The 2,800-seat Benedum Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Pittsburgh is a historic theater that hosts more than half-a-million visitors a year. The center recently hosted the Broadway tour of The Pretenders, with house sound engineer Chris Evans providing turnkey solutions for stage monitors and at front of house.
The Benedum Center boasts the nation’s third-largest columnless stage, measuring in at 150×90 feet with a 56-foot proscenium opening. Evans oversees productions at the Benedum Center, which is run by the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust in downtown Pittsburgh. Given the demanding technical requirements and budgets of each space, Evans often has several active productions and equipment upgrades to manage. “Usually, I deal directly with the manufacturers for support with any substantial audio upgrades,” explains Evans. “Northern Sound & Light (NSL) is a good supplier for the pieces and parts of a larger system. I know I can call them for anything from a 1U rack piece to small hardware.”
Most recently, Evans purchased 14 Sennheiser SZI 1029 and 1029-10 IR radiators to replace the aging IR-assisted listening system at the Benedum Center. Evans worked with NSL to receive the correct model numbers in a timely manner. According to the engineer, “Their database is efficient, the pricing is good and their customer service is excellent. NSL is an easy company to deal with; they fill a niche for me. Every time I have called, they can find and quote my prices quickly.”
Steve Raslevich, founder and president of NSL, adds, “We are proud and honored to have customers like Chris [Evans] who rely on us to make sure that their audio and lighting systems are running smoothly. Each day, we strive to provide our customers excellent customer service and top-name brands at the maximum discount price.”
Upcoming events at the Benedum Center include 24 performances of Monty Python’s SPAMALOT, as well as performances of Pagliacci, Swan Lake, Romeo & Juliet and Mamma Mia.
For more information on NSL, visit www.northernsound.net. For more information on the Benedum Center, visit www.pgharts.org/venues/benedum.aspx.
