CLIENT: Shelbyville County Players
VENUE: Wortman Family Civic Theatre, Shelbyville, IN
YEAR: 2025
Transforming a Former Bowling Alley into a Community Theater
Shelby County Players (SCP), located in Shelbyville, Indiana, has produced plays since 1988. Serving Shelby and surrounding counties, they pull their actors, directors, and technical crew from within their community. They produce several plays each season that include dramas, comedies, musicals and children’s plays. Every summer, they run a theatre camp for local children. Their auditions are always open to the public, and volunteers are accepted with no prior theatre experience required.
In 2019, SCP purchased a former bowling alley with the idea of transforming it into a modern theatre facility. It was decided to locate the stage at the center-back half of the building. The bowling alley walls did not have the vertical height needed for a fly loft. Construction workers were able to erect secure structural columns to support the stage and fly loft. The increased height of the stage house provided space for scenery to hang above the stage.
The new interior of the former bowling alley is organized around the repurposed building’s footprint. It includes the proscenium stage seating up to 175 guests, a backstage, areas for construction and storage, dressing rooms, a makeup area, offices and a lobby with a smaller stage for more intimate events.
Theatrical Rigging and Stage Equipment Installation
Scenic Solutions was hired to provide and install:
- The rigging system.
- Front-of-house lighting positions.
- Drapes and curtains.
Scenic Solutions is an authorized ETC dealer, and our technicians are ETC certified for the installation and commissioning of ETC hoists.
Installing ETC Prodigy Hoists for Stage Rigging
We installed 18 hoists over the stage, and 1 hoist for the front-of-house luminaires. ETC’s Prodigy hoists are excellent for enhancing rigging capabilities in repurposed buildings, particularly when there are access or space issues. Exactly what the Shelby County Players needed for their retrofitted, state-of-the-art venue. Our riggers are trained and certified by ETC, so after the installation, we did the necessary commissioning of the hoists to prove they are technically accurate and configured to safely function as designed.
ETC Foundation Stage Automation Controls
To control the hoists, we recommended ETC’s Foundation Controller. It’s a powerful stage automation controller designed to be an intuitive tool for programming, building show files, and moving stage effects on complex rigging systems. It logs the use of the rigging system and the behaviors of each hoist, while providing full diagnostics. If a fault occurs, the motors communicate the type and location of the fault via the large-format LCD screen. With intuitive controls, and enhanced safety features, Foundation brings peace of mind with full-feature controls.
Front-of-House Lighting Positions and Theatrical Drapery
Scenic Solutions was hired to provide and install:
- Front-of-house lighting positions.
- Drapes and curtains.
Theatrical Rigging Installation for Your Performance VenuE
From ETC hoist installation and stage automation controls to theatrical drapery and front-of-house lighting positions, Scenic Solutions provides rigging and stage equipment solutions for new and renovated performance venues. Contact Scenic Solutions to discuss the rigging systems and technical infrastructure needed for your theater or performing arts facility.