A Broadway theater honoring one of the now “great kings of the past,” as one of Jones’ iconic characters, Mufasa from Disney’s The Lion King says, has reopened after a $47 million renovation. The James Earl Jones Theatre in New York City, with architecture by Thomas Lamb, now shines brighter than ever with an LED eco-friendly system specified by Schuler Shook. Replacement luminaires within historic decorative fixtures, fresh fixtures in a new five-floor annex, a massive custom chandelier, and a DMX control system have reduced the theater’s overall wattage load by 40% and earned the project a 2024 IES Illumination of Award of Merit.
The original glass proscenium was restored and backlit, bringing greater attention to the grandeur of the arch above the stage.
Photo: T. Whitney Cox
LED cove lighting accentuates architecture while evoking the feeling of original warm incandescent lighting.
An example of some of the original fixtures that were refurbished and upgraded with LED lamps.
The custom chandelier, tensioned between the basement and roof, comprises randomly spaced tubes and illuminates the main stairwell.
Photos: Lena Fan