Build Magic!
Through your generous gift to the on-going Build Magic! campaign, Popejoy Hall can continue to provide the best performing arts experiences in New Mexico. Due to our generous donors, some of the improvements to the hall you can enjoy now. We have replaced all of the seats in our hall, as well as upgraded our sound system, and improved the acoustics, providing a more comfortable and enjoyable experience.
With your donation, you can look forward to many more facility improvements at Popejoy Hall, which are intended to improve both the show experience and the variety of shows which can come to New Mexico.
While we celebrate our successes to date, we still have a long way to go, including:
Enlarged Stage for the biggest and best of Broadway…
Our stage has not shrunk in 43 years, but the grandeur and spectacle of many Broadway shows have grown beyond what Popejoy Hall can present. A few years ago, Popejoy Hall was unable to book The Lion King for want of 18 inches of stage depth. Extending the wall of our stage will bring ALL of the best Broadway has to offer to New Mexico.
Stage Rigging...
- Cable Carriers – These simple wheels or “carriers” are the modern answer to noisy, high-maintenance theatrical fly rigging systems. New Cable Carriers will reduce wear and noise and extend the life of the system.
- The T-Track System – This steel tracking was used when Popejoy Hall opened in 1966. Safety and reliability dictate the need for new tracking for Popejoy’s next 40 years.
Stage Lighting for the 21st Century…
- Automated Lighting - Automated stage lighting equipment has become the standard for all professional venues and productions. Our touring shows are designed for this standard, and adjustments for outdated equipment waste time and money. Automated lights are computer programmed to change color and direction as needed. Whereas a stage crew 40 years ago would hang and focus 300 lighting instruments, the modern crew can accomplish more with a mere 80 instruments!
- L.E.D. Cyclorama - Light emitting diodes or “L.E.D.s” emit more light, use a fraction of the electricity, require far less labor, and last far longer than anyone could have imagined just twenty years ago. Compare 50,000 hours of life to the just 200 hours for standard stage lamps. Compare the ability to produce millions of color variations at the touch of a button to the additional costs of purchasing and installing color “gels” required of conventional lamps. L.E.D.s are the miracle lights that have become the new industry standard.
- Lighting Control Console - Imagine trying to surf the internet of 2006 on the computer you bought in 1992. Imagine trying to buy parts or get it serviced when it needs repair. That’s where Popejoy Hall is with our lighting console. The system lacks the capacity to efficiently and reliably run 21st century automated and L.E.D. lights. And if the console needs repair? Well, we’re on our own. No manufacturer support or replacement parts exist!
Additional Facility Improvements…
- Green Rooms & Dressing Rooms - These facilities have never been remodeled and are in poor condition. Originally built for UNM students, our dressing rooms and green room need to be brought up to the standard that first class performers are accustomed to in other cities.
- Interior Lobby - With damaged wood veneer, visible patches in the ceiling, and poor lighting, Popejoy Hall’s lobby does nothing to prepare one for the premier theatrical experience inside the auditorium.
- Musicians Chairs - Orchestral, symphonic and musical events require seating that is specifically designed to facilitate proper posture for musicians. The music sounds better, and more musicians look favorably on performing in Popejoy Hall.
