Bag & Baggage Productions Begins Their Next Act With BenQ

Overview

Issue

Bag & Baggage Productions, a theater company based in Hillsboro, Oregon, needed a new venue to keep up with their growing audience. They purchased an old bank building and renamed it The Vault with the intention of converting it into a state-of-the-art performing space.

Solution

After researching their lighting options at theater tradeshows, Bag & Baggage decided to team up with BenQ for The Vault’s projection solution. Offering excellent picture quality and flexible installation capability at a reasonable price, BenQ’s 4K projectors were the clear choice.

Result

Bag & Baggage’s producers, actors, and audience have been extremely impressed with the way BenQ’s projection equipment has invigorated performances. The Vault has already been booked for nearly every weekend of the 2018-2019 season.

Facts at a Glance

Bag & Baggage Productions Theater (Converted Bank)

Segment

Arts & Entertainment

Year of Completion

2018

Project:

An up-and-coming performing troupe reinvents an old bank as a modern, multi-purpose theater

BenQ Solution Used:

BenQ BlueCore 4K Laser Projector LK970

Challenge

When Bag & Baggage Productions started out, they didn’t even have a home to call their own. Founded in 2005 as a touring company with just a van and a handful of actors, this Hillsboro, Oregon-troupe soon became known for its artistry, affordability, and humor. In 2008 they moved into a small theater, but just a few short years later it became apparent that they’d have to find a larger space more suited to their burgeoning popularity.

To accommodate their continued growth, Bag & Baggage purchased a former bank building and renamed it The Vault. Although it was much larger than their previous theater, The Vault was in dire need of renovation before it could be used for performances. Furthermore, Bag & Baggage wanted to get back to their roots as a flexible theater troupe. In order to do this, they would need equipment that minimized the amount of permanent staging and lighting required while also maximizing flexibility.

Solution

While searching for a projector for their theater, Bag & Baggage had a very exacting list of requirements. They needed a projector that could produce true black and that could project images into certain areas while leaving others blank. The projector also needed to minimize the size and severity of shadows created by actors. Furthermore, it was important that the projector could deliver reliable, distortion-free performance even when installed in a less-than-ideal position. After considering these requirements and researching a number of options at the Live Design International tradeshow, Bag & Baggage decided the BenQ LK970 BlueCore Series 4K Laser Projector was the best match.

Installed on The Vault’s ceiling, the BenQ LK970 Laser Projector could cast images onto a screen, the theaters walls, or nearly any other surface. Moreover, its dustproof, low-maintenance design ensured that once it was in place it wouldn’t need to be fiddled with or adjusted. The LK970 also delivered excellent image quality, thanks to its 4K resolution and BlueCore laser, which produced subtle details and true-to-life colors with ease. The projector was more than up to the task for creating the images required by the theater company and other clients who wished to use the space for events such as board meetings, film showings, and cultural exchanges.

Result

The BenQ LK970 BlueCore Series Laser Projector has been a real hit, easily surpassing Bag & Baggage’s expectations. First and foremost, BenQ’s laser projection technology lets Bag & Baggage put on multi-scene shows without having to build multiple sets. Exquisitely detailed images and videos can be projected into any corner of the theater space and blend seamlessly with both physical set pieces and the actors themselves. This unrivalled flexibility has improved Bag & Baggage’s performances, and has also made them excited as they imagine what they will produce next. They are looking into producing shows in which images will be projected onto multiple walls or even the floor. With BenQ’s help, Bag & Baggage can produce shows it used to only dream of.