INFiLED’s AR Series LED technology is at the centre of the visual design for Stranger Things: The First Shadow – a stage production which is a prequel to the popular Netflix series Stranger Things. The LED wall, integrated into the physical stage set, provides a flexible canvas for immersive visual effects. Following its successful London debut at the Phoenix Theatre, the same LED setup has been installed for the Broadway run at the Marquee Theatre in New York.
Developed in collaboration with integrator Blue-i Theatre Technology and creative studio 59 Productions, the AR Series LED wall has been specially designed to meet the show’s visual brief. INFiLED says that, with scenes shifting between 1950s Hawkins, Indiana and supernatural dimensions, the production required a display system capable of deep blacks and subtle colour transitions during live cues.
The solution combines the lightweight AR Series – now updated to the ARmk2 – with Brompton processing to deliver 10-bit colour transitions and minimal LED glow. The panels are housed within the set architecture to create what the production team describes as a “painterly” look, allowing the content to support the narrative without appearing like a digital screen.
Blue-i Theatre Technology’s managing director, Ed Cooper, said the visual language was crafted to blend cinema-like effects with a theatrical sensibility. He explained: “The use of LED screens in theatre is no longer just about adding digital effects. It’s about enhancing the storytelling, amplifying the emotional connection between the audience and the performance.”
He added: “The 10‑bit colour depth of the AR Series LED is really essential here. It makes transitions much smoother and is critical for seamless visual effects in a live theatre setting.”
Cooper also emphasised what he called “the technical advantages” of the AR Series in a theatre context, noting its quiet operation, robust construction and ease of maintenance. “We’ve always been an INFiLED house, and for good reason,” he said. “INFiLED stands out in the theatre world, especially when paired with Brompton processing technology. Together, they meet the unique demands of live performances.”
