New Elation professional lighting and Obsidian lighting consoles have helped revitalize theater spaces across the Hazelwood School District in the greater St. Louis area. Installed by Schillers Audio Visual, the comprehensive upgrades at Hazelwood Central, Hazelwood East, and Hazelwood West High Schools have transformed each theater into a modern, flexible venue for performances and events.
Established in the 1950s, Hazelwood High School grew alongside the district before expanding into three separate campuses—Hazelwood Central, East and West. While the schools evolved over the years, their theater lighting systems went decades without a significant upgrade. Today, each theater features LED lighting and modern control technology designed to support performances, educational programs, and community events for years to come.
Hazelwood Central High School received the largest installation, including 40 KL Profile FC LED framing fixtures, 14 Fuze Wash 500 full-color LED Fresnels, four KL Panel LED soft lights, and an Obsidian NX2 for lighting control. Hazelwood East and Hazelwood West feature the same fixture families and control platform in smaller quantities, creating consistency across all three venues.
Built on Trust
Serving as senior project manager and lighting designer, Mike Buehrle led the project for Schillers. With roots stretching back more than 130 years, Schillers' AV integration division has served the region for four decades.
Having worked with Elation and ADJ products for more than 30 years, Buehrle drew on long-standing relationships and product knowledge to design a system that modernized the aging theaters while simplifying operations. He brought that expertise to Schillers 14 years ago.
“I've trusted Elation products for decades because I know the equipment and I know the people behind it,” said Buehrle. “They're really responsive, and when you build those relationships over the years, you know you’ll get the support you need. That confidence made it an easy decision to bring Elation into these projects.”
Schillers had previously upgraded the audio systems in all three theaters and serves as one of the school district’s preferred integration partners, having completed numerous technology projects throughout the district offices and schools. “The district trusted us because we’ve worked together for years,” Buehrle said. “When you’ve consistently steered a customer in the right direction, they know you're looking out for their best interests.”
Modern Upgrade
Schillers’ mission was relatively straightforward: eliminate outdated dimmers and aging discharge fixtures—and the bulb replacements that come with that—and equip them with an LED system that will meet their needs for the next 10 to 20 years.
The modernization represented the first significant lighting upgrade in the Central theater since 1974. Schillers removed legacy discharge fixtures, dimmer racks and obsolete infrastructure, replacing them with direct power distribution and an LED-based system that reduces maintenance while future-proofing the venue. The new LED system gives them color-changing capability, improved output, and much more flexibility without touching the rig.
Problem Solver
Buehrle collaborated with Elation representative Kraig Knight during fixture selection, ultimately choosing the KL Profile FC for its high-CRI RGBMA engine, manual zoom, framing capabilities, and gobo slot. “Kraig helped us find the optimal solution, and the KL Profile FC helped solve a lot of problems,” Buehrle explained. “Its zoom system means the school no longer has to deal with lenses or move fixtures every time their needs change. They can change the beam angle and focus anywhere they need from the console instead of climbing up to adjust equipment.”
At Hazelwood Central, the KL Profile FC fixtures are positioned across two front-of-house catwalks, while Fuze Wash 500 fixtures provide overhead stage coverage. KL Panels installed along the rear wall allow designers to illuminate a back curtain, adding dimension. At East and West, the KL Panels are used to light backdrops and scenic elements with greater ease and creative flexibility. Rigged 8 to 10 feet off the wall in all three theaters, Buehrle says that having the ability to light up the background is crucial, “and the KL Panel does that job nicely.”
Multi-use Space
Because Hazelwood Central sits adjacent to the district administrative offices, the venue serves as more than a school theater. In addition to student productions, it hosts district meetings, speaking engagements, and community events, making it one of the district’s busiest gathering spaces. “They wanted it to be the pinnacle forum, and this lighting system gives them the flexibility to handle just about anything.”
The theaters also play an important role in production arts education, giving students hands-on experience programming professional-grade lighting and audio systems.
Intuitive Control
Each installation was completed in approximately two weeks, with Schillers providing training on the system, including the Obsidian NX2 console and access to Obsidian’s online educational resources. Buehrle, already familiar with the Onyx platform from its earlier development, embraced the NX2's intuitive workflow and touchscreen interface.
“The touchscreen, physical controls, and playback system marry the whole system together, and the training videos make it approachable for new users,” he said. “That was another reason why I chose the console. I knew that if I could learn the platform quickly with those resources, the teachers and students could too.”
Complete AV Integration Solutions
The project was completed with the support of Schillers sales manager, David Wyne, who brought Buehrle in to design both the lighting and the sound for the space, and AV department manager Mike Chitwood, whose oversight helped guide the design and implementation of the lighting and audio systems.
For Schillers Audio Visual, the three projects demonstrate the company’s ability to deliver complete AV integration solutions that include sophisticated theatrical lighting systems. “We're excited about these three installations because they show what we're capable of as a full integration company,” Buehrle concludes. “It's another example of helping a customer modernize their facilities with technology that will serve them well for many years.”
Photos courtesy of Schillers Audio Visual
About Elation
At Elation, we collaborate with leading professionals in the lighting industry to help bring extraordinary experiences to life. As a designer and manufacturer of a wide range of high-performance entertainment lighting products, we’re proud to be a trusted partner to top lighting professionals and production/rental houses around the world. Our commitment to quality, innovation, and creative solutions has made us a go-to resource in the industry. We also offer an advanced line of lighting control products through Obsidian Control Systems, and a full range of dependable specialty effects called Magmatic. Elation serves clients worldwide through offices in Los Angeles, Mexico City, Canada, and the Netherlands. We invite you to take a closer look at elationlighting.com
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