Lagotronics provides "wireless" LEDs for stage show

Lagotronics was hired to integrate decorative lighting and special effects into the set pieces of the musical “Beauty and the Beast” at various theatres in the Netherlands and Germany.

The well known and experienced American lighting designer Mike Baldassari was determined that all the lighting and special effects that were to be integrated into the set pieces had to operate completely wireless during the performance.

The only possibility to provide all effects with power was by using battery packs and a wireless DMX connection.

For obvious reasons, LEDs were used as light sources in this situation. LEDs are known for their small power usage and are well suited for colourful light effects.

Due to the high demands on the lighting system, some regular products had to be modified. All effects are controlled via “Wireless DMX”, a way of communicating wirelessly between the DMX console of the lighting director and the LED control devices and dimmers.

The enormous complexity of the entire set design and the technical difficulty were a real challenge for Lagotronics. Because of the existing experience with previous projects and technical know-how, Lagotronics was able to fulfil all expectations and deliver a masterpiece.

The light designer, Mike Baldassari, was very content with the results and was positively excited about the speed with which Lagotronics was able to integrate so many different components into a single, perfectly working system. He was especially surprised by the brightness of the PISA 42 DMX, which were implemented in modified form.

The set designer was David Gallo, project leader for Joop van den Ende Theaterproducties was Henk van Gilpen, and the project leaders for Lagotronics BV were Sander Görtjes and Rob van Herten.

Lagotronics' work on the project, which took 4000 man-hours, involved:
- assembly of LED lighting in hanging and mobile, drivable set pieces and power supply by means of batteries
- assembly of power converters (DC/AC), dimmers and a wireless DMX control
- assembly of lighting and special effects
- assembly of electromechanical effects (DMX controlled, fold-out roses for example)
- modification of dimmers (modulation of sinus curves) to modified DC
- modification of the LagoLED® PISA 42 DMX (reduction of the number of cooling elements)

Used material:
• 72 LagoLED® PISA 42 DMX (modified)
• 3300 DecaLED® RGB module, including 10km of flat cable
• 50 DecaLED® LED BAR 1250 IP66 (modified)
• 10m LagoLED® DMX-i PowerLED strips, with red LEDs and 10-degrees optics
• 3m LagoLED® DMX-i strips with white and amber LEDs
• Wireless DMX system with 4 transmitters and 26 receivers
• 24 battery sets with 70A, 100A or 140A, including charging station
• Power converter for all battery sets
• 200 recessed halogen spots, 100 halogen fixtures
• 25 modified 4 channel dimmers
• 20 DMX controlled fold-out roses
• Various custom PCB’s with LEDs
• 50 Rosco candles
• 25 “Silk Flames”
• 100m LED-Starlight, controlled over 3 channels
• 12 custom built PCB’s in the shape of wolf eyes, with yellow LEDs