Pabst Theater Group taps microbial reduction tech to enhance artist safety at venues
The Pabst Theater Group consists of the Pabst Theater, Riverside Theater, Miller High Life Theatre, Turner Hall Ballroom, The Fitzgerald and the Back Room @ Colectivo.
Scott Paulus
By Margaret Naczek - Reporter
July 22, 2022, 10:12am CDT
The Pabst Theater Group partnered with Kansas-based biotech company Synexis and Capitol International Group to create a safer environment for touring artists across its entertainment venues.
Under the new partnership the Synexis BioDefense System, which produces dry hydrogen peroxide to eliminate germs in the air, will be installed on the stage, in dressing rooms and at the dining rooms in the Riverside Theater, Pabst Theater and Turner Hall Ballroom. This system has been reported to reduce viruses and bacteria in the air including E. coli, Influenza Type A and the Covid-19 Delta variant.
The Pabst Theater Group also has plans for an installation of the system in the Wisconsin Center District-owned Miller High Life Theatre.
“The pandemic has presented touring artists with an entirely new set of risks to consider when traveling from venue to venue and playing in front of a new crowd every night. If just one member of the crew gets sick or tests positive for Covid, it has the potential to derail a tour indefinitely,” Pabst Theater Group president and CEO Gary Witt said in a press release.
The company offers several versions of its patented microbial reduction systems, which convert a space's ambient humidity and oxygen into a dry hydrogen peroxide molecule that's evenly spread throughout the air. It transforms the air into a disinfectant to provide microbial reduction of viruses, pathogens, mold and volatile organic compounds.
Witt indicated this system is also used for professional sporting teams in their clubhouse, training areas and weight rooms.
"We have invested in delivering a cleaner and safer environment for artists, tour managers and all on-site staff," Witt added.
Terms of the partnership were not disclosed.
The Pabst Theater Group consists of the Pabst Theater, Riverside Theater, Miller High Life Theatre, Turner Hall Ballroom and the Back Room @ Colectivo. Most recently, the Pabst Theater Group added The Fitzgerald to its venue portfolio. The group also hosts shows at other local venues including Fiserv Forum, the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena and the Bradley Symphony Center.