, and Hazelwood West High Schools have transformed each theater into a flexible venue for performances, educational programs, and community events.

Hazelwood Central High School received the largest installation, including forty KL Profile FC LED framing fixtures, fourteen Fuze Wash 500 full-color LED Fresnels, four KL Panel LED soft lights, and an Obsidian NX2 for lighting control. Hazelwood East and Hazelwood West feature the same fixture families and control platform in smaller quantities, creating consistency across all three venues.

Serving as senior project manager and lighting designer, Mike Buehrle led the project for Schillers. With roots stretching back more than 130 years, Schillers’ AV integration division has served the region for four decades. Having worked with Elation and ADJ products for more than thirty years, Buehrle drew on long-standing relationships and product knowledge to design a system that modernized the aging theaters while simplifying operations. “I’ve trusted Elation products for decades because I know the equipment and I know the people behind it”, he states.

Schillers had previously upgraded the audio systems in all three theaters and serves as one of the school district’s preferred integration partners, having completed numerous technology projects throughout the district offices and schools. Schillers’ mission was relatively straightforward: eliminate outdated dimmers and aging discharge fixtures - and the bulb replacements that come with that - and equip them with a future-proof LED system.

The modernization represented the first significant lighting upgrade in the Central theater since 1974. Schillers removed legacy discharge fixtures, dimmer racks and obsolete infrastructure, replacing them with direct power distribution and an LED-based system that reduces maintenance while future-proofing the venue. The new LED system gives them color-changing capability, improved output, and more flexibility without touching the rig.

Buehrle collaborated with Elation representative Kraig Knight during fixture selection, ultimately choosing the KL Profile FC. “Kraig helped us find the optimal solution, and the KL Profile FC helped solve a lot of problems”, says Buehrle. “Its zoom system means the school no longer has to deal with lenses or move fixtures every time their needs change. They can change the beam angle and focus anywhere they need from the console instead of climbing up to adjust equipment.”

At Hazelwood Central, the KL Profile FC fixtures are positioned across two front-of-house catwalks, while Fuze Wash 500 fixtures provide overhead stage coverage. KL Panels installed along the rear wall allow designers to illuminate a back curtain, adding dimension. At East and West, the KL Panels are used to light backdrops and scenic elements. Rigged eight to ten feet off the wall in all three theaters, Buehrle says that having the ability to light up the background is crucial.

Because Hazelwood Central sits adjacent to the district administrative offices, the venue serves as more than a school theater. In addition to student productions, it hosts district meetings, speaking engagements, and community events, making it one of the district’s busiest gathering spaces. “They wanted it to be the pinnacle forum, and this lighting system gives them the flexibility to handle just about anything”, says Buehrle.

The theaters also play an important role in production arts education, giving students hands-on experience programming professional-grade lighting and audio systems. Each installation was completed in approximately two weeks, with Schillers providing training on the system, including the Obsidian NX2 console and access to Obsidian’s online educational resources.

The project was completed with the support of Schillers sales manager David Wyne, who brought Buehrle in to design both the lighting and the sound for the space, and AV department manager Mike Chitwood, who helped guide the design and implementation of the lighting and audio systems.

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