Princeton Festival

Princeton Festival

Princeton Festival

The Princeton Festival Experience through Advanced and Versatile Audiovisual and Lighting Solutions

The Princeton Festival, a prestigious three-week arts celebration held every June, showcases a rich array of performances ranging from symphonies and operas to ballets with live music. For the third consecutive year, Starlite provided critical audiovisual and staging support for this esteemed festival. The event is set against the backdrop of historic Princeton, with notable venues including the Morven Museum and Garden and the Trinity Episcopal Church. Starlite’s primary focus was on transforming a large clear-span tent at Morven into a fully equipped theater.

Venue and Historical Context

 

The Morven Museum and Garden, the primary venue for the festival, is situated on the grounds of a former governor’s mansion built in the early 1700s by Richard Stockton. The venue’s historical charm is complemented by its stunning gardens. This backdrop provides a picturesque setting for the festival’s performances in historic Princeton.

Technical Specifications and Requirements

Starlite’s role involved addressing a variety of audiovisual and lighting needs to accommodate the diverse range of acts at the festival.

Key requirements included:

 

  1. Versatility:The audiovisual and lighting systems had to adapt to different performance types and unexpected technical challenges.Preparing for the unknown is key.
  2. Audio Quality: Delivering exceptional audio quality was a priority. Starlite’s on hand SRX 906LA line array from JBL, one among many items within the Starlite catalog, was crucial in achieving this. It offered a lightweight design to adapt to the rigging limitations of the tent. It also provided wide coverage to ensure clear sound across the venue. The use of subwoofers and front fills further enhanced the audio experience. The performance manager software enabled Starlite to fine tune the execution of each box as well as monitor the PA’s performance.
  3. Lighting and A/V Systems: The systems needed to support various performances, requiring flexible configurations and redundancy to manage pop-up technical needs efficiently. 

Beyond the stars on-stage, the off-stage star of the show was Starlite’s recently purchased SRX 906LA line array from JBL.  It checked a lot of boxes for us. We needed something especially lightweight due to the rigging limitations of a tent.  In total, we were able to provide six boxes per side.  Each box covers an impressive 120 degrees by 15 degrees ensuring that there was no bad seat in the house.”

John Andraka

Production Manager

Setup and Logistics

The festival’s setup spanned four days, with meticulous planning ensuring smooth progress. Similarly, the breakdown process was completed in approximately three days. Key logistical considerations included managing power supply, weather impacts, and equipment safety. The festival’s outdoor setting posed challenges, including potential weather-related disruptions, which were mitigated through strategies such as using IP65-rated gear and uninterruptible power supplies.

Audience Experience and Venue Layout

The main stage was set up with dimensions of 96 feet wide by 36 feet deep. This ensured that every audience member enjoyed a consistent experience and required careful attention to sound quality and acoustics. The goal was to create a natural sound experience that felt as though it was emanating directly from the performers, regardless of seat location.

Challenges and Solutions

Addressing the acoustical challenges was crucial. The Starlite team focused on providing uniform audio quality across the venue, ensuring a seamless auditory experience for all attendees. Additionally, backup plans were implemented in case of  equipment failure, including cooling systems for amplifiers and even a bullhorn for emergency announcements. Starlite prides itself on thinking ahead and ensuring events inside or out are ready for any elemental issues.

Improvements and Innovations

Over the years, Starlite has continuously improved its approach based on feedback and past experiences. Being able to work with Princeton Symphony Orchestra (PSO) for three years in a row has afforded the advantage of getting better every year. With technical and industry knowledge, Starlite is positioned to continue to grow and improve amidst an ever changing industry. 

Key enhancements on this project included:

 

  • Stage Design: Adjustments to optimize performance and audience experience.
  • Communication Systems: Enhanced systems for better coordination between stage, dressing rooms, and production trailers.
  • Playback Systems: Upgrades to media and supertitle systems for improved functionality.
  • Rigging and Lighting: Revisions to positions for better performance and visibility.

Reflections and Successes

The greatest strength identified was Starlite’s team, characterized by their dedication and care, referred to as “the Starlite difference” by some. This commitment to excellence and passion for delivering outstanding performances was central to the festival’s success. The partnership with PSO and the festival’s community support highlighted the collaborative spirit that makes the event extraordinary. 

It’s surreal sometimes when you have the opportunity to take it all in. The creativity is everywhere.  You’re surrounded by gardens.  The music is beyond words.  It’s really a special event.”

John Andraka

Production Manager

Personal Insights

Engaging with the Princeton Festival over the years has been a rewarding experience, underscoring the festival’s unique blend of creativity, history, and community spirit. The dedication of the PSO staff and the kindness and support from donors and audiences contribute significantly to the festival’s success. For Starlite, participating in such a culturally rich event is both an honor and a profound experience.

This project consistently illustrates how Starlite’s expertise in AV, lighting, and staging plays a vital role in enhancing the Princeton Festival’s artistic presentations, ensuring a memorable experience for both performers and attendees.

Wigs & Wishes

Wigs & Wishes

Wigs & Wishes

Wigs and Wishes is an annual event hosted by celebrity hair stylist Martino Cartier and the organization he launched, Friends Are by Your Side. The goal of the organization is to restore dignity to women who lost their hair to chemotherapy by providing them with beautifully-styled wigs. It is so much more than wigs, though. Friends Are by Your Side also grants wishes to children and families who are truly in need of a miracle.

 

Each year, Starlite provides all the production support for the Wigs and Wishes event to ensure that the message of this very worthy cause is heard and seen clearly. An LED video wall with satellite 80” LED displays flanking the stage provide the backdrop along with full HD IMAG and engineering with video playback. The event requires all hands-on deck to complete two stages each with its own robust lighting and audio system for the one-day load-in, show, and out. The event has featured performances by Liv Divine, Paula Abdul, and Reuben Studdard.

Hillary Clinton Political Rally

Hillary Clinton Political Rally

Hillary Clinton Political Rally

When PRG Chicago needed a local partner to pull off a pop-up political event in Philadelphia, they relied on Starlite to deliver. Former President Bill Clinton addressed a crowd of supporters for the Hillary Clinton Presidential Campaign. With notice only hours prior to load-in, Starlite was able to organize all of the critical production elements including power generation, lighting for press, staging with scenic elements, PA with distribution for press, and barricade.

Lankenau Hospital’s 150th Anniversary

Lankenau Hospital’s 150th Anniversary

Lankenau Hospital’s 150th Anniversary

Lankenau Hospital has been defining medicine for 150 years. This black-tie gala was a celebration of the extraordinary milestone of its 150th Anniversary as well as the kickoff of a $500 million transformation already underway and the rebranding of their name to the more apt Lankenau Medical Center.

The event was held at the historic Philadelphia Museum of Art, which dates to 1877, and houses over 225,000 works of art and is one of the largest museums in the United States. Staging an event of this size while the museum remained opened to the public created its own set of challenges which our team readily handled.