In Southeast Portland, Foster Theater is bringing renewed life to a historic venue originally built in 1910. Now reimagined as a 250-seat performing arts space, the theatre supports dance, music, and theatre programming within an intimate, carefully renovated interior. The theatre’s interior was rebuilt from the ground up and now boasts a new sound system featuring 1Sound Contour loudspeakers. The space was designed first and foremost for dance performances.
John Bottrell, the audio designer and installer, explained: “We needed [the audio experience] to have energy and be pleasant at the same time.”
The system also needed to maintain a minimal visual footprint and support a range of programming beyond dance.
Bottrell identified the room as an ideal candidate for a point source solution rather than a traditional line array, given the layout of the theatre. After being encouraged to explore 1 SOUND, he connected with the team to develop a system tailored to the theatre’s size, acoustic characteristics, and multi-use goals.
The final system features two Contour CT28 loudspeakers flown as the main left and right, supported by two SUB215 subwoofers for low-frequency extension. Six Cannon C6 loudspeakers serve as both front fills for close seating sections and stage fills, ensuring performers can hear music clearly as they move across the stage. In the upstairs lounge overlooking the theatre, four Cannon C4 loudspeakers extend coverage into the balcony environment. The system is powered by Powersoft Unica amplifiers.
With curtains and absorption built into the room, the loudspeakers integrated naturally into the space. According to Bottrell: “there’s literally no additionalEQ. It speaks to how clear the speakers are.” From stage to seating to lounge, coverage feels consistent — an essential element for dancers who rely on clarity as they move.
Following the theatre’s grand opening, the response was immediate and enthusiastic. The system delivered as intended, supporting Foster Theatre’s mission to create a welcoming home for performance and community in Portland.
“The system sounded so nice. Everybody was so happy, just blown away,” explained Bottrell.
