Victoria Theatre

The historic 1,150-seat Victoria Theatre in downtown Dayton, Ohio—part of the Dayton Live! family of venues—was operating with performance and architectural lighting systems dating back to its 1988 renovation. Overheating dimmers, failing controls, and obsolete incandescent fixtures no longer met production demands, threatening reliability, usability, and compliance with modern touring and artistic standards.

TheatreDNA conducted a comprehensive study to identify failing components, recommend phased upgrades, and design a path forward. Observations highlighted obsolete LMI dimmer racks, unreliable console, single-universe DMX networking, and a failing marquee controller. The proposed solutions replaced dimmer racks with DMX-controlled motorized breaker panels, installed new company switches, and created a centralized data rack with gateways, patch panels, and Cat6 distribution. ETC Paradigm dimmers, touchscreens, and portable masters modernized house and lobby lighting controls. The design preserved existing wiring where feasible, repaired worn multicables, and provided LED-ready infrastructure to support fixture replacements and future artistic flexibility while ensuring code-compliant egress lighting.

The renovation delivered a modern, networked lighting system that combines reliability, efficiency, and flexibility. The Victoria Theatre now operates with intuitive touchscreen controls, robust DMX/Ethernet distribution, and infrastructure ready for LED and touring demands. Dayton Live gains reduced maintenance, enhanced safety, and artistic capability, ensuring the venue thrives as a premier regional performance destination.