40-45, de Musical

“40-45, The Musical” is a groundbreaking production by Studio 100, presented in the Midden Nederland Hallen in Barneveld, The Netherlands. Unlike traditional theatre, this immersive musical redefines the audience experience through a fully integrated motion system, designed and delivered by WICREATIONS.

At the heart of the concept lies a bold technical innovation: the entire audience moves along with the story. WICREATIONS developed a wireless automation system controlling eight massive moving grandstands, each carrying 211 spectators—1,688 in total. As the story unfolds, these grandstands glide silently and precisely across the venue, repositioning the audience seamlessly to follow the shifting action.

In addition to the mobile grandstands, WICREATIONS engineered eight dynamic video wagons and two large scenic wagons, all integrated into the wireless show control system. The video wagons are key to the immersive visual storytelling, delivering high-resolution projections that evolve fluidly with each scene. The scenery wagons contribute to the spatial transformation of the environment, enhancing the illusion that the audience is inside the story rather than merely watching it.

What sets this system apart is the sophisticated interplay of real-time positioning, timing precision, and creative synchronization—all without visible tracks or cabled connections. This untethered design maintains the illusion of free movement while delivering pinpoint accuracy and operational safety.

The result is a deeply engaging, technically flawless experience that blurs the lines between stage and spectator. The audience doesn’t just observe “40-45, The Musical”—they travel through it.

By combining technical excellence with artistic vision, WICREATIONS’ integrated motion system for “40-45, The Musical” sets a new standard for live entertainment. It exemplifies how automation and innovation can be used to serve storytelling, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in immersive theatre.

The fixed theatre installation at the Midden Nederland Hallen in Barneveld.consists of the 8 audience grandstands that have been WI designed, engineered, fabricated under WI supervision and tested on location. Several complex challenges crossed our path primarily due to the sheer scale, technological intricacy and the need for precise motion synchronization and coordination. With a 85-meter-wide, 75-meter-deep and 20-meter-high venue, the installation demanded an innovative approach to ensure seamless integration of WICREATIONS’ advanced technology.
• Tight Schedule: access granted only 12 weeks prior—exceptionally short for such a large-scale project. A 20+ crew worked in shifts 24/7 to meet the deadline & deliver to perfection for the prestigious kick off September 21st 2024.
• Complex Motion Engineering for the 8 massive audience grandstands, each weighing 28 tons to move smoothly and safely. The structures had to match perfectly on the wagon supports which had to be programmed and WIMOTION engineered to match the requirements of a much more complicated narrative and light, sound & video effect integration than the earlier editions of the musicals with moving grandstands at Puurs Belgium.
• Precise Synchronization: 8 gigantic structures had to move in multiple directions via complex cues, ensuring seamless transitions without jolts or delays.
• New DUB40 Wagon Technology: millimeter-precision control achieved with interconnected modular drive units, ensuring stability and fluid motion with at least two units per structure.
• Coordinated Set Movements: synchronisation of 8 grandstands, 8 moving video screen wagons, 2 scenery wagons, and shifting props. Dynamic sightline changes required exact positioning of 100+ performers.
• Stringent Safety Requirements: digital safe-onsite documents, rigorous testing and advanced redundant safety mechanisms ensured both performer and audience security while enhancing the immersive experience.

The fixed automated audience installation for the musical 40-45 at Barneveld is a new benchmark for live entertainment redefining audience engagement in theatre settings made possible by our cutting-edge and patented WIMOTION engineering system. Existing technology that has been tuned to perfection by WICREATIONS’ creatives, engineers, programmers and system integrators during the pandemic when the sector was locked down anyway. Or how to create light during darkness. Our joint innovation efforts have skyrocketed the WICREATIONS business ever since opening even more windows then before for prestigious and cutting-edge creative projects worldwide. As a smaller company from Heist-Op-Den-Berg Belgium with 50 employees on the payroll, we are proud that our expertise is right now valued by the greatest players in the live industries.
Key Innovations
• Cutting-edge designing, engineering, fabrication and operation of 8 gigantic audience grandstands, a unique achievement worldwide.
• Wireless motion precision – 128 motors and 564 wheels execute a 2-hour pre-programmed choreography with millimeter accuracy, ensuring seamless synchronization of all moving elements. The modular WI WAGON motion controlled system enables precise movements of extremely heavy loads, setting new industry standards for automated theatre installations.
• Ecosystem vision – the interconnected drive units ensure adaptability for future productions, allowing for enhanced creative possibilities and evolving technical applications.
• Dynamic audience experience – unlike traditional static theatre setups, the audience moves in perfect harmony with the narrative.
• Uniqueness – no comparable experience exists in the U.S., the Emirates, or Macau—marking a significant leap in theatre technology.
• Creative storytelling opportunities
This installation is more than a technical marvel. Theatre can be more than a static performance—it can be an experience audiences physically move through, redefining the future of theatre productions worldwide.