The CM Performing Arts Center in Oakdale was gifted over $100,000 worth of audio and electrical equipment by Advance Sound Company of Farmingdale.
“We thought, let’s do something big,” said Matthew DePace. “For 55 years, we grew up with our parents always giving back to community organizations.”
“Our shows are amazing, but we did get feedback that our sound was an element that wasn’t fully showcasing the tremendous talent we have on stage,” said Marc Hollid Ausset, CEO of CMPAC.
Matthew and his brother Thomas came across an article on CMPAC last year about salvaged musical instruments donated to the theater from the former Dowling College and were moved to make a lasting impact on the “Heart of Long Island theater.”
“Arts are a way to escape. You have to view a different reality and get lost in a story. You shouldn’t notice the sound as a separate entity,” said Thomas.
“Sound was noticed,” said Hollid Ausset. “That was the last piece of the puzzle.”
During the summer, Advance Sound began to map out the upgrades and new systems needed for the sound system.
Along the way, the electrical system received a few upgrades, with power being run through to more amenable spots for outlets.
In one example, Hollid Ausset described the cleaning crew having to run extension cords for vacuums from one side of the 300-plus to the other because there were no outlets on the other side.
The previous system had a lot of reverb, where an echo continues bouncing off surfaces, creating a delayed audio. The pit (where the orchestra plays) and the singers were not able to hear each other well and contributed to the sound issues Hollid Ausset mentioned.
To alleviate this problem, speakers were placed in the pit as well as limiters to prevent mics picking up speakers.
“It’s a matter of physics,” said Matthew. “It’s fully curated for the space.”
“Every single person was a part of this—our whole 60-person team,” said Thomas.
Advance Sound Company was founded in 1971 (the DePace family is in its third generation and fourth decade of success in the audio and visual industry. Advanced Sound is also partners with the with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, local union #25 and the National Electrical Contractors Association.)
CMPAC opened in 1987 and in 2026, produces eight Broadway, mainstage shows a year along with children’s theater and special events.
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