The Academy of Music Theatre originally opened on February 1, 1905, in Lynchburg, Virginia, hosting everything from amateur shows to large-scale productions. In the spring of 1911, the theatre infamously caught fire and was rebuilt, opening again in December the following year.

The theatre saw great success, accommodating many traveling plays due to Lynchburg’s railway system, but eventually saw a decline in interest leading them to close their doors for good in 1958. The theatre sat vacant, deteriorating for decades until 1993, when the city chose to preserve and renovate one of the few remaining theatres in the country built prior to the First World War.

Modernizing a Century-Old Masterpiece

The undertaking of such a restoration project was extensive, to say the least. Modern upgrades were implemented while preserving as much of the historical elements as possible to recreate the theatre as it was in 1912.

Jamerson-Lewis Construction earned the bid as the general contractor and brought Southern Air along for the memorable ride. Our team provided the electrical infrastructure and pathways for each individual system, including:

• Theatrical lighting and sound
• Fire alarms and curtains
• Motorized banners
• Orchestra pit lifts

The Challenge of Historical Infrastructure

“Being responsible for pathways was a major challenge in a building of this age,” says Leigha Moore, Southern Air Assistant Project Manager. “It wasn’t designed for modern amenities and it was challenging to find ways to get the electrical infrastructure where the design team needed while keeping it historically correct.”

Engineering by the Numbers: 45 Miles of Wire

Southern Air installed the conduit for the Lutron lighting controls, which encompassed the new lobby and the exterior façade of the building. The electrical systems in the theatre are controlled by Barbizon Lighting.

To power the equipment in both the historic theatre and the new modern additions, our team installed a massive amount of infrastructure:

• 234,000 feet of wire (roughly 45 miles in length)
• 70,000 feet of conduit
• 1,800 feet of LED lighting
• 1,200 individual light fixtures

Each system required its own motorized breaker panels located throughout the theatre, resulting in a complex web of wiring hidden behind historical finishes.

Overcoming Technical Complexity

“One thing I learned was that a bunch of us treated this like a normal job and then once we got into it we realized the complexity of it,” says John Gallahan, Southern Air Project Manager. “I’m proud of the guys. They’ve worked overtime since June... There were systems we had never put our hands on before, there were so many trades we had to work with, and we still completed it on time.”

A Collaborative Success

Part of Southern Air’s success focused on the total team concept. Our electricians utilized expertise from many departments within the company, including our prefabrication capabilities. John Reynolds and John Gordon, Southern Air electrical estimators, were deeply involved in daily operations to confirm light fixture counts and lengths—a critical task given the sheer volume and variety of fixtures the Academy required.

Interested in joining a team that takes on projects like this? See our open positions.