The Benedum Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Pittsburgh is a historic theater that hosts over half a million visitors a year. Named the "Number One Auditorium in the US" by Billboard and ranked third in Pollstar’s 2004 Top 50 list of theatre venues worldwide, the 2,800-seat Benedum Center provides turnkey production services to everyone from first-run national Broadway tours to regional groups like the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and the Pittsburgh Opera.
The Benedum Center recently hosted the Broadway tour of The Pretenders with house sound engineer Chris Evans providing complete solutions for stage monitors and at FOH. The Benedum Center boasts the nation’s third largest columnless stage, measuring in at 150’ by 90’, with a 56’ proscenium opening. Evans oversees productions at the Benedum Center which is run by the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust. Given the demanding technical requirements and budgets of each space, Evans often has several active productions as well as 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.”
Evans' latest purchase was 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. He notes, “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.”
Evans also noted that NSL staff members are helpful and have often gone out of their way to ensure the fullest customer satisfaction. “The customer relationship is very fair. I like NSL very much; they are much more accessible than other companies I have dealt with.”