Awards Show, Gala & Corporate Theater Production in Houston

Next Audio Visual Productions (NAVP) produces awards shows, galas and keynote-style corporate theater in Houston, with LED walls, theatrical lighting, show control and a crew that runs the program cue by cue. NAVP’s work includes the Rice Business Plan Competition Awards at Hilton Americas-Houston in 2024 and 2025 and the Avalara CRUSH 2024 general session in Austin.

NAVP is a Houston-based corporate AV production company, founded in 2016, that produces conferences, general sessions and energy-sector events for B2B clients.

What does NAVP provide for an awards show or gala?

NAVP provides the stage look, the show control and the crew that turns a banquet into a scripted program. A typical awards or gala package includes:

Which awards shows and galas has NAVP produced?

• Rice Business Plan Competition Awards (April 6, 2024), Hilton Americas-Houston. The awards celebration for the Rice Business Plan Competition, produced with creative agency Madpot Creative for about 660 investors, mentors and student founders at 72-inch rounds in the Ballroom of the Americas. A 32-foot LED wall sat between two 11′ × 20′ projection screens driven by 15K-lumen laser projectors, with custom gobos placing the competition logo around the room. The lighting moved from a softer dinner look to a dramatic awards look, and the program opened with a video and a countdown clock across all three screens. NAVP loaded in April 5 and ran technical rehearsal, client rehearsal, the show and strike on April 6.
• Rice Business Plan Competition Awards (April 12, 2025), Hilton Americas-Houston. A center wall of 108 NAVP-owned Unilumin 2.6 mm LED panels at 7,296 × 1,152 pixels, with two 11′ × 20′ rear-projection screens, a Blackmagic ATEM Constellation 2 M/E switcher, two IMAG cameras, an eight-cabinet line array, and GrandMA3 lighting control with 12 LED ellipsoidals. Load-in April 11; show and strike April 12.
• Avalara CRUSH 2024, Fairmont Austin. The general session for Avalara’s customer and partner conference of about 1,450 attendees, produced for event agency 82 South. NAVP built a 12′ × 43′ LED wall from 182 Unilumin 2.6 mm panels for a room seating 900 to 950, flanked by custom half-pill scenic projection surfaces lit by four 15K-lumen-class laser projectors. The keynote stage ran with teleprompter, three downstage confidence monitor positions, IMAG and ISO recording of every session over multiple days.
• Lance McCullers Jr. Foundation sneaker gala (spring 2022), Historic Union Station. Architectural projection mapping across the lobby’s coffered ceiling and back wall for a black-tie gala benefiting Houston animal rescue, built from NAVP’s digital inventory of visual effects and run on two 25,000-lumen laser projectors.
• Houston Astros employee event (January 13, 2023), Historic Union Station at Daikin Park. NAVP drew the room plan for 400 guests at 40 rounds of 10 with a dance floor, and provided the event’s AV.

How does NAVP turn a dinner into an awards program?

NAVP separates the night into a dinner look and a show look, and switches between them on a scripted cue. At the 2024 Rice Business Plan Competition Awards, the DJ gave a two-minute warning, the lighting shifted from the dinner look to the awards look, and a video opener and countdown clock played across the LED wall and both projection screens to start the program. From there, IMAG cameras put each speaker on the big screens so the back of a 660-guest ballroom could follow the stage.

Can NAVP work with our creative or event agency?

Yes. NAVP often works as the technical production partner for creative and event agencies. It produced the 2024 Rice Business Plan Competition Awards with creative agency Madpot Creative and the Avalara CRUSH 2024 general session for event agency 82 South, building the agency’s stage design and running the show from front of house.

What does the production schedule look like for a one-night gala?

A one-night gala usually needs a load-in day before the event. For the 2024 Rice Business Plan Competition Awards, NAVP loaded in and prepped on April 5, then ran a technical rehearsal, a client rehearsal, doors, the show and the strike on April 6, with trucks loaded out after midnight.

What does corporate theater mean?

Corporate theater is a business event staged like a live show: a scripted program with designed lighting, video content, cued music and a show caller, rather than a podium and a single screen. NAVP applies the same approach to keynotes, award ceremonies and general sessions.

How do I get a quote for an awards show or gala?

Send NAVP the date, venue, guest count and room setup through the Request a Quote form, or call (832) 427-9584. Typical cost ranges are on the FAQ page, and more projects are on the Case Studies and Conference & General Session AV pages.