Bethany Christian School
Performing Arts Centre
37 Countess Street
Paralowie South Australia

• Design
• Installation
• Project Management

The Bethany performing arts complex was designed to handle everything from contemporary worship to music and theatre productions. It comprises of a theatre stage, auditorium with a balcony that can be utilised as a separate lecture space. The work involved a complete design and construct resulting in extensive liaising with both architects and builders during all phases of the design and building process. Project Manager Kostas Psorakis looked after the project from its inception and was instrumental in ensuring the building incorporated the infrastructure to ensure that an advanced entertainment system could be easily integrated.

The venue has been designed as a performing arts complex to handle everything from contemporary worship on Sundays to school and community theatre and music productions. The venue comprises of a main performance space which includes a balcony that can then be divided off to be utilised as a separate lecture space. In addition there is separate classroom attached that can be used as marshalling and warm-up space. This space as well as the foyer have an incorporated audio and vision system to allow for show relay from the main auditorium.

The Auditorium itself is equipped with a Digico digital audio console that drives a Netmax N8000 matrix controller that incorporates DSP control for the audio system. This includes delay’s for the over balcony speakers that can then be switched to operate in a stand alone mode from a local mixer if required. The N8000 incorporates a TP 12 touch panel adjacent to the mix position that allows for the configuration of the system to be easily changed as required.

The main audio system comprises of an Electro Voice EVA system with a combination of 90 deg long throw cabinets and 120 deg short throw cabinets. There is then attenuation modules fitted to the 120 deg cabinets to ensure an even coverage of the room. The main speaker system is driven by Dynacord Power H amplifiers. In order to control the low frequency in the room Kostas opted for a Cardioid sub array by mounting an Electro Voice XCS 312 cabinet behind each of the mid high hangs processing for these subs is derived from the N8000. A front fill send is also derived from the N8000 that allows for two portable ZXA 1 powered cabinets to be located immediately in front of the stage to cover the front rows and to help lower the audio image.

PLEASE NOTE: Bethany Performing Arts Centre was designed and project managed by Kostas Psorakis while employed at Osmond Electronics.