Connecting Performance, Education and Civic Engagement Through Integrated AV
Few venues balance history and contemporary programming quite like Ford’s Theatre. A National Historic Site and active working theatre, the campus brings together live performance, education and the interpretation of President Abraham Lincoln’s legacy.
WPS supported Ford’s Theatre and Ford’s Theatre Society with a comprehensive audiovisual integration spanning performance, rehearsal, education, meeting and event spaces. The project coincided with the opening of the Frances and Craig Lindner Center for Culture and Leadership, which completed the expanded Ford’s Theatre campus in March 2025. The new center provides dedicated space for learning, conversation, civic engagement, rehearsals and educational programming.
At the center of the system is a Q-SYS Core 610 processor supported by distributed QIO audio interfaces, Dante networked audio, Q-SYS control touchscreens and 21 NV-32-H networked video endpoints. This centralized platform allows audio, video and control resources to be shared across multiple rooms while giving users a consistent, approachable operating experience.
The video system supports presentations, event production, hybrid participation and content capture. Six Panasonic 4K PTZ cameras and three Q-SYS network cameras provide coverage throughout the facility, while Blackmagic Design recording interfaces support high-quality video acquisition. A Barco UniSee video wall, Panasonic laser projection and large-format Da-Lite screens provide visual presentation options for spaces of varying sizes and uses.
Audio reinforcement was designed around the different requirements of each environment. Renkus-Heinz Iconyx digitally steerable arrays, QSC powered loudspeakers and subwoofers, distributed ceiling loudspeakers and Lab Gruppen amplification support everything from spoken-word presentations and meetings to rehearsals, performances and special events.
A Shure ULX-D digital wireless system provides six channels of professional wireless audio, complemented by bodypack, handheld, earset and stereo recording microphones. RF Venue antenna distribution helps provide dependable wireless coverage across the facility.
Accessibility was also an important component of the project. Listen Technologies systems provide both Wi-Fi-based and traditional 72 MHz assistive-listening options, including dedicated receivers, integrated neck loops and accessible notification signage.
Behind the user-facing technology, Extreme Networks managed switches, Category 6A connectivity, custom WPS interface panels, Bittree patching and rack-mounted infrastructure provide the dependable foundation required for a sophisticated, multi-room AV environment.
The completed system gives Ford’s Theatre Society a flexible technology platform designed to support theatrical development, educational programs, leadership initiatives, meetings, community events and digital content creation—helping the organization connect history with new generations of audiences, artists, educators and students.
Project highlights
- Q-SYS Core 610 audio, video and control platform
- 21 Q-SYS NV-32-H networked video endpoints
- Nine PTZ cameras, including six Panasonic 4K models
- Barco UniSee 2-by-2 video wall
- Dual Panasonic laser-projection systems with 189-inch screens
- Blackmagic Design recording and monitoring equipment
- Renkus-Heinz Iconyx steerable arrays
- QSC powered loudspeakers and flying subwoofers
- Shure ULX-D six-channel digital wireless system
- Wi-Fi and 72 MHz assistive-listening systems
- Dante networked audio and managed AV switching
- Custom WPS panels, patching and equipment-rack integration
