Alaska Center for the Performing Arts, located in Anchorage, opened its doors to the public in 1988. Until Labor Day of 2007, it had the same stage lighting controls that were installed 20 years prior. With FDA’s help, that has changed.

FDA was hired to upgrade the Alaska Center’s obsolete stage lighting controls with a state-of-the art control system to handle today’s sophisticated Broadway touring shows and local productions. A key goal was to keep programming time during costly rehearsals to a minimum. To accomplish this goal FDA specified three new high-end lighting control consoles, designed to handle the most complex lighting rigs with a user-friendly operating system.

The system includes a fiber-optic backbone between major components, along with an extensive Ethernet network throughout each theatre. This network allows any DMX device to be easily added to the system and be controlled from the lighting control console; it also gives leased events the flexibility to bring their own lighting control consoles and DMX devices. A wireless hand-held remote unit allows the stage lighting crew to work throughout the facility.