Curator’s Corner
The 1928 Westinghouse Electrical System Project
Sometimes the dark is not atmospheric. When The Byrd Theatre opened to the public in December 1928 the architect, Frederick A. Bishop, had borrowed from the exciting movement in American theaters – the Atmospheric Theater, for his final design. The lighting and projection special effects were a signature of the style, and The Byrd Theatre builders led by Charles Somma invested heavily in 1927-28 during the design and construction. Over the past few decades, the Westinghouse electrical system, built and installed before the days of planned obsolescence, had worn out and failed in various areas yet the show must go on and did.
The Byrd Theatre Foundation Board and staff, working with Harris Electrical, have been working as time and funds permitted, to bring back functionality in both front and back of house electrical. This recent work has yielded the most dramatic results in The Reinhart Auditorium and The W.M. Davenport Family Balcony this spring and summer. Thanks to the many donations to our appeals and from supporting donors, we were able to undertake this crucial rehabilitation work.
George Westinghouse (1846-1914) introduced and developed alternating current for light and power. He founded Westinghouse Electric and 59 other companies, eventually receiving more than 360 patents for his work.
With the recent reopening of the balcony in Spring 2025, we prioritized the revitalization of the 1920’s atmospheric lighting scheme – amber, white, red, and blue lights, in the Theatre. As designed, these colors blend to the human eye as “white” and make for a pleasant experience as well as working for safe egress throughout the auditorium. The auditorium lighting, including the many 1920’s crystal chandeliers and wall sconces, is controlled by the original Westinghouse System – Scene Switchboard controls in the Projection Booth at the top of the Theatre.
Over the years, some circuits failed resulting in patchy lighting, with uneven results, in the balcony and auditorium. The main chandelier and the associated central, oval-shaped, dome were particularly problematic and had gone dark over time as circuits failed.
Working with Harris Electric, we were able to systematically map, trace, re-lamp with new LED amber, white, red, and blue light bulbs, and repair. In this process, we learned more about the original 1928 lighting and electrical design; knowledge that will serve us well as we begin the rehabilitation and flesh out the 2024 Historic Structures Report aka the preservation plan.
Personally, every repair that we can accomplish for our landmark building brings great pleasure as well as a certain pride. The dramatic impact of this recent phase has been a labor of love for myself, my colleagues, and especially for the crew of dedicated electricians who have spent so much time tracing the problems and working to find solutions. We welcome you as our loyal patrons and supporters to come back to The Byrd Theatre and enjoy the space as well as the exciting line up of movies being offered!
About The Byrd Theatre Foundation
The Byrd Theatre Foundation owns and operates The Byrd Theatre. The Foundation was established in 2001 as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation with the mission to preserve the landmark Byrd Theatre while providing unique experiences for all.
David B. Voelkel
Director of Historic Preservation and Chief Curator
