Lights, camera, action! The RCA team has been working behind the scenes on an eagerly anticipated project. We’ve parted ways with our 21-year-old floppy disk lighting system (yes, you read that right, floppy disks), and hello to a brand-new modern setup. At the start of this process, we said our heartfelt goodbyes to our long-time Technical Director, Josh Mulloy. Josh is off to Alberta for new adventures, and we wish him all the best! He was instrumental to the start of this project, having a vital role in its concept and the procurement of its supplies. Josh joined us in 2018 and since then had become an integral part of the RCA team, always working hard to ensure theatre performances went off without a hitch.  

We now welcome Joshua Lamb as our new Technical Director, who comes to us with a long career in theatre tech, most recently from the Vernon Centre for the Performing Arts. Joshua has worked as a Light Designer and Technical Director for many years in both Canada and Europe and is enthusiastic about all things theatre. 

“My passion is making things beautiful with high production value,” says Joshua.  

We sat down with Joshua to learn more about the Mary Irwin Theatre’s lighting upgrade. 

“We have finished Phase One of three phases to fully update our lighting system to LED lights. Phase One included the purchase and installation of a new lighting console, the device that controls all the lights. We purchased an ETC ION, which is a superb desk and an industry standard in North America. This desk gives us the capability to control moving lights. We also bought 13 moving lights which change colour and focus as well as move. This new equipment creates a lush environment for all the shows that take place here.” 

Phase Two will see the addition of LED Cyclorama lighting, enabling us to make the CYC lights any colour imaginable. Phase Three will be adding moving profile spots to the mix. These lights will be able to have rotating gobos (patterned stencils inside or in front of a light) as well as many other effects. 

“It has been a pleasure to take the helm of such a beautiful theatre going through this transformation. Adapting an older venue to new technologies is always challenging and rewarding.” 

The RCA’s Mary Irwin Theatre is a key venue for music and dance recitals, theatre productions, concerts, corporate presentations, and meetings. This lighting retrofit will help us to grow our theatre usage, decrease changeover downtimes during performances, and meet the needs of our current users requiring professional lighting for their productions. It will allow for better control, provide a safer lighting system and require less technical time. Theatre lighting technology has progressed rapidly since our current light fixtures were installed and a new lighting setup will ensure that our performers and patrons are well-served into the future. With the theatre seeing about 275 days of use and 50,000 audience members annually, this change will make a tremendous difference for many. 

Enhancements to our building are not possible without funding from the Province of BC and our patrons. As a non-profit organization, we are thankful for the support of our patrons, sponsors, and funders for helping us deliver arts education programs, live audience experiences, and accessible community events. When you purchase tickets to a show in the Mary Irwin Theatre, you’re contributing to crucial upgrades like these. The total cost of this project is just shy of $300,000. You can help us continue this project and other upgrades by buying tickets to shows or donating today. Thank you for your continued support of arts and culture in the Okanagan.  

We are excited for our patrons to see the theatre in a whole new light. Stop by the RCA and see a show in the Mary Irwin Theatre soon for an unforgettable experience. RCA Presents: Yuk Yuk’s - Jaob Samuel is coming up on August 17, as well as a number of exciting guest events in the theatre this summer and fall. Stay tuned for the announcement of our 2023/24 season!  

This project was made possible by the Province of British Columbia Community Gaming - Capital Projects Grant by their matching support for the completion of Phase One