Berrien Community Foundation Grant Brings Professional LED Technology to LMC Theater Students

BENTON HARBOR, MI - Lake Michigan College theater students will be immersed in the bright lights of the big stage – literally – thanks to a For Good Major grant recently awarded to the College by the Berrien Community Foundation with support from Ann Marie Marlow. 

The $11,800 award will fund the rental of large-scale LED video wall panels and digital scenery for a professional-level theater experience during the March production of the musical “Big Fish,” presented by the LMC Visual & Performing Arts Department. 

The panels will project animated backdrop scenes spanning the width of the LMC Mendel Center Jenkins Theatre stage. This is the first time in the department’s history that students will train and perform with stage design technology on this scale. 

“We thank the Berrien Community Foundation for awarding this grant to the College. It allows us to present a professional-level performance on the Jenkins Theatre stage, on par with what patrons might expect from a nationally touring production. Beyond their stunning visual impact, the LED panels offer students hands-on experience with industry-standard technology,” stated LMC Theater Instructor Shalico Sain. 

This opportunity aligns with one of the Visual & Performing Arts Department’s core goals of preparing students for the workforce with strong, transferable skills.

“Access to advanced tools like LED walls allows students to stay current with evolving industry trends. These opportunities are usually only available to those attending four-year colleges or studying in larger metropolitan areas. This is a major advantage for our students,” Sain added.

The College is working on the project with its technical stage production partner, TPC Technologies, Inc., based in Niles, Michigan. TPC provides all sound, lighting, and stage set-up services for the LMC Mendel Center performance venues and event spaces. Technical Director Matt “Dolphy” Clark and the TPC team will conduct training sessions where students will learn to program and operate the LED panels. 

“Students will get real-world production experience by assisting with the equipment load-in, installation, programming, and tear down,” Clark stated. “It’s an on-the-job learning opportunity that will be a resume builder for any of the students looking to get into the technical aspects of the performing arts.”

Students will be trained on a clear set of learning objectives. Those who meet the objectives will receive a certificate of completion that can be added to their technical theater portfolio for job and college transfer interviews. 

“Providing a For Good grant that increases the artistic quality of the production and creates a valuable educational opportunity for LMC theater students was an easy decision for the Foundation,” said Berrien Community Foundation Program Director Susan Matheny. “Thanks to the generosity of our community that contributes to the Community Endowment, we were able to fulfill this request that makes such a deep impact on the students served by Lake Michigan College.”

“Big Fish” will run Thursday through Saturday, March 26-28, with evening performances beginning at 7 p.m. The Sunday, March 29, matinee begins at 2 p.m. Reserved seating tickets are available now at www.TheMendelCenter.com/events. Tickets are $15, $5 for students under 18, and free to LMC students, faculty, and staff.

About the Berrien Community Foundation 
The Berrien Community Foundation is a center of philanthropy in Berrien County. With over $110 million in assets, BCF provides grants for programs and projects addressing critical, ever-changing community needs. BCF also has a robust scholarship program. The Foundation works with donors to help them achieve their charitable giving goals and create their individual charitable legacies through current and life-end giving and estate planning. For information about BCF, call (269) 983-3304 or visit www.berriencommunity.org. 

About the Lake Michigan College Visual & Performing Arts Department 
The Visual & Performing Arts Department allows students to reach new levels of excellence through classroom instruction and public performance. Many programs, including instrumental and vocal music, theater, and dance, are based in the Lake Michigan College Mendel Center, the only performing arts center of its kind in Southwest Michigan. Here, LMC students have opportunities to study the performing arts in a venue that attracts thousands of patrons annually. Programs including drawing, painting, and graphic design allow students to explore the possibilities in the visual arts. Auditions are held for select ensembles that perform on the same stages as world-renowned touring acts. Students in any major also have opportunities to audition for Broadway musicals and plays and join three different vocal ensembles, string and wind ensembles, a pop-rock ensemble, and jazz band. 

One of only two colleges in Michigan to carry the prestigious All-Steinway designation, LMC has a team of highly qualified faculty who bring real-world expertise to the classroom.