You have a couple things to look at, I suppose. First, what is comfortable for you and your LX team to use? If they are mostly trained and comfortable on
ETC, sticking in that realm will allow you to continue to work shows without huge training costs.
And if you get a show in that needs something a
bit different, I am sure your area has companies that can rent you what you need.
My
house had....well...i dont even know what it was....they just upgraded it, and the only thing we get that is local is the city symphony. The times when we had moving lights and LEDs, we had to rent, and one year the company we were renting from sent a different "companion" board to run the rented lights and the conventionals stayed on ours. But over 16 shows that year, I received 16 different boards, it was 2-3 years ago, and I dont recall what any of them were now, but they all did about the same thing.
If you're going to be programming the shows that come in, whether because they bring someone to tell you what they want or you are designing them yourself, youre going to want something you are comfortable on. Before you give a reccomendation, I would spend as much time in your smaller
venue as possible, playing with what you have there and finding the pros and cons, since you said your larger
theatre will be getting the upgrades already put in place in the smaller one.
By spending time with what you have there and figuring out what you do and do not like, what is made easier or what is made more difficult, and doing so with the thought of it all being on a larger scale... then talking with your LX team and discussing their views as well, you'll be able to figure out what is really going to allow you to function effectively.
We got new boards at my
theatre for both LX and Audio. The audio board was a compelte change (anlog to digital, for one thing) and although tour guys will empathize with it being a new board and a learning curve, I've not met one who has not been frustrated when hearing "i apologize, its a new board, we just got it and I'm still learning" - and bosses dont particularly give much leeway when the tour complains about wasted time or incompetence or excuses, especially if it goes on for more than a couple months, even if the board was only used for 4 shows during that time.
So I sincerely advise toward getting something that you and your crew have some experience with. Sure, boards all do basically the same thing, ive had to teach a lead how to use his companys new board because it was new, even though id never used one before. But when you're getting instructions shouted at you, having to go through the cues one more time and having to chnage them for the 5th time into what it was you originally had anyway, or having to make changes 2minutes before the doors open/5mins after they should have been opened...being able to make those changes confidently can make the difference between the client giving a glowing review or cursing your name as they make their way across the country.
For example, my second show ever running a board, I was sent to a
venue, lights all got set, and the college dance club was going to do their rehearsals while I programmed. It was a hog2. Its a good thing I take really good notes, ask performers questions on what they see,
etc, because otherwise I would have been sunk. About 3 numbers in, I go to save, and after I hit save, the
desk crashes. I reboot, continue on, just thinking I'll redo them later. Couple more down, go to save, crashes again...of course it crashes before it saved. It would not save all day. Crashed any time I tried to, losing me everything I had done prior. This being my first real show designing, my first time on my own (all the other techs were gone), and counting on my notes on how to program in order to even know how...needless to say that the board was about thrown across the room, the client was trying not to start freaking out (he was nearby while I called my boss to explain what was going on and beg for some help, or a new board). I ended up making some fluid
cue stacks, finishing right before doors were to open, and having to
roll my
console backstage
stage left, oh, and below
stage level so I honeslty couldnt even see the
stage during the show unless I stood on my tiptoes and pushed some drape out of the way. Not the best circumstances. I was confident with the client though, explained that yes, we were having issues, but that I promise his show would be spectacular, showed him my notes for every number....and started. I was lucky to be able to run it all on the fly, make it look incredible for them, and was told after that the client wasnt really thinking it would work out, given the issues, even though I was confident, but that he was more than impressed and it was more than he expected even if everything had worked perfectly. He asked me to design a couple other shows and it lead to some great places.
Had I not had my notes, ones that I took shadowing others for hours, especially since it was over 3mos between the first time and the second time I touched a board, I would not have been able to program and remain relatively calm enough to avoid a meltdown. But without that comfort, it didnt matter how many notes I took for each number, I wouldnt have been able to do them on the fly or been able to make sure that every one of the 23 numbers performed on a tiny
stage in the middle of a cafeteria was different and fit with the meaning/idea of the artists performing.
Being able to be confident that at the 13th hour you can give the client the best possible show no matter what the circumstances or issues makes you valuable. And being on a
system you are comfortable with will boost your confidence in doing so.
Good luck!
