Worcester, Mass., Even before Broadway singer and actress Bernadette Peters first took stage opening night at the newly renovated Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts, a round of applause was given to the Sunshine Sign Company of Grafton, MA, for the production and installation of a state-of-the-art sign system by the developers of the theatre.

The $31 million restoration of the historically significant and architecturally magnificent Hanover Theatre to its original glory is one of the center pieces of an overall revitalization plan for downtown Worcester. The extensive renovation included uncovering and restoring the theatre's historic façade, removing alterations made when the theater was converted to a cinema in the 1960s, rebuilding the original ornate loge boxes, rebuilding the proscenium wall, and increasing the size of the stage to accommodate today's larger touring Broadway shows.

But the main challenge was to take the best of the old and splash a healthy dose of new and exciting on top of it. Besides upgrading mechanical systems, including cutting edge lighting and sound systems, the theatre needed to develop an image which was smart and contemporary.

"We wanted to create a big first impression, making people feel as though the bright lights of Broadway itself were shining on downtown Worcester", said David Forsberg, President of Worcester Business Development Corporation (WBDC). "The Sunshine team delivered a dramatic sign package that embraced our vision and added to it."

Working under the crush of a tight opening night deadline, Sunshine Sign developed an integrated identity system including signage outside the theatre including Color Kinetics ColorBlast floodlights, halo-lit reverse channel letters, and up-lighted, double-faced printed banners mounted on steel banner supports; and, signage inside the theatre including custom wayfinding directionals, ADA compliance signs, and bronze donor plaques.

"Believe me, there was drama to this assignment", proclaimed Sunshine president Dave Glispin. "Knowing that the theatre would be seen by hundreds of thousands of visitors, we wanted our sign work to be judged in the best and brightest light".

Sunshine Sign Company of Grafton, MA, is a national commercial sign company specializing in architectural fabrication and advanced manufacturing techniques. For more than 25 years, we have delivered custom-crafted sign identities and visual communications to a variety of clients including schools, hospitals, hotels, retail stores, banks, offices, and government buildings. Please visit our web site www.SunshineSign.com for more information.