Theatre retrofits marquee lights

By Devon Litster

The Gladstone’s signature marquee in Little Italy is a little brighter since an energy retrofit on Nov. 14.

All 348 of the old 11-watt incandescent bulbs were replaced with 1.4-watt LED bulbs, marking a significant increase in the sign’s efficiency and environmental friendliness.

The landmark theatre, located just west of Preston, has a vintage vibe; the marquee, chandeliers, and wall sconces are just a few of the old-fashioned-style light sources adorning the building. In the lobby alone, there are more than 50 lights.

Theatre manager AL Connors said The Gladstone’s high electricity bills caught his attention when he was hired in early 2017. In order to lower costs, he decided to invest in an illumination upgrade to the classic marquee.

“It was pretty easy to do the math that if you could replace those with bulbs that are using one tenth of the electricity, it’s going to make a pretty positive change on the utility bill,” said Connors.

“The whole thing should pay for itself in about two years . . . . Above all, it means I won’t have to change lightbulbs as often, because with this many lightbulbs in the building, one is always burning out,” he laughed.

The company responsible for the change, Buchanan Lighting, is located just around the corner from The Gladstone on Loretta Avenue and has been meeting the theatre’s lighting needs for years.

Lighting specialist Tyler Buchanan said the biggest challenge in the retrofit was finding bulbs that preserved the traditional look of the marquee.

But the marquee retrofit is just the first step on The Gladstone’s journey towards energy efficiency. “Eventually we want to swap out every building lighting fixture at The Gladstone, with the exception of the theatre lights,” said Connors.

The upgrade is not just to help with the theatre’s bills. “It makes sense for the Gladstone to go green because it’s good for everybody,” said Connors.

The goal is to complete the retrofit before the new year, so that The Gladstone is ready to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the theatre’s 2008 reopening.

“I’d get it done tomorrow if I could – one of the programs through which we applied, provides installation as well. So we are waiting to get an installation date from them.”

Connors added: “I’m also waiting on an electrician to come in to finish the marquee by replacing the fluorescent lights behind the letter, so that then the entire marquee is (significantly) more efficient than it was previously. It’s a no-brainer in the long run,” said Connors.

The theatre staff expects to have the lighting retrofits complete by the next wave of performances. The holiday period will feature three shows: Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (Dec. 13-16), A Christmas Carol (Dec. 17-23), and Alice in Winterland (Dec. 29- Jan. 7).