The Tulsa Union High School’s Activity Center is outfitted with more technology than the usual suburban high school gym. Included in the mix are almost 50 of Wybron’s Large Format Eclipse II mechanical dowsers attached to Lithonia Sportslighters.
The fixtures are installed in the catwalks and used to light the basketball court. When a presentation calls for creative lighting, the dowsers open and shut as programmed, resulting in 0-100% dowsing of the Sportslighters. An extensive ETC unison dimming system and Watt-stopped DMX relay cabinets were installed to control the Sportslighters and the compact fluorescent house lighting.
Extreme lighting, with show stopping effects, at sporting events is becoming increasingly popular. Intense changes, like going from bright HID lighting to total darkness, have the power to leave audiences speechless. The use of lighting accessories, like the Eclipse II, reveals the power of entertainment to draw in audiences and propel the sport.
Jack O’Connor with Edwin Jones Company in Oklahoma worked with Brian Deyo, the technical director for the school’s Activity and Performing Arts centers, to specify and install the Eclipse II iris dowsers. The activity center is primarily used for high school basketball, but is also capable of hosting touring musical groups.