Masque Sound has completed the provision of a new A/V infrastructure installation at The Perelman Performing Arts Center (PAC NYC) – a multi-space performing arts centre that presently theatre, dance, music, film and opera performances to attendees at the World Trade Center in New York City.
PAC NYC is home to three flexible performance venues capable of being configured in 60 differing configurations, and required an A/V system capable of adapting to a production’s specific artistic and logistical needs. International theater consultancy Charcoalblue collaborated with Masque Sound on an AV infrastructure throughout the centre.
‘This was one of the most technically demanding projects I’ve worked on,’ says Charcoalblue Senior Consultant, Josh Loar. ‘Masque Sound, especially Matt Peskie, was an incredible collaborator. We were in near-constant communication over the entire install phase, and their diligence ensured the system was installed to spec and fully operational by opening.’
The facility includes infrastructure equipment from Middle Atlantic Products, Audio Accessories and Belden as well as page/programme system equipment from Symetrix, Luminex, Tripleplay, Bosch, Powersoft and JBL. The system also has upwards of 200 custom A/V panels, each supporting multiple signal types, including line and mic level audio, loudspeaker lines, data, fibre, intercom, antenna and video, requiring intricate coordination. There are also more than 94 miles of cabling routed between multiple rack rooms.
‘The amount of detail and precision needed, from labeling to termination, was extraordinary,’ Loar adds. ‘Masque’s team helped us ensure that every single patch point, hundreds in total, was correct and functional.’
PAC NYC’s three venues are designed for adaptability, being reconfigurable for audience and stage orientations, ranging from proscenium to theatre-in-the-round. The page/program system connects front-of-house, back-of-house, dressing rooms and production offices. The audio system allows live paging or automatic routing of show audio from anywhere, while integrated cameras feed video monitors throughout the facility for real-time use.
‘The Masque team really understood what this building needed in terms of interconnection,’ says David Jensen, owner’s production consultant for PAC NYC. ‘They handled everything from infrastructure installation to the late-stage additions without missing a beat. Masque was my first phone call when we started assembling our technical team and they delivered.’
Built on a tight urban footprint, PAC NYC is technically very complex, and the installation required meticulous planning and on-site problem solving. Masque Sound’s ability to adapt and communicate played a critical role in bringing the system to life without delay. ‘This is one of the more intricate building types you can work on,’ says Loar. ‘To come through a soft opening of a venue this complex with the system completely up and running is almost unheard of, and it’s a testament to Masque’s commitment to quality and collaboration.’
Since opening, PAC NYC has hosted a wide variety of productions, showcasing the facility’s transformational potential.