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Carlsbad details Schulman Auditorium AV upgrades, celebrates reopening
Summary
City staff reported on the Ruby G. Schulman Auditorium capital improvements, describing new lighting, a 7.1 surround sound system, 4K projectors, live-streaming capability, on-time and within-budget completion and a March 29 reopening celebration hosted by the Carlsbad Library and Arts Foundation.
Thomas Johnson, programs and venues coordinator for Carlsbad’s Cultural Arts office, briefed the Arts Commission on April 3 about the Ruby G. Schulman Auditorium capital improvement project and recent reopening activities.
“We’ve gone from driving an Edsel to driving a rocket ship,” Thomas Johnson said, describing the auditorium’s technical upgrades. He told commissioners the project, which began in 2022 as part of a citywide facilities evaluation, replaced audiovisual equipment that had reached the end of its service life and added modern features including industry-standard lighting controls, a 7.1 surround sound audio system, a 64-channel mixing board, two front- and rear-facing 4K projectors and a full-size retractable downstage projector screen. Staff also installed live-streaming and in-camera editing capabilities to support recording and archiving performances.
Johnson said the project came in on time and within budget; final inspections and staff training remain underway. He described a March 29 renovation celebration hosted by the Carlsbad Library and Arts Foundation (CLAF) that featured a performance by the Kamradah Tango Quartet and drew about 110 visitors to the adjacent Canon Gallery. CLAF president and Arts Commissioner Geeta Nasiri spoke at the reopening, and staff noted the involvement of public works, IT, library production technicians, the city manager’s office and other departments in delivering the project.
Commissioners praised the upgrades and the reopening events. Commissioner Geeta Nasiri, speaking both as a commissioner and representing CLAF at the event, provided historical context about the auditorium’s namesake, saying Ruby G. Shulman’s family established funds to support the venue. Commissioners and staff noted upcoming programming that will use the new capabilities, including a National Comedy Theater performance on April 5 and a “Wicked” sing-along on April 19 with related family activities. Staff encouraged commissioners to attend future events and to consider volunteer and front-of-house ushering opportunities as the department expands programming.
