Given a
drop box in adiquate
power and a wish not to do remote dimmers, there are many light board/
dimmer boards on the market such as those by Dove Systems that are inexpensive and include both light board and dimmers
in one light board. Given you specify what form of
power you have available the board can either be configured for this or the lighting supplier can recommend another course of action in plugging into it. Probably some form of AC
distro or
portable sub panel that is possible for you to construct potentially.
I say potentially in that it must comply with all rules about both sub panels and
portable/temporary distribution equipment. Lots of little rules to follow but overall such equipment given supervision and experience is not difficult.
Another option might be something I'm also fairly certain is on the market and that's a professionally made single or up to four pack
plug in
dimmer or
switch which has both control and
outlet at the place it's plugged in. This way at least instead of hot patching the fixtures into wall outlets which is really bad all around for
fixture,
plug and
outlet, you will at very least with even a in-line
switch be able to shut off the
current draw before un-plugging.
Still the most cost effective given a
power drop of one form or another would be some form of the above Dove board, or even in having a remote light board just plugging the dimmers into that
drop of
power and sending signal to the dimmers by way of control signal.
Taken as a given you have experience and training in wiring stuff, part of that is also in doing what is acceptable by code.
Now given I have made some architectural wall
switch remote in-line dimmers and they get used professionally. Such gear is made to the best quality possible to the extent of even being in weatherproof boxes with weather proof covers at times to protect them from all forms of abuse. Much less otherwise such components will have internal
fuse or
breaker protection on it as a complete wiring device. The training specific to these items in making such gear over the years is a
bit different from in general knowing how to
wire it. My recommendation would be in ensuring both compliance and listed or engineered equipment to be used by your theater, that should even
line dimmers be necessary, buy them constructed for you rather than making them. At very least buy one and study than with supervision you have, make more to the exact same component standards. Them little details are often large differences between what's electrically safe and what will not be safe once dropped a few dozen times and dragged around the
stage.