A landmark building with deep community roots
The historic Hilbert Circle Theatre is home to one of the nation’s
most renowned musical ensembles: the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra (ISO).
1,660+
200+
175,000+
Preserving a unique ambience
The ISO aims to provide a memorable and first-class experience to its patrons, and creating a safe and secure environment is key to that.
1,000 people
into the venue quickly and efficiently.
On busy days, with back-to-back sold-out performances, the ISO welcomes over 3,000 people. It’s not usual for as much as 60 percent of the audience to arrive in the last 20 minutes before a show begins – that’s about 1,000 people who need to enter safely in just a few minutes.
Delivering security that supports the unique experience of the Circle Theatre is challenging. Intrusive hardware is out: “We are delighted by the character of the building,” James notes. “We really don’t want to change a thing when it comes to the layout and design.”
The ISO used to rely on volunteer ushers to facilitate safety screenings with mags and wands, which caused slow moving and inefficient lines of guests. As David Armstrong, Vice President of Operations for the ISO observes, “We don’t want lines. We want folks to get in quickly and seamlessly, be safe, comfortable, relaxed and ready for the show.”
The ISO’s goals for its security screening:
Efficient
Easy
Attractive
Unobtrusive
Innovative technology from an experienced partner
Securitas Technology provided a solution that meets the unique needs of the ISO. “To have a partner in Securitas Technology that understands our needs, that really was the biggest thing,” says David.
Evolv Express® is a touchless security screening system for venues of all kinds to help keep visitors safe from concealed weapons, pandemic health threats and intruders. Powered by the Evolv Cortex AI™ software platform, the system uses proprietary sensors and artificial intelligence (AI) to differentiate weapons from personal items.
Evolv Express® keeps high-volume entrances flowing by reliably detecting guns and other weapons as people walk through naturally without emptying their pockets, bags, backpacks or other belongings. The system can screen more than 3,600 people per hour – 10 times faster than metal detectors.
An enriched patron experience
“This is a perfect solution for the ISO,” David notes. With Evolv Express® in place, the ISO easily has the screening capacity it needs to deal with the last-minute rush so typical of entertainment venue crowds.
The experience of entering the theatre has also been transformed, with nothing to detract from the anticipation and excitement of attending a live musical performance. “This is a community-based institution. We’re here to serve our community with great music and great experiences,” James says. “This is a system you simply walk through. You know it’s there, and you want people to know it’s a security system, but it is certainly not intrusive.”
Ultimately, the partnership with Securitas Technology has been key to the ISO’s success with visitor screening and threat detection. Says James, “We love our partnership with Securitas Technology, because it allows us to provide that assurance to our audience that they don’t have to worry; that this is going to be a safe experience for them.”
