Live Design Magazine January 2016 by Live Design Magazine By Penton Media Inc.

ENVISION I BUILD I TECH I GO

JANUARY 2016

R ’S TALE THE W INTES B A L L E T A IT H L TA K INGLWM A N L U F MIC H A E L R IG H T F OR P L AYEW G IN N A IE R M IG L S E D TT JO SEP H ZE P U C C INI AALT E S T IV R AV E N N A F

’S DICK CL ARR'SK ROCKIN' EVE NEW YE A A ORCHE SST REVE N IA R E IB T R A NS -SSTS OF CHRISTMA TH E G H O

Class Act SCHOOL OF ROCK ON BROADWAY

TABLE OF CONTENTS ///

JA NUA RY 2016 /

GO ///

ENVISION ///

CREATIVE DIRECTOR, VT PRO DESIGN

Q&A MICHAEL FULLMAN

H ANDS, KNEES AND BOOMPS-A-DAISY...

/// B Y M E G H A N P E R K I N S

TECH ///

BUILD ///

LDI 2016: PRODUCT NEWS

A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH

DESIGNING FOR PLAYWRIGHT JOSEPH ZETTELMAIER

/// B Y M A R I A N S A N D B E R G

/// B Y D A V I N A P O L E O N

FEATURES ///

LOADOUT ///

COVER: MATTHEW MURPHY

/// B Y J O H N L E O N A R D

THE BARD EN POINTE

BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY

CHRISTOPHER WHEELDON’S DAZZLING VERSION OF THE WINTER’S TALE

LA BOHÈME AT ITALY’S RAVENNA FESTIVAL YIELDS A COMPARISON OF LED FIXTURES

/// B Y E L L E N L A M P E R T- G R E A U X

/// B Y M I K E C L A R K E

FEATURES ///

Ghost Stories Trans-Siberian Orchestra Tours The Ghosts Of Christmas Eve /// B Y M A R I A N S A N D B E R G

Head Of The Class

School Of Rock Moves From Hollywood To The Broadway Stage /// B Y E L L E N L A M P E R T- G R E A U X

Rock Around The Clock Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve Broadcast From Hollywood /// B Y M A R I A N S A N D B E R G

Q& A WITH MICHAEL FULLMAN

Q&A 4

BRADLEY MUNKOWITZ

GO ///

Creative Director, VT Pro Design

Michael Fullman /// BY MEGHAN PERKINS

he last year was a big one for creative design firm VT Pro Design. As creative director, Michael Fullman took a front seat for the firm’s successful designs, including Linkin Park’s The Hunting Party Tour in Europe and China and Kaskade’s performance at Coachella, in collaboration with Heather Shaw of Vita Motus. This year, VT Pro also collaborated with Bradley G. Munkowitz—or, as Fullman fondly knows him, GMUNK—on the TrueCar LED interactive sculpture installation for the Twilight Concert Series in Santa Monica, CA. This past December, the design firm also designed lighting and video for Mr. Carmack Immersion at the El Rey in Los Angeles as well as some automated Christmas lighting installations on the east coast for the holiday season. Live Design caught up with Fullman before the New Year about the firm’s latest endeavors.

OLIVER WALKER FOR GOLDENVOICE 2016 JANUARY \\\

GO ///

Q& A WITH MICHAEL FULLMAN

How did you get started in this industry, and what do you consider your big break?

COURTESY OF VT PRO DESIGN

I personally got started in production in middle school when I got involved in children’s theatre programs, mainly as an actor. When I got into high school at Jesuit High School in Portland, I chose my one elective to be a technical theatre class. In this class, I was exposed to so many technical approaches across the entire scope of what’s possible. In my sophomore year, I signed up for my first production as a followspot operator, and 6

my teacher, Jeff Hall, told me I should learn to be a board operator. After my first experience programming on an ETC Express, I kept pursuing lighting and production. I don’t know if I really ever had a big break, but I’ve had a number of experiences and opportunities that I have learned and grown from. Joining VT Pro Design in 2013 was a huge shift and has been a completely unique experience for creative development and exploration.

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GO ///

Q& A WITH MICHAEL FULLMAN

What were the challenges behind designing the TrueCar LED sculpture to be a â&#x20AC;&#x153;sympatheticâ&#x20AC;? and interactive installation?

The TrueCar installation was a really unique experience in its interactive goals. Between the VT design team, GMUNK, and Conor Grebel, we were able to really identify realistic goals and challenges to hit over the ten-week period of the installation being active. We had a unique opportunity to see how individuals would interact with the centerpiece and then make adjustments to that process of interaction. We found that interactive experiences needed to be effortless and easy to approach. In a split second, users needed to understand what their interaction was affecting and how they could manipulate it. We found this brought people deeper into playing with the sculpture to really find what it could do.

COURTESY OF VT PRO DESIGN

How did the touring specification affect the overall design and tech of the piece?

Creating the entire installation to completely strike and be rebuilt every week was an aspect of the physical, technical design that really drove the process of its load-in every week. The system itself used more than 66,000 pixels of Art-Net control, with live decoding from a custom media server driving system that we designed. The footprint of the BRADLEY MUNKOWITZ piece was 16’x16’ and broke up into enclosed deck systems that were 4’x8’ in footprint. Each one was independent in that it contained all power and data processing for its individual spires of pixels. The spires could then slide into their individual and specific positions, and after being connected by a four-pin connector, they were all ready to go. The real success of this process was also in the hands of the consistent installation team that was on the Santa Monica Pier every night prior to a concert to install the centerpiece. By the end of the Twilight Concert series, our team was able to install the centerpiece and all other ancillary elements in five hours.

DANIEL ZETTERSTROM 2016 JANUARY \\\

GO ///

Q& A WITH MICHAEL FULLMAN

OLIVER WALKER FOR GOLDENVOICE

Describe the thought process behind the production design for Linkin Parkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s The Hunting Party China Tour.

The Hunting Party China Tour had some pretty specific goals, creatively and physically. Video content setting the scene and being an equal part in the rhythm of a Linkin Park show has been a massive factor in recent years. With the China Tour, we wanted to build a design that not only showcased the showâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s content design but also made that content design extend out into the audience. We placed our lighting positions upstage to play an important role in reaching out to the audience and space yet another tool to communicate the energy of the band on stage. The lighting and production design were all based on multiples of three and were designed in a manner that the stage could appear empty and vast but also appear suddenly established with a strong and physical presence.

DANIEL ZETTERSTROM

How did you make sure the lighting stood out in the 40,000to 64,000-seat stadiums?

Touring in these huge Olympic stadiums in China produced a lot of unique challenges, especially because most of these stadiums were seated in a 200째 orientation. With a rock show like Linkin Park, we wanted to blend a lot of exciting moments where the lighting physically reached out into the far corners of the stadiums but also created picturesque moments on the stage. To accomplish this in China, we really loaded a lot of fixtures into our rig, based on the concepts of the previous European arena tour.

2016 JANUARY \\\

ENVISION ///

HANDS, KNEES A N D B O O M P S - A - D A I S Y. . .

Hands, Knees And Boomps-A-Daisy...

Boomps-A-Daisy dance

/// BY JOHN LEONARD

went for a minor surgical procedure a while ago, which involved wearing one of those back-fastening gowns that stops just below the knee and reduces anyone who wears one to an ambulant heap of embarrassment. As I climbed down from the couch, the doctor peered at my legs and asked how I’d got the assorted scars on my shins. They’re an interesting set of parallel indentations, some rather faded now, but others still livid against the pale skin. I explained that I worked in theatre, and the scars are almost all the result of walking into a tip-up seat that hadn’t tipped up in a darkened auditorium. Most people I know have at least one of these, the severity depending on the speed at which the scarred party was moving at 12

the time of the impact. Urgent departures from production desks to sort out pressing problems almost invariably lead to an unexpected impact and are liable to produce an extremely colorful invective from even the most taciturn of technicians. I suppose that wearing shin-pads would be a sensible precaution, but I somehow never manage to pack a pair alongside all the other paraphernalia that I seem to end up dragging to technical rehearsals these days. It got me thinking about the other theatre-related injuries that I’ve incurred over the years and pretty much accepted as part of the job. Not so long ago, I was working on a production in a theatre that I have known and worked in for 25 years. I could, and frequently did, walk around in almost total darkness, knowing each and every concealed corner and unexpected step, but for this production, the auditorium had been adapted to play in the round and the usual stage replaced by a circular podium. I’d gone on stage to check a contact microphone that was picking up footsteps and, having moved its position to a more viable location, stepped back to admire my handiwork,

the only problem being that, where there had been a stage for 25 years, there was now a five-foot drop, into which I gently toppled backwards, scraping my arm on a passing bit of scenery and bouncing the back of my head off a cast-iron pillar. I’m told that I fell rather gracefully and that no profane language passed my lips, probably because I lost consciousness for a few seconds, following the blow on the head. We were about 20 minutes away from the end of the technical rehearsal, and it seemed a shame to hold things up, so my arm was bandaged by an ASM, and, after a quick check to make sure I wasn’t seeing double or frothing at the mouth, we carried on and plotted the denouement. I took a cab to my local emergency room where, having told the triage nurse what had happened, I waited for about an hour in an empty department because the dog-tired doctor on duty jumped to the mistaken conclusion that I was a drunken clubber who needed an hour to sober up. She was most apologetic but pointed out that the triage note had simply stated “fell off stage and hit head,” and as I had walked myself in, rather than being wheeled in strapped to a gurney, it was the most obvious conclusion to draw. On that occasion, there was no damage done, but over the years and long before the more severe rules on health and safety came into force, the catalog of injuries is reasonably impressive, although none of them has prevented me from carrying on with the work I was in the middle of

doing. (Jump to the end for except ions , by the way.) A l most a l l of them were as a resu lt of someone el s e’s ne gligence or thoughtlessness, although the early injuries were all my own doing, as was t he fall from the stage, of c ou r s e . I n my youth, I clambered around high places in theatres without a care in the world. I balanced on rickety rails to place microphones, dangled one-handed from unsupported ladders while attaching speakers to proscenium booms, and, on one memorable occasion, threw myself down a flight of wooden stairs in the cause of creating a realistic sound effect. Stupid? Almost certainly, but I had the bravado and confidence of youth that, these days, leads to teenagers killing themselves in late-night high-speed car accidents. Thankfully, I survived through those years unscathed, but with hindsight, that was mainly down to good luck, rather than good judgment.

As I climbed down from the couch, the doctor peered at my legs and asked how I’d got the assorted scars on my shins.

2016 JANUARY \\\

ENVISION ///

HANDS, KNEES A N D B O O M P S - A - D A I S Y. . .

It turns out this really isn’t particularly good for you.

When I go into a theatre to prep a show today and see everyone on stage with hard-hats, riggers clipped on with harnesses, and speakers securely fastened with safety lines, I’m rather thankful that the gonzo methods of yesteryear are now in the dim and distant past. For your entertainment, here’s a list of some the injuries I’ve sustained, roughly in chronological order: • Crushed index finger of right hand after being too gung-ho with a chain-operated roller-door. Nail still deformed after forty years. • Crushed toe after trying to stop a truck full of counterweights with my foot. No steel toecaps and, consequently, a lovely time in the ER involving a red-hot, straightened paper clip and a nurse who stated quite categorically that it was going to hurt a lot, and I could scream if I liked. I liked. • Broken ankle sustained while descending a cat-ladder in the dark, at the 14

base of which someone had helpfully positioned a flight-case. Took self to local cottage hospital, where gleeful nurse inexpertly applied a plaster cast, explaining that this was her first time and how excited she was. Carried on with the show on crutches, much to the amusement of the local crew. Later, at the rather bigger hospital where I went to have the cast removed, the technician viewed it with the disdain of a seasoned craftsman surveying the efforts of a cowboy builder, with the words, “Which idiot did this, then?” • Broken ankle sustained while working in a raised orchestra pit from which someone had equally helpfully removed one panel of the flooring but replaced the carpet. • Severe bruising sustained by actually falling into an orchestra pit where a whole section of the covering had been removed, and, once again, someone had replaced the carpet. That injury

really wasn’t helped by a famous actress laughing her head off at seeing me disappear through the auditorium floor like a demon in a morality play. I’m looking at you, Cate Blanchett. • Knee swollen to the size of a soccer ball after kneeling on a screw head left proud of the floor by a distracted carpenter, thus damaging kneecap. Slightly embarrassing as unable to remove jeans for examination, so had to have one leg (of jeans) sliced open. Repaired, of course, with copious amounts of gaffer tape (the jeans, not the kneecap; that still gives me gyp in wet weather). As I get older, I let others do the climbing and the rigging and content myself with trying to find a hard-hat that actually fits and doesn’t fall off when I tilt my head back to check speaker positions, but there are other ailments that afflict the older person, particularly those with a somewhat sedentary lifestyle. I spend a lot

of my life in rehearsal rooms and theatres, sitting down for many hours, with coffee and cookies on tap for much of the time. It turns out this really isn’t particularly good for you, and a recent visit to the doc following a “not feeling too good” episode was fairly swiftly followed by an appointment with a consultant and a brief spell in hospital for a whole series of tests. At the time of writing, I’m still taking the tablets and feeling rather a lot better, thanks very much, and I got some decent recordings of the sounds in the recovery room in the hospital once I’d come around from the anesthetic, so it had its upside. John Leonard is an award-winning designer who has been working in theatre sound for over 40 years. In his spare time, he records anything that makes an interesting noise in high-definition surround sound. He is also almost certainly the only sound designer in the world to have piloted a Spitfire. His sound effects libraries are available online at www.asoundeffect.com. 2016 JANUARY \\\

GHOST STORIES TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA TOURS THE GHOSTS OF CHRISTMAS EVE /// BY M A RI A N S A NDBERG

Play video of TSO founder Paul O’Neill discussing the new stage.

ryan Hartley has once again designed Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s annual holiday tour, this year titled The Ghosts Of Christmas Eve. Hartley has been designing the various iterations of this show for more than a decade.

2015 JANUARY \\\

Atmospheric effects are via nine Harman Martin Professional Jem ZR44 Hi-Massâ&#x201E;˘ foggers, with two MDG hazers, and 10 snow machines.

JDP WORKS

Media servers on the tour are two SAMSC Catalysts.

Control is via a High End Systems Full Boar 4 console and two Road Hog 4s.

JDP WORKS

This year, Hartley has lighting gear from VER Lighting and video from PRG, with lasers and pyro by Pyrotek Special Effects.

JDP WORKS 18

JDP WORKS

Lasers supplied by Pyrotek Special Effects include a 30W, four 20W, two 10W, and 10 audience lasers, all Pangolin Laser Systems and run via a Pangolin control system.

COURTESY OF VT PRO DESIGN

JDP WORKS

Hartley’s lighting rig features 64 Ayrton MagicDotTM-Rs, 58 MagicPanelTM-Rs, 32 MagicBladeTM-Rs, 17 MagicRingTM-R9s, and eight CosmoPixTM-Rs, all via Morpheus Lights; 60 Robe Pointes, 44 Robin® LED Beam 100s, and two Robin Cyclones; 40 TMB Solaris Flares; 32 GLP impression X4 units and nine impression X4 Bars; and six Harman Martin Professional MAC Vipers.

JDP WORKS 2015 JANUARY \\\

SGPS ShowRig provided the rigging systems and crew.

JDP WORKS 20

Hartleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s production design is based around a VER WinVision 9mm LED center screen, flanked by PRG Nocturne V-28 LED modules.

JDP WORKS

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2015 JANUARY \\\

ER PRODUCTIONS SPARKLE AT THE 2015 INTERNATIONAL LASER DISPLAY ASSOCIATION AWARDS!

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SCHOOL OF ROCK MOVES FROM HOLLYWOOD TO THE BROADWAY STAGE

MATTHEW MURPHY

/// BY ELLEN L A MPER T-GRE A U X

2016 JANUARY \\\

COVER STORY

t took 12 years, but it seemed inevitable that a film grossing more than $131 million worldwide would become source material for a Broadway musical. Such is the case for School Of Rock, the popular 2003 movie directed by Richard Linklater, in which Dewey Finn, a slacker musician played by Jack Black, impersonates a friend by taking a substitute teaching job and then creates a rock band with the fifth-grade students. The eponymous Broadway version opened in December 2015 at the 1,500-seat Winter Garden Theatre, where it has been doing very well at the box office, with a score by Andrew Lloyd Webber, book by Julian Fellowes (writer of Downton Abbey), and directed by Laurence Connor. The design team comprises Anna Louizos, sets and costumes; Natasha Katz, lighting; and Mick Potter, sound.

PIVOTAL SETS

“I didn’t want to be influenced by the film,” admits Louizos. “So I didn’t look at it again for this process.” Instead, the set and costume designer took some of her cues from Lloyd Webber. “He felt the school needed to create an atmosphere of pressured achievement for the kids, an established, staid institution,” she explains, noting that “in England, private schools are very tradition-based. That was in his mind, a suggestion on his part, so I paid particular attention to what kind of architectural details would suggest private schools, such as plaques on the walls, achievement charts, and Gothic-inspired architecture that might suggest Oxford University.”

MATTHEW MURPHY

The rock stage is lit with Clay Paky Sharpys, Harman Martin Professional MAC Auras and Atomic Strobes, Philips Color Kinetics ColorBlasts, and nine-light Molefays.

2016 JANUARY \\\

MATTHEW MURPHY

COVER STORY

The trick for Louizos was “to create a fully realized, believable space on stage for the classroom, which would then need to transition to a grungy apartment, a dive bar, or a rock concert stage, and all happen in an instant.” Her solution entailed a lot of planning, working out ground plans, and mocking up scale models, in order to create the illusion of three-dimensional spaces by employing visual tricks. “Some of it is forced perspective,” she says, “and strategically placed elements that create a complete picture in the audience’s eye.” The schoolroom desks, custom-made by Tom Carroll Scenery Inc. in New Jersey, add to the flexibility of shifting movement on stage. “The desks are moved by the kids,” notes Louizos. “They are well-engineered and slide across the floor. The chairs remain attached and can spin, while the tops are solid so kids can stand on them, but they look like traditional school desks. We have backups built to cover wear and tear and for press events.” Various locations in the school are created by using two-sided tracking panels: a total of six, four in one line, while two of them pivot. Show Motion built the scenery and automation. “The Gothic panels are built with internal steel pivot-points, which anchor within a frame that tracks in the deck; there is an actor-operated manual release, so the panels can be spun by the actors,” Louizos explains. “

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COVER STORY

JEREMY FOIL

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MATTHEW MURPHY

There is an ample amount of automation for the wagons, tracking panels, and pallets, as well as an elevator that brings up a bed, a bar booth, sofas, and a drum kit.

We can create different angles with the walls to create hallways and then reveal the other sides with classroom walls.” The upstage classroom wall, which flies in, has forced perspective elements to the ceiling and wall moldings and is equipped with many traditional classroom elements, such as a flag, tracking chalkboards, bookcases; a header of beams flies in with the crest of the school, all created for the show’s Horace Green Prep School. “There are wings between the various scenic elements to track props, such as desks and musical instruments on and off,” adds Louizos. “From the audience point of

view, this is a fully realized room.” When the actions move to Dewey’s apartment, Louizos notes that she employs “brick sliders that contain hidden light boxes to represent Dewey’s more urban world, as well as two tracking wagons that form the back wall of his bedroom. His bed is fleshed out in two ways: One is on a pallet that tracks from upstage, while the other version of the bed comes up on an elevator from the basement.” The bed is built to look as though it is piled on top of milk crates containing his music collection, suggesting his haphazard lifestyle. 2016 JANUARY \\\

COVER STORY

JEREMY FOIL

There is quite a bit of automation for the wagons, tracking panels, and pallets, as well as the elevator that brings up not only the bed, but also a bar booth, sofas, and a drum kit. The large, automated, rock ‘n’ roll stage platform used for the concert is stored upstage against the back wall at stage level throughout the show and then everything opens up, and it tracks downstage. Louizos points out that Show Motion engineered a “commutator that allows the platform to spin for ‘onstage’ and ‘backstage’ scenes. It is a very complicated piece of scenery, with power for all the sound equipment and overhead light trusses fed through the deck into the platform.” Ashley Bishop served as project manager at Show Motion, with Ben Heller as production supervisor for the production. Louizos’ associate scenic designers on the production are Jeremy W. Foil and Hilary Noxon.

Doing both sets and costumes was a change for Louizos. “Most of the time, I design sets,” she says, “but the costumes were an opportunity presented to me. In British theatre, the designers tend to do sets and costumes. When I met with Andrew and Laurence Connor, and Nina Lannan, the producer, I was initially offered the set designer position but was then asked if I would do costumes as well. Andrew likes to have one designer do both, and since it is a contemporary story, I felt I could handle the scope of both, since I believed most of the costumes could be shopped rather than built.” The 14 children on stage wear school uniforms that were sourced from a uniform company for private schools. “I thought about building them, but there was no compelling reason to build them from scratch.

It seemed more economical to use bought uniforms,” says the designer, who figures that, with a cast of children aged 10 on stage, there will be a lot of replacements as they outgrow their costumes and their voices change. Various shops built some of the other costumes, such as the Ziggy Stardust-inspired costume, built by John Kristiansen. For the other actors, Louizos chose clothes based on the characters: who they are and how they dress. “We pulled a lot of clothing from a lot of different sources and had the actors come in and try a lot of outfits on them,” she explains. “I try to give each character a distinct look, and all the actors play different roles from teachers and parents to rock band members to record store owners, and had the clothes tailored to them.”

Louizos says that Dewey was “fun to dress. We found a lot of shirts and vests in thrift stores and liked the patterns, so we had them custom-made, including his red velvet jacket, plaid shorts, and pointed-collared shirts, which were built by Gilberto Designs.” Wonderfully tacky thrift-store sweater vests became a signature feature for Dewey, so Louizos had them duplicated for Broadway, with custom vests knit by Marian Grealish. The designer also found that “quick changes are one of the inherent challenges with a show like this, especially when the actors play multiple roles. Some of them have to quickly change from band members to parents, so there are a lot of logistics as well as hidden zippers and Velcro.” Lisa Zinni is the associate costume designer. Potter positioned amps on stage with different kinds of sound controlled via MIDI from the DiGiCo SD7 digital console.

2016 JANUARY \\\

COVER STORY

Louizos dressed Dewey in pointedcollared shirts, velvet jackets, plaid shorts, and custom vests knit by Marian Grealish.

MATTHEW MURPHY

RC4Wireless Innovation | Inspiration

BACK TO BACK

PLASA AWARD FOR INNOVATION

COVER STORY

Katz didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to foreshadow the rock concert at the end of the show, so she did not light the rock scenes in the schoolroom to explicitly match the music, as she usually would do.

Lighting

in a musical helps the emotional dynamic and changes the mood.

JEREMY FOIL

THREE MODES OF ILLUMINATION

In keeping with the show’s prep school setting and other realistic locations that eventually morph into a rock concert, Katz designed the lighting as a triple play. The first mode is naturalistic, following the comedy aspects of the musical, with warm colors such as dark amber in the light. The second look is inside the schoolroom, where Dewey teaches rock music. “There is a fine line for the lighting in the classroom,” says Katz, who had seen the film version several times with her own children and found the project very exciting. “I usually light a musical hand-inglove with the music, but in this

case, it had the potential to look like a rock concert in the classroom. I didn’t want to foreshadow the actual rock concert that takes place at the end of the show or to feel as if we weren’t in the world of the classroom. It took restraint not to, as it’s hard not to do what’s in my DNA.” As a result, the designer found herself listening to an inner dialogue and asking herself, “Should I or shouldn’t I?” In the end, she found a compromise, a hybrid. “Lighting in a musical helps the emotional dynamic and changes the mood,” says Katz, who added deep purple, blues, and medium reds as under-painting for the rock moments in the classroom. 2016 JANUARY \\\

COVER STORY

There is an ample amount of automation for the wagons, tracking panels, and pallets, as well as an elevator that brings up a bed, a bar booth, sofas, and a drum kit.

MATTHEW MURPHY

The third mode of illumination is for the concert scene, where the colors refer back to those used in the schoolroom under-painting. “The story is the arc of these kids learning to play and their freedom at the end,” says Katz, who has Clay Paky Sharpys, Harman Martin Professional MAC Auras and Atomic Strobes, Philips Color Kinetics ColorBlasts, and nine-light Molefays on the rock stage, where the truss is lit with one-foot lengths of linear RGBW LEDs placed one foot apart. “The concert scene is cued very tight musically and constantly changing,” adds Katz. “I didn’t want to repeat myself but wanted to give each kid a signature look. The lighting is very vibrant and active, with your eye following the very thin beams of the Sharpys, almost like a pointer.” Craig Stelzenmuller is the produc36

tion’s associate lighting designer, and Alex Fogel programmed the moving lights. Production electrician Michael Pitzer notes that the lighting system runs on a fully redundant fiber optic network and PRG Series 400 Power and Data Distribution, as well as wireless DMX from RC4 Wireless. “We use wireless DMX in the deck units, scenic sliders, and props so that we don’t have to trail a cable or where we have power but no option to run a DMX cable,” he explains. For example, there are wireless receivers for the two bedroom wagons that have LED light boxes and LED Christmas lights. The hallway sliders use a battery and wireless DMX receiver to control LED birdies. The brick sliders left and right receive power through a bus bar on the traveler track but use a wireless DMX receiver to control the LED light boxes.

All of the LED light boxes in the show use 16-bit four-channel LED drivers. “As for the wireless props,” adds Pitzer, “the guitar case and jukebox have wireless receivers for the LED tape. The skull phone uses a two-chain wireless dimmer to control the eyes that flash when the phone rings.” Pitzer notes that the Palace Stage platform, the concert stage that tracks downstage and spins 720°, is his biggest challenge on the show. “To power the Atomic Strobes, Sharpys, MAC Auras, ACLs, ColorBlasts, Star Strobes, and RGB LED ‘neon,’ we need 200 amps of power and three universes of DMX,” he explains. “Automation needs power and data for the onboard motor. Sound needs power and several Ethernet lines of all of the instruments and monitors. All of the power and data distribution has to fit under the drum riser, which is only 6’x6’x3’ tall.” His first challenge was the 200 amps of power. “We use 50 smaller conductors to carry the 200 amp three-phase power through an Igus cable chain in the SR deck track,” he says. “The output connectors on the doghouse are five-wire cam locks. This goes to the 200 amp, five-wire commutator under the center of the drum platform.” The lighting is broken out into a 24x2.4kW dimmer rack mounted sideways, two 3x208V PDs for the strobes, and 6x120V PDs for everything else. For data, the Palace Stage uses 10 Ethernet cables: two for lighting (main and spare), two for automation (main and spare), and the rest for audio. For lighting control, the Ethernet breaks out to four universes of DMX with a DMX node. “To complicate it even more,” adds Pitzer, “all

of the lighting had to be installed onsite once the stage and truss were assembled, so this meant that all of the lighting was hung and wired in the dark in the upstage storage position during rehearsals. Thanks to my amazing crew: Jeremy Wahlers, Karen Zitnick, Matt Carney, Meredith Kievit, and David Spirakes!”

VARIOUS LOCATIONS IN THE SCHOOL ARE CREATED BY USING TWO-SIDED TRACKING PANELS: A TOTAL OF SIX, FOUR IN ONE LINE, WHILE TWO OF THEM PIVOT.

2016 JANUARY \\\

COVER STORY

LLOYD WEBBER ROCKS Conventional Broadway musical or rock concert? It’s both, in fact, as Potter has designed three distinct styles of sound that resonate throughout The Winter Garden. “The sound dynamic changes throughout the show,” he says. “Mainly, it is a conventional musical, with a strong book and score. As the kids and their relationship with Dewey grow, it moves at times into more of a rock musical, and then the show finishes as a full-blown concert. It should feel as if you are at a concert venue for the final 15 minutes, with full-out rock sound.” The dB levels ebb and flow throughout the show, and as Potter puts it, “It’s more about it being big than loud, a lot of punch from the system with a lot of subs and surround to make it feel big.” To achieve all this, Potter designed a system that is larger and more robust than one might expect for a Broadway musical,

COURTESY OF ANNA LOUIZOS

including a main proscenium line array of 12 Meyer Sound Lyon loudspeakers per side. “This is a bigger system than you might ordinarily use for a musical in a theatre that size,” he admits, but he can modulate the sound to various levels as desired. With just a seven-piece band on stage— drums, bass, three guitars, two keyboards— the score is “very cleverly orchestrated by Andrew Lloyd Webber,” notes Potter, who has designed sound for Lloyd Webber’s productions for more than 15 years. “There are a lot of purely synth sounds used within the keyboard parts. The keyboards and guitars can be almost orchestral in style and, sometimes, pure rock, but they never try to imitate conventional orchestral sounds, such as strings or brass. It’s always using original synth sounds. A lot of the sound design is informed by the score.”

A workshop at the much smaller Gramercy Theatre helped Potter. “It was a huge help in the design process, even though we were in a small club, to put on the whole show with the full cast and band,” he says, adding that the workshop also allowed him to play around with different styles of microphones, from head mics to boom mics. “That helped us when we got to The Winter Garden, where the cast is wearing small boom mics, which were the best option during experimentation at the workshop. There are more than 40 radio mics worn by the cast, and some of the kids on stage also wear in-ear monitor mics so they can hear each other properly,” explains Potter. “The director, Laurence Connor, wanted it to feel filmic,” the sound designer adds. “He didn’t want the kids to battle the music,

and with the boom mics, they can perform more naturally over a rock score, so we decided to have everybody wearing them, so that it became the look of the show. Ideally, you don’t want to see mics, but in doing a rock show with kids, you don’t want them to strain their voices.” Potter also faced some challenges with the loudspeaker system. “It is complex, as it’s a very wide theatre, and we had to keep the low-mid energy up on the extreme sides of the auditorium,” he says, pointing out that he added Meyer DS4P loudspeakers, a legacy product, to augment the proscenium line arrays off-axis coverage. The center cluster is also unusual in that there was not enough space vertically between the set and the top of the theatre to rig a line array vertically.

COURTESY OF ANNA LOUIZOS

2016 JANUARY \\\

To solve this conundrum, Potter turned the proscenium cluster on its side, with 13 Meyer Sound MINA speakers horizontally. “I figured out how to splay them to make it work, and it gives us a nice wide cluster where there was no room,” he says. “It worked out pretty well, so I might use it again on other shows.” Another challenge involves the sheer amount of musical equipment on stage, with three different musical setups for the actors in addition to the pit setup. “So there are four sets of amps,” Potter explains. “All of the guitar and bass amps on stage are props, with our speakers in them that we control remotely with wireless packs that feed back to the speakers on stage.” The sound comes from the amps on stage, different kinds of sound controlled via MIDI from the DiGiCo SD7 digital console. Sound Associates provided the audio gear. Everything in the show is played live. Each electric guitar has five inputs into the console, a stereo Fractal effects processor, plus a remote guitar cabinet amp with three mics on it. “It is unusual to do both, but this allows us to pick and choose the guitar sound we wanted for each number in the show,” says Potter. “The whole band setup is more complicated than you’d imagine. There is a lot of technology involved, although it looks pretty straightforward.” Adam Fisher is the production’s associate sound designer, with Colle Bustin as production sound engineer and George Huckins as head mixer. 40

COURTESY OF ANNA LOUIZOS

COVER STORY

FLY FLOOR - CLR HT UNDER - 26'-9"

KEY TO SYMBOLS:

14°

BLACK BRICK DROP

792

2'-6"

3'-6"

2'-6"

4'-0"

SM WX

1005

12" VET

WASH

PERF.

WASH

S4-19° @ 750w

4'-6"

SM WX

CONS. WX

2w 12" VET

1005

DEWEY

CENTER @ 25'-0" TO CL FLY FLOOR - CLR HT UNDER - 26'-9" 27'-2" US

791

WASH

PERF.

S4-26° @ 750w

4 LADDER L

S4-36° @ 750w 15°/30°

4'-0"

CONS. WX

12" VET

CENTER @ 25'-0" TO CL 27'-2" US

LEGS #3 BORDER #3

S4-14° @ 750w

BLACK BRICK DROP 4'-6"

DEWEY

4 LADDER R

12" VET

LEGS #3 BORDER #3

26'-0" US

PALACE THEATRE WALL

S4 15°/30° ZOOM @ 750w

PALACE THEATRE WALL PERF.

MARTIN MAC VIPER PERFORMANCE @ 1000w

ASSEMBLY HALL HANGER

CLASSROOM HANGER

WASH

TAB #3

MARTIN MAC VIPER DX WASH @1000w 3'-0"

BRICK SLIDERS

LX BOX

4'-6"

PERF.

WASH

DX PERF.

CLASS HNGR WM CLASS HNGR WM CLASS HNGR WM 12" VET N/C 12" VET N/C 12" VET N/C

17'-4" US

LX BOX

4'-6"

LX BOX

4'-6"

3'-0"

LX BOX

3'-0"

1'-9"

12 FX SPEAKER

CONS. WX

11w

1004

10w

1004

WASH

10 FX SPEAKER

DX WASH

PERF.

WASH

3 LADDER L

L201 12" VET L201 12" VET L201 12" VET CLASS HNGR CL CLASS HNGR CL CLASS HNGR CL

7 14

5 591 581

PERF.

2 592 582

593 583

COLORBLAST TRX

CENTER @ 25'-9" TO CL

3'-0"

PROFILE

18'-10" US

3'-0"

16 596 586 15

12" VET

PROFILE

18 597 587 17

21 598 588 20

18'-10" US

LX BOX

1'-9"

12" VET L201 12" VET L201 12" VET L201 CLASS HNGR CL CLASS HNGR CL CLASS HNGR CL

CENTER @ 25'-9" TO CL

12" VET

1'-9"

3 LADDER R

12" VET

AUDITION BANNER

12" VET

COLORAM 4"

12" VET

IRIS 17'-4" US

LX BOX

BRICK SLIDERS

IRIS LEGS #2

IRIS LEGS #2 IRIS BORDER

TEMPLATE UNIT #

CHANNEL #

IRIS BORDER LX BOXHEADER APARTMENT

1'-9" 12" VET

2 4

18 457 462 17

12" VET

3'-9" 12" VET

3'-0"

4'-6"

3'-0"

3'-9"

1'-9" L201 12" VET xW COOL

12" VET

CONS. WX

SM WX

19w

13w

DX PERF.

WASH

12" VET

1003

12" VET

SM WX

SPEAKER POSITION

PERF.

WASH

SPEAKER POSITION

1003

12" VET

PERF.

WASH

1'-9" 12" VET

7 1108 1109 6

CONS. WX

WASH

PERF.

xW COOL L201 12" VET

12" VET

2 419 424

418 423

4 xW

12" VET

PROFILE

SCHOOL ENTRANCE DOORS

US HOUSEHOLD HANGERS

1 ROVER L

CLASSROOM LX BEAM

CLASSROOM LX FIXTURE

CLASSROOM LX BEAM

BAR HANGER

1 ROVER R

CENTER @ 26'-0" TO CL 10'-8" US

12" VET 4

CLASSROOM LX FIXTURE

2 LADDER L

1 xW

HOUSEHOLD HANGER (LIVING ROOM)

CLASSROOM LX BEAM

HALLWAY SLIDER TRUSS (18" DEPTH)

4'-6"

12" VET

16 1118 1119 15

12" VET

TAB #2

1'-9" 12" VET

21 458 463 20

THIS DRAWING REPRESENTS A LIGHTING DESIGN THAT IS WHOLLY OWNED BY NATASHA KATZ. ANY USE OR DISTRIBUTION OF THIS DRAWING OTHER THAN AS REQUIRED FOR PRODUCING THE BROADWAY PRODUCTION OF "SCHOOL OF ROCK - THE MUSICAL" IS EXPLICITLY PROHIBITED AND IS A VIOLATION OF COPYRIGHT LAWS IN THE US AND INTERNATIONALLY. ANY UNAUTHORIZED DISTRIBUTION OR USE WILL RESULT IN LEGAL ACTION ON BEHALF OF THE DESIGNER. THIS DRAWING, AND THE LIGHTING DESIGN ITSELF, IS ©2015 NATASHA KATZ . ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS DRAWING REPRESENTS VISUAL CONCEPTS AND CONSTRUCTION SUGGESTIONS ONLY. IT DOES NOT REPLACE THE KNOWLEDGE AND ADVICE OF A LICENSED STRUCTURAL ENGINEER. THE DESIGNER IS UNQUALIFIED TO DETERMINE THE STRUCTURAL APPROPRIATENESS OF THIS DESIGN AND WILL NOT ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR IMPROPER ENGINEERING OR USE.

PROFILE

2 LADDER R

CHANDELIER

KITCHEN HANGER

CHANDELIER

LX BOX

TAB #2

LX BOX

RIG TO FLY CENTER @ 26'-0" TO CL 10'-8" US US HOUSEHOLD HANGERS

COLORAM 7.5"

7 4

CLASS HNGR WM CLASS HNGR WM CLASS HNGR WM

AUDITION BANNER

LX BOX

NATASHA KATZ

D.S.L. REVOLVING COLUMN

SCHOOL ENTRANCE DOORS

9'-2" US

Nkatz@natashakatz.com

HALLWAY SLIDER TRUSS (18" DEPTH)

HALLWAY SLIDER STORAGE FACULTY LOUNGE HANGER

21w

1002

TAB #1

PERF.

12" VET

1'-9" 12" VET

18 447 452 17 xW

2'-6" 12" VET

12" VET

3'-0"

16 1114 1116 15

4'-6"

2'-6"

12w

DX WASH

12" VET

PERF.

DX WASH

PERF.

WASH

1'-9" L201 12" VET xW COOL

1'-9" 12" VET

7 1104 1106 6

SM WX

12" VET

WASH

3'-0"

SM WX

xW COOL L201 12"

2'-0" 12" VET

1 LADDER L

12" VET

CONS. WX

408 413

4 xW

VET

3 409 414 2 xW

1002

PERF.

12" VET

C.S. C.S. ELEVATOR ELEVATOR

2'-0" US

CENTER @ 28'-0" TO CL 3'-6" US

1'-9" 12" VET

20 448 453 19

PROFILE

CONS. WX

DS HOUSEHOLD HANGERS

PROFILE

12" VET

CENTER @ 28'-0" TO CL 3'-6" US

HOUSEHOLD HANGER (KITCHEN)

TAB #1

2'-0"

1 LADDER R

PORTAL #1

HOUSEHOLD HANGER (GARAGE)

12" VET

PORTAL #1 DS HOUSEHOLD HANGERS

2'-0" US

HALLWAY HEADER

OPENING NIGHT

12/2/15

PREVIEWS

11/21/15 11/5/15

COOL X/LT PROJECT

TORMS, SHARPYS, FOOTS

10/23/15

PSP UPDATE

10/22/15

2LX + 3LX MOVES

10/18/15

US TROUGH LOAD-IN

10/10/15

PSP TRUSS LOAD-IN

10/9/15

PROSC TRUSS LOAD-IN

10/5/15

LOAD-IN

9/16/15

LADDER REVISION

8/27/15

SHOP BIDS

8/20/15

FIRST RELEASE

7/28/15

PRELIMINARY

7/1/15

REVISION

DATE

REV

HALLWAY HEADER

SHOW CURTAIN

N M

SHOW CURTAIN

PERCH - CLR HT UNDER 8'-6"

PERF.

FIRE CURTAIN

PROSC TRUSS US 2'-9"

3'-8"

3'-3"

SHOW PORTAL

11'-7"

11'-8"

3'-2"

3'-3"

DEWEY LIFT

L201 xW COOL

12B 1112 1113 12A xW COOL L201

L201 xW COOL

L201 xW COOL PERF.

10 1111 442 9

12 444 443 11 xW

PERF.

"MINA" LINE ARRAY CLUSTER WX

1001

12'-3"

PERF.

2 402 403 1 xW

0B 1102 LINE ARRAY 1103 0A

. . . . . . . LLOYD WEBBER MUSIC BY . . . . . . . . . . . . ANDREW LYRICS BY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . GLENN SLATER BOOK BY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JULLIAN FELLOWS ..... DIRECTED BY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . LAURENCE CONNER SCENERY & COSTUMES BY . . . . . .ANNA .. LOUIZOS LIGHTING DESIGNED BY . . . . . . . NATASHA KATZ ASSOCIATE LD . . . . . . . . CRAIG STELZENMULLER PRODUCTION ELECTRICIAN . . . . MICHAEL PITZER

xW COOL L201

12'-3"

WINTER GARDEN THEATRE

RET

RAC TAB LE STE PS

L201 xW COOL

4 1101 404 3

PERF.

NEW YORK, NY

TAB RAC PS STE

RET

PERF.

EXCEPT WHERE NOTED

DATE: DECEMBER 2, 2015

OF 7

LIGHTING GEAR PROVIDED BY PRG 12 Clay Paky Sharpy 52 Harman Martin MAC Viper Performance 19 Harman Martin MAC Aura 18 Harman Martin MAC Viper Wash DX 7 Harman Martin Atomic Strobe 33 Philips Color Kinetics ColorBlast TRX 20 Rosco Miro Cube 4C RGBW 30 ETC Source Four 14° Double Clutch 93 ETC Source Four 19° 98 ETC Source Four 26° 64 ETC Source Four 36° 10 ETC Source Four 50° 1 ETC Source Four 15°-30° Zoom 16 L&E Mini-10 Frosted 32 PAR 64 ACL 4 PAR 56 Short Nose MFL 4 Mole-Richardson 9-Light Molefay

LIGHT PLOT

MOVED FROM 1 BOX L

CC NEAR BX <L

282

NEAR BXBM <L

DRAWN BY: CJS

PROSC TRUSS DS CC NEAR BX >R

293

NEAR BXBM >R

DRAWING

SCALE: 1/2" = 1'-0"

1 2

15 Vegas Mini Strip Medium Flood 40 TPR Lights Star Strobes 46 Wybron 4'' Coloram IT Scroller 30 Wybron 7.5'' Coloram IT Scroller 3 MDG Atmospheres Haze Generator with DMX Control 2 Look Solutions Viper Fog Machine 3 Jem AF-1 MkII DMX Fan 4 PRG Series 400 Power Distribution System Rack 2 ETC Sensor 96x2.4kW AF Hi-Density Dimmer Rack 2 ETC Sensor 48x2.4kW AF Hi-Density Dimmer Rack 1 ETC Sensor 24x2.4kW AF Hi-Density Dimmer Rack 1 ETC Eos TI 8000 Lighting Console 2016 JANUARY \\\

COVER STORY

AUDIO GEAR PROVIDED BY SOUND ASSOCIATES MAIN MIXING CONSOLES 1 DiGiCo SD7 Digital Mixing Console 1 Fader Expansion Unit 1 SD-Rack (RF/System) 1 SD-Rack (Pit Band/System) 1 SD-Mini Rack (Stage Band 1 SD-Mini Rack (Stage Band Platform MADI 1 OPTOCORE DD4MR-FX MADI I/O Interface TC Electronic Reverb 6000 MKII System 1 TC ICON MkII and Remote CPU 6000 MKII 2 Mainframe 6000 with DSP Card / Digital I/O LOUDSPEAKERS LINE DRIVERS, POWER AMPLIFIERS, PROCESSORS Pros Arrays 24 Meyer Sound Lyon-W Loudspeaker 4 Meyer Sound DS-4P Mid-Bass Loudspeaker Pros Side Fills 8 Meyer Sound MINA Loudspeaker Pros Cluster 13 Meyer Sound MINA Loudspeaker 2 Meyer Sound UPJ-1Ps Loudspeaker Subs 8 Meyer Sound 900-LFC Loudspeaker 2 Meyer Sound 1100-LFC Loudspeaker Front Fills 8 Meyer Sound UPM-1P Loudspeaker Side Fills and Box Fills 8 Meyer Sound UP-4XP Loudspeaker 1 Meyer Sound MPS-488HP Power Supply Delays 28 Meyer Sound UP-4XP Loudspeaker 4 Meyer Sound MM-10XP Loudspeaker 4 Meyer Sound MPS-488HP Power Supply Delay Truss 10 Meyer Sound UPJ-1Ps Loudspeaker 42

Surround 50 L-Acoustics 8XT Loudspeaker 18 L-Acoustics 5XT Loudspeaker 8 d&b E4 Loudspeaker 12 d&b D6 Amplifier Controller Stage FX and Foldback 6 Meyer Sound UPJ-1P Loudspeaker 8 d&b E8 Loudspeaker 2 d&b D6 Amplifier Controller Deck Foldback 16 d&b E5 Loudspeaker 2 d&b D6 Amplifier Controller Stage Imaging 6 Meyer Sound UPJ-1P Loudspeaker 2 Meyer Sound CQ-1 Loudspeaker 2 Meyer Sound 500-HP Loudspeaker Stage Band 4 Meyer UPJ-1P Loudspeaker 8 Meyer UPJunior Loudspeaker 6 d&b MAX12 Monitor Loudspeaker Loudspeaker Processing 11 Meyer Galileo Callisto 616 Digital Loudspeaker Management Processor Meyer Compass Galileo NetworkMeyer RMS Control Network RADIO MICROPHONE SYSTEMS Sennheiser EM 3732-II System 24 Sennheiser EM 3732-II Receiver Module 42 Sennheiser SK5212 UHF Transmitter 6 Sennheiser SKM5200 UHF Transmitter 50 DPA d:fine 66 Dual-ear Omindirectional Headset Microphones (Sennheiser 3-Pin Lemo Connectors) Shure Instrument Wireless System 5 Shure ULXP4 Single Channel Diversity Receiver 5 Shure ULX1 Bodypack

Show Motion built the scenery and automation, including a commutator that allows the platform to spin for “onstage” and “backstage” scenes.

JEREMY FOIL

Cast Onstage Monitoring 2 Shure PT10T Dual Channel Wireless Transmitter 4 Shure P10R Wireless Bodypack Receiver BAND MICROPHONES AND DIs 1 Yamaha Subkick Low-Frequency Transducer 1 AKG D112 MKII Dynamic Microphone 1 AKG D12 VR Dynamic Microphone 24 DPA 4022 Compact Cardioid Microphone 8 Shure Beta 98D/S Condenser Microphone 1 Soundfield SPS422B Microphone System 30 Whirlwind Hotbox DI Unit 1 A-Designs REDDI All tube DI 2 Buttkicker Drum Throne Rig w/Buttkicker Concert, Power Amplifier 2 DPA d:vote 4099G Microphone BAND MONITORING 1 DiGiCo SD10-24 Digital Mixing Console 1 Digico SD10 RE Redundant Engine and Fader Pod

Roland RSS Personal Mixing System 1 Roland S-MADI REAC MADI Bridge 2 Roland S-4000D Splitters and Power Distributors 12 Roland M-48 Personal Mixers (Includes 2 Spares) 8 Genelec 8030B Self Powered Monitoring Loudspeakers 4 Genelec 8040B Self Powered Monitoring Loudspeakers 5 d&b MAX12 Monitor Loudspeakers SFX PLAYBACK AND SHOW CONTROL QLab Audio Show Control System 1 QLab 3 Pro Bundle Licence 2 Hammerfall HDSPe PCI Card DSP MADI Interface 2 Sonnetech xMac Mini Server Kits MADI RECORDING AND PROTOOLS 1 DiGiGrid IOC Control Room I/O 1 DiGiGrid MGB Coaxial MADI Interface 2016 JANUARY \\\

FE ATURE

Bohem Rhaps LA BOHÈME AT ITALY’S RAVENNA FESTIVAL /// B Y M I K E

mian sody YIELDS A COMPARISON OF LED FIXTURES CL ARKE

FE ATURE

ince opening in 1990, the Ravenna Festival in Italy has gained a reputation as one of Europe’s most prestigious events, hosting a wide range of performing arts in equally varied venues, several of which are on the UNESCO World Heritage List. For its Autumn Trilogy dedicated to Puccini, two of the productions were staged in the town’s Dante Alighieri Theatre, a gem of traditional architecture.

CRISTINA MAZZAVILLANI

DAVIDE BROCCOLI

VINCENT LONGUEMARE

The trilogy comprised Puccini’s most popular masterpiece, La Bohème, presented with the Cherubini Youth Orchestra and a talented young cast, as well as a Bohemian divertissement titled “Mimì is just a flirt,” proposing an original slant on Puccini’s themes, and a recital conducted by Riccardo Muti. La Bohème, a new co-production with the theatres of Vilnius, Piacenza, and Novara, was based on an idea by director Cristina Mazzavillani Muti, who pursues her research in the field of high-tech applied to opera, with an all-LED lighting rig designed by French LD Vincent Longuemare and extremely atmospheric video mapping by David Loom. Regarding her approach to direction, Mazzavillani stresses, “It stands out, thanks to the use of the latest lighting and video technology, particularly in a traditional genre such as opera, which, in many cases is stifled by convention. However, this doesn’t mean putting technology before music or words, but it must be at the service of both. In fact, the words and melodies evoke the images on stage. The latest addition to the highly qualified, well-proven production team I’ve worked with for many years and have shared numerous successes with—Vincent Longuemare, video programmer Davide Broccoli, and costume designer Alessandro Lai—is visual artist David Loom. As well as being technologically advanced, his work has a deeply personal approach and was a further stimulus for our process of integrating operatic tradition and modern video technology.” 46

La BohĂ¨me featured an all-LED lighting rig designed by Vincent Longuemare.

2016 JANUARY \\\

FE ATURE

A stalwart Christie fan, video programmer David Broccoli used Christie Roadie HD+35K projectors for La Bohème.

The director says that she rediscovered the work of French Symbolist painter Odilon Redon, whom she calls “a lover of the bizarre and decadent tradition, imaginary and the grotesque, who managed to transform even the most commonplace subjects, such as flowers, by means of the metamorphosis of memory and imagination. This complex vision was the area I suggested David explore to find images closest to the ironic, disenchanted, and sometimes even ferocious and pitiless spirit I read in Puccini’s masterpiece.”

Longuemare divided the opera into two sections: black and white acts with a variety of chiaroscuro and acts with color.

Broccoli is a well-known face in video production circles. Recent projects on which he has worked have included a touring production of Aida in German indoor sports arenas, while upcoming projects include a trip to Seoul for a production of Handel’s Rinaldo. As well as his work on opera productions, Broccoli works with increasing frequency on interactive multimedia content for key exhibitors at trade expos. He is a stalwart Christie fan and explains, “I convinced the theatre to purchase the Christie Roadie HD+35K we used for front projections on four pairs of 1.8x7.5m mobile screens with Peroni Nerissimo PVC film. My advice was based on a series of reasons, not the least important of which is its reduced running

cost, compared to other units. For example, the lamp costs a third of the price of less powerful models, and if you think that, on this production alone, I used the lamp for approximately 280 hours, this aspect plays a very important role. Then there’s the image quality: The Christie projector is hard to fault as far as this is concerned. It has an excellent white, wonderful color management and image regulation.” Loom’s video content was fed out to the screens via a coolux Pandoras Box Quad SSD standard server, and a Christie Roadster HD20K-J 3DLP unit was deployed on rear-projection duty, on a Peroni Notturno New (zero hotspot) full-black PVC backdrop/rear projection screen. 2016 JANUARY \\\

FE ATURE

OTHER FIXTURES THAT IMPRESSED THE LD DURING HIS TESTS WERE HIGH END SYSTEMS’ SOLASPOT PRO 1500 AND SOLAWASH PRO 2000.

The SolaWash Pro 2000 was used almost as a beam light, picking out faces from a long distance and helping to define characters on stage without exaggerating.

Broccoli enthuses, “The video content’s pre-production by David was perfect, so that onsite fine-tuning took just a couple of days during the three weeks of rehearsals.” Born in Dieppe, France, lighting designer Longuemare has been based in Italy since 1996. During his varied career, in addition to opera, contemporary theatre, and dance, he has designed architectural lighting and held workshops, seminars, and training sessions. In 2014, Longuemare had almost finished the draft of a handbook for lighting designers, when one of the proofreaders drew his attention to the fact that the chapter dedicated to LED lighting was rather negative. “He said I risked sounding like one of the old guard, wary of innovation, but

this isn’t the case,” he says. “I’ve always been in favor of advanced technology, if used in an artistic, poetic manner.” However, the comment spurred Longuemare and lighting industry veteran Pino Loconsole, founder of rental firm Luci di Scena and Ravenna Festival lighting supplier, to embark on an ambitious project: testing practically all the relevant LED fixtures available. “We saw dozens, carrying out A:B tests between fixtures of the same category, focused on dimming, linearity in the progression when switching fixtures on and off, compensation systems, yield, luminous efficiency, beam distribution, color rendering, and mixing systems, as well as the mechanical aspects of the motorized units,” says Longuemare. 2016 JANUARY \\\

FE ATURE

For the Puccini productions, as far as fixed profiles were concerned, he had initially considered ETC’s Source Four LED Series 2 Lustr fixtures, but when he discovered the manufacturer’s ColorSource Spots were available, opted for them for their greater luminous efficiency and fourcolor LED format, as well as their “decidedly attractive price tag.” Loconsole supplied 16 ColorSource Spots with 25° to 50°

lenses and 16 more with 15° to 30° lenses, deployed for two levels of side-lighting. “These gave an excellent pictorial result, with perfect light distribution over the entire beam aperture, and, in terms of intensity, I never went over 60%,” Longuemare says. Other fixtures that impressed the LD during his tests were High End Systems’ SolaSpot Pro 1500 and SolaWash Pro 2000.

“The first we tested was the profile, a category of fixture I used large numbers of,” he says. “I had to understand how they responded to dimming and how the color temperature held even with low settings of 20% or 30%. I need to create atmospheres even with low intensity, the famous ‘illuminated darkness,’ which picks out the characters on stage without exaggerating.” Longuemare was initially dubious as to

whether LED fixtures were able to maintain a good intense light and show the details of the characters and their historical costumes, and he adds, “This ability to define shapes is a feature for which halogen lighting ruled the roost for decades.” He had to change his mind and eventually worked at 30% to 40%, obtaining excellent definition of the field of vision and the ability to pick out the singers perfectly.

WE INSTALLED 12 OF THE FORMER AND SIX OF THE LATTER FOR VINCENT.

2016 JANUARY \\\

FE ATURE

Director Cristina Mazzavillani Muti suggested that visual artist David Loom explore the work of French Symbolist painter Odilon Redon.

“Thanks to its framing system, the SolaWash can be used almost as a beam light, picking out faces from a long distance,” the LD says. Loconsole’s company was the first Italian rental firm to field the SolaSpot and SolaWash fixtures and explains, “We installed 12 of the former and six of the latter for Vincent.” Longuemare concludes, “Redon painted exclusively in black and white, until he fell in love, and began painting colorful flowers. I therefore divided the opera into black and white acts with a variety of chiaroscuro, and acts with color. The fixtures turned out to be extraordinary tools for the job of showing both the white and the black surrounding it, thanks also to their great aiming precision and total containment of light spill.” Mike Clark, ex-sound engineer, road manager, radio personality, and club DJ, is a UK-born journalist residing in Italy and specializing in entertainment-related technology. He has contributed to Live Design under its four names for 20 years, and, as well as contributing to UK, Russian, and Italian periodicals, also works as a technical translator for audio and lighting manufacturers.

2016 JANUARY \\\

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ROCK T HE

AROUND

CLOCK

DICK CLARK’S NEW YEAR’S ROCKIN’ EVE BROADCAST FROM HOLLYWOOD /// BY M A RI A N S A NDBERG

ick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest was broadcast on ABC from several locations, from Times Square in New York to Hollywood, CA, home to the annual Billboard Hollywood Party. Lee Rose, who has also recently launched Lee Rose Designs, once again designed the Hollywood location, hosted by emcee Fergie. Performers included 5 Seconds of Summer, Luke Bryan, Jimmy Buffett, Alessia Cara, DNCE, Fall Out Boy, Ellie Goulding, Andy Grammer, Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth, Elle King, Tove Lo, Demi Lovato, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, OMI, One Direction, Pentatonix, Rachel Platten, Nathan Sykes, Carrie Underwood, and Walk The Moon.

2016 JANUARY \\\

Additional lighting included 140 Harman Martin Professional Rush PAR 2 RGBW Zooms and 28 Atomic 3000 Strobes; eight Kino Flo 4Banks; and three Strong Super Trouper II followspots.

ProTapes... at the core of television & film production. For almost 40 years, ProTapes has been the leader in pressure sensitive tapes designed for the A&E industry. We manufacture a wide selection of specialty tapes in a range of colors. Whether in live performance, theater, stage, television or film, production crews find our Pro Gaff ™ tape to be indispensible. Don’t trust your production to anything less than the best. For the name of your nearest dealer contact: Dennis Mirabella, Market Manager A&E Division at 800-345-0234 x115, or direct at: 732-743-4165. E-mail at: dennism@protapes.com. Visit www.protapes.com to learn about all our specialty tapes.

Pro Gaff™

Pro Gaff™ Fluorescent

Console Tape

Pro-Spike Stack

FE ATURE

Rose, who worked with assistant LD Eric Wells, created a design that featured 58 GLP impression x4s and 24 impression x4 Bars (1/2 and full meter lengths); 56 Ayrton MagicPanelTMR units; 28 Philips VariLite VL3000 Spots, 25 VL1000 ERS units, 18 VL2500 Spots, and 18 VL3500 Wash fixtures; 36 Elation Professional Sniper 2Rs and 12 ACL 360째 Rollers; 32 Clay Paky Mythos and 12 B-Eye K10s; 12 Robe Robin Pointes; and eight PRG Best Boy Spots.

Video was served via four SAMSC Catalyst media servers, with control via two PRG V676 consoles (with two additional spares), and a High End Systems Hog 4 console (with one spare).

FE ATURE

Michael Sherlock was the productionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s digital media creator and producer, with Cat West acting as digital media director and programmer.

Tony Ward was chief lighting technician, with Brian McKinnon as assistant chief lighting tech and Steve Oleniczak as lead moving light tech.

2016 JANUARY \\\

PRG (Tony Ward) provided the main lighting rig, with Morpheus Lights (Mark Fetto) supplying the Ayrton fixtures. Media servers and consoles were from Bionic League (Martin Phillips), and Elation fixtures came directly from Elation Professional (John Dunn, Eric Loader).

save the dates!

october 17-23, 2016 â&#x20AC;˘ exhibits: october 21-23, 2016 â&#x20AC;˘ las vegas

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PROBLEM/SOLUTION

A Force To Be Recko ed With DESIGNING FOR PLAYWRIGHT JOSEPH ZETTELMAIER /// BY DAV I N A P O LEON

DANIEL L WINTERS

For the Planet Ant Theatre production of All Childish Things, lighting designer Alex Gay used blue and red hues to represent when the hero is torn between good and evil.

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he Force has been strong with Joseph Zettelmaier since the late ‘90s, when the most prolific playwright in Michigan turned his attention from acting to writing. Zettelmaier’s plays have been widely done in the state and are beginning to be produced in theatres far, far away, even outside the country. One of the most produced is All Childish Things, a comedy about Star Wars-obsessed friends who plan to break into a warehouse to steal collectables. It takes place in the basement of Dave’s mom’s house, where he lives. The place overflows with Star Wars toys, some in view, some in a protective vault. A production just closed at the Know Theatre of Cincinnati, where artistic director Andrew J. Hungerford did the scenic and lighting design. To fill the stage with memorabilia, props designer Sarah Beth Hall put out a call for people to lend what they had. Turned out much was available 66

from collections of the artistic team itself. “The whole production team felt, ‘We all know this guy.’ We wanted the basement to feel lived in and not like ‘I’m on the Corellian Corvette,’ but we also wanted it to be an homage to Star Wars, as if he had subconsciously designed it to be evocative of the Millennium Falcon,” says Hungerford. The parchment color in the basement resembles the color of the ship’s hallway that leads to the cockpit. A table in the room evokes the hologram game piece chessboard where Chewbacca and R2-D2 play in Episode IV: A New Hope, and shelves are filled with memorabilia his friends are allowed to play with: toys that are out of the packages. “We had fun with the vault, which is a big factor in the plot,” Hungerford adds. “We took the inspiration from who this guy is and how detailed his knowledge is. A complicated series of electric locks face downstage, so whenever we opened the door,

there was a giant wash of light and smoke. When a mysterious man opens it and walks inside and disappears, you get the idea that it’s huge.” Hungerford says the show was deceptively simple from a lighting perspective. “It happens within the space of a couple of hours, but there’s the opportunity to do subtle shifts. Lighting effects around the vault shift when the wrong code is introduced. The planning for the heist is enhanced with projections of going to the warehouse, through the gate, and down this road. “We designed a wireframe projection of an overview of the warehouse. The camera flies in, and we follow the road, like going down the Death Star trench. We had so much fun with it.” At the end of the play, after a crisis is resolved, the protagonist relaxes and watches a Star Wars DVD. “We projected the opening sequence onto him, across the set. The title crawls over him.” Alex Gay, who designed lights for the play’s first

production at the Planet Ant Theatre in Michigan, also referenced elements of the films in his design. “One of the most iconic lighting elements in any Star Wars movie is when the hero is being torn between good and evil, and you have a light blue hue on one side of his face representing the light side of the force and red on the other, representing the dark side. It was a lot of fun to pull out.” Zettelmaier says he tries to create worlds that any-

one—actors, directors, and designers—will want to play with. He doesn’t want to impose too much and finds it exciting to see what the artistic team comes up with. For All Childish Things, the stage direction says the walls overflow with Star Wars memorabilia, and he’s enjoyed seeing what turns up on various stages. “Little things surprise me,” he says. “Every time I go on stage, I say, ‘Oh look, there’s a mold for one of the old Star Wars toys here…”

We took the inspiration from who this guy is and how detailed his knowledge.

All Childish Things at Know Theatre of Cincinnati

For Ebenezer at the Williamston Theatre, Janine Woods Thoma designed the setting as a private hospital room with gaslights overhead, a classic brick hospital wall, and a gray hospital-looking bed and blanket.

2016 JANUARY \\\ OF 67ALEX GAY COURTESY

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SALVAGE Toys, memorabilia, and other odds and ends fill the stage for another of Zettelmaier’s plays, Salvage, about the owner of a cluttered collectables store in Detroit that is in as much trouble as his love life. Angela Weber Miller, who designed the set for the production at the First Folio Theatre near Chicago, says the play “lives or dies on the props,” and credits Cassy Schillo who found them. “We knew that the shop really had to reflect the aesthetic of this nerd,” says Miller, adding that it had to be dingy, a place that didn’t attract much foot traffic. Zettelmaier changed a few words in the script to accommodate some of the props they found, including a Darth Vader helmet.

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JENNIFER MAISELOFF

Salvage at Planet Ant

JENNIFER MAISELOFF

Shelves lining the walls of the basement in All Childish Things are stocked with Star Wars memorabilia Daveâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s friends are allowed to play with: toys that are out of the packages.

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LANGUAGE LESSONS

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ANDREW F. GRIFFIN

You’d expect that a playwright who appears onstage from time to time would write for actors. Zettelmaier also writes, or rewrites, for designers. When Language Lessons, about the relationship between a Russian ballerina on her final tour and a retired diplomat, was in rehearsal at the Performance Network in Michigan in 2007, technical director Janine Woods Thoma had a problem. The play was to end with a reveal—a fieldstone fireplace needed to be pulled off to allow a scene to occur in a bedroom behind it—and Thoma was having trouble finding a solution that wasn’t awkward. Zettelmaier changed the timing of a critical monologue so it could occur without that scene change. “He was a young playwright, still exploring, and he was discovering when it’s best to show the audience something and when it’s best to leave it to the imagination. The change made the design possible and made the script better.” Hungerford, who designed the lights, brought moonlight through the windows. “The world Zettelmaier creates is so clear, and yet it leaves so many opportunities for designers to enhance emotional moments,” he says.

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INVASIVE SPECIES In Invasive Species, Zettelmaier tells the story of a lonely fisherman who keeps a large fish as a pet, setting off a DNR investigation. Scenes are set in his living room and at his nearby fishing hole. Zettelmaier says Jennifer Maiseloff, scenic designer for the world premiere at Tipping Point Theatre in Michigan, “blew [his] mind” when she turned the living room into a fishbowl. Says Maiseloff, “I wanted to show how Earl had separated himself from the outside world. His living room is surrounded by the fishing hole, and in a way, he created his own fish tank. Both these characters had closed themselves off in their own ways.” Lighting designer Alex Gay says he enjoyed blending the interior and exterior in the same space. “The male lead has shut himself away for a lot of his life. Once the female lead comes into his life, the outside world comes back to his interior world,” something he accomplished with gels and gobos. “I played with shuttered windows. Once he opens himself up, full sunlight comes through. There are no longer any lines restricting outside light that comes in.” Maiseloff says Zettelmaier’s plays inspire imaginative designs. “As I read his plays, my imagination runs wild, and there are no limits. Every play has something you don’t expect, and it keeps you on your toes.”

The scenic and lighting design of Invasive Species blended the interior and exterior in the same space. 72 JENNIFER MAISELOFF

Scenic designer Jennifer Maiseloff turned the living room into a fishbowl for the world premiere of Invasive Species at Tipping Point Theatre.

2016 JANUARY \\\ 73 JANINE WOODS THOMA

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The Scullery Maid at Jewish Ensemble Theatre

Maiseloff also designed The Scullery Maid at the Jewish Ensemble Theatre in Michigan. The play, about King Edward and a murder plot the kitchen staff has hatched against him, requires two sets: the kitchen and the throne room. “I wanted to make the set as realistic as possible, so the audience would feel transported to this time and like they were voyeurs, watching this plot unfold,” she says. “The oven in Act One and the bed in Act Two were on a turntable. As they moved, the walls broke apart and moved as well. It was all a choreographed dance; it was fun to watch during intermission.” 74 74

JENNIFER MAISELOFF

THE SCULLERY MAID

JENNIFER MAISELOFF 2016 JANUARY \\\

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Ebenezer takes place in a hospital room on a cold Christmas Eve in London, 15 years after Scrooge’s transformation. Known for his generosity, he will find a way to spread cheer from his deathbed to a grown-up Tim Cratchet, whose view of the world has grown darker. Janine Woods Thoma, who designed the world premiere at the Williamston Theatre in Michigan, says the play called for wonderful Victorian settings, with rich and intricate detail. “Nobody had private rooms 76 76

at the time, but I wanted this to feel more intimate,” she says. “I talked to Joe, and he said ‘Let’s pretend that Ebenezer is so special to people in the hospital so they clear out the nurse’s break room to give him a private room.’ We put a fireplace in there with gaslights overhead and a Christmas tree and some presents under it, but it was still a classic brick hospital wall, painted with pale tan and gray, with a gray hospital-looking bed and blanket.” Thoma adds that there

is an “air of magic to the show.” A table had to convert to allow a memory sequence to transform the stage to a pub in London, and a window had to blow open of its own volition. Thoma, who was also tech director for the show, drilled a hole through the floor of the theatre so a latch could be released from below by pulling a cord and springing the hinges on the frosted window. Because of the placement of the window downstage, near an audience seated in a three-quar-

COURTESY OF CHRIS PURCHIS

EBENEZER

ter thrust, audiences could see both sides of the window, and it was impossible to work from behind it. Alex Gay, who did the lighting and was tech director at Williamston, conveyed the warmth within and the cold outside. “Scrooge is the center of the play and often at the center of the stage,” he says. “I took the idea that the warmth emanated from him. I had the idea that he was sitting around a campfire, a warm, central, orangey spot. The fire gets colder or bluer as

you reach the outskirts.” He shined light through the open window, using Fresnels and ETC Source Four ellipsoidals. Julia Garlotte did the sound design for the production of Ebenezer when the play was next done at the Tipping Point Theatre in Northville, MI. She used a lot of instrumentals with period instruments, evoking the Dickens era. Garlotte, who appeared in the lead role of The Scullery Maid at the Jewish Ensemble Theatre, recalls the bagpipes

used in that production and says the historical accuracy in Zettelmaier’s plays makes designing them fun. She notes that, while some of his plays are entirely original, some build on other works that are set in particular periods. “He takes an existing story and nestles his own story into it in a way that still makes sense.” Ebenezer, for instance, “felt like Dickens’ characters, but it wasn’t the usual Dickens.” Ebenezer at Tipping Point Theatre 2016 JANUARY \\\

COURTESY OF ALEX GAY

Alex Gay designed the lighting for Ebenezer, conveying the warmth within and the cold outside.

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THE GRAVEDIGGER: A FRANKENSTEIN PLAY

Another play built from parts of a classic is The Gravedigger. Zettelmaier set his gothic story in the late 1700s in outdoor and indoor settings in Bavaria: a cemetery and the scientist’s home. The First Folio Theatre production was mounted in an empty desanctified church, where Angela Weber Miller did not have the ability to do scene shifts. “There is no backstage, so both elements were on the stage at the same time. A big arch goes upstage to what used to be an altar,” she says. The forest went behind it, the room in front. Miller says the creepy, old church setting helped her create an earthy environment, “to give the sense of smelling the grave.” Zettelmaier says they built a mausoleum on stage, in detail he found “mind-blowing.” 78 78

ANDREW F. GRIFFIN

The Gravedigger at First Folio

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The art deco-inspired props and furniture for It Came From Mars had to be super-durable because they get piled atop each other to create a barricade during the play. It Came From Mars at Breakaway Project, Dublin, Ireland

JANINE WOODS THOMA

IT CAME FROM MARS

Zettelmaier set It Came From Mars in 1930s New York in a radio studio. Actors, rehearsing their own show, get a whiff of what appears to be a news report from another station: Orson Welles’ War Of The Worlds broadcast. “Joe always chooses great locations,” says Janine Woods Thoma, who designed a unit set for the rolling premiere at the Performance Network in Ann Arbor and the Williamston Theatre in Williamston, MI. Since a broadcast about an invasion of aliens sets things in motion, Thoma played up sci-fi elements in the design, with a curvy shape to the room and an overhead chandelier attached to a large heavy-looking circle suggesting a spaceship. She used red, blue, and green for overhead lights that cue “Standby” and “On Air” instead of typical muted colors for these. For a cityscape beyond, she used hexagonal Plexiglas that she colored and frosted and lit from behind to look like out-of-focus city lights. “The whole city is collapsing onto the radio station,” she says. “Art deco-inspired props and furniture had to be super-durable because they pile things on top of each other to create a barricade. When a sound-insulating curtain comes crashing down, they use it as a blanket, for comfort. The play, Thoma notes, is “a dark farce: All of Joe’s farcical comedies are laced with darkness, and his dark plays are made effervescent with wit. There’s 80

JANINE WOODS THOMA

JENNIFER MAISELOFF 2016 JANUARY \\\

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LDI 2015: PRODUC T NE WS

LDI 2015: Product News /// B Y M A R I A N S A NDBE R G

LED DRIVER BOXES SCENEX LIGHTING

LP’s Scenex Lighting has launched two dedicated pixel LED drivers, designed as all-in-one solutions for controlling LED pixel tape and pixel strings. The PP4 LED driver box features a low-profile 1U case with multiple mounting points, designed to fit neatly under stage deck surfaces, rack-mounted or truss-mounted. Four outputs connect directly to LED tape, with up to 200W of power. The larger PP16 LED driver comes in a 2U rack-mounted housing, with 16 LED tape outputs and a power supply of up to 800W. It also has multiple points for truss hanging. Additional power injection ports are standard on both drivers to accommodate extended lengths of LED tape, and both drivers use industry standard sACN E1.31 and Art-Net protocols to control a wide range of pixel types, with each output configurable to control multiple DMX universes. Each box features auto-sensing power supplies, ranging from 100V to 240V, 50/60Hz. A web server is built in for setup of the pixel tape type, universe, and DMX address for each individual port. Other features include pixel grouping, universe spanning, and RGB color order. GERMANLIGHTPRODUCTS.COM/SCENE-X-LIGHTING/

RUSH STROBE CWL HARMAN MARTIN PROFESSIONAL

he Rush Strobe CWL is a compact LED linear strobe that comprises 99 3W Cree XP-D LEDs with a reflector design that offers a traditional Xenon strobe look with a 17,000 lumen output. The strobe has a 87° beam angle and color temperature range of 7,000K to 8,000K. MARTIN.COM

2016 JANUARY \\\

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LDI 2015 : PRODUC T NE WS

DREAMPANEL SERIES AYRTON

reamPanel™-Shift is a 384x384mm video panel that uses 4,096 RGB LEDs on a pitch black background. Mounted on a moving head, it combines the continuous pan/tilt rotation of the MagicPanel™ with the control system from the HDMI DreamPanel™HD-Box. A 48-circuit rotating connector enables the smooth, undisturbed transmission of video signals through pan and tilt rotation. DreamPanel™-Twin is a hybrid luminaire displaying an optimized MagicPanel on one side and the DreamPanel Shift on the other. Incorporated into a motorized head capable of continuous double rotation on the pan and tilt axes, it can alternate between displaying high-definition video images and 3D volumetric lighting effects. The side has 4,096 RGB LEDs on a pitch black background, while the MagicPanel-R side has a resolution of 64 emitters arranged in an 8x8 matrix. The two sides are controlled separately: the video side through the HDMI DreamPanel HD-Box and the MagicPanel side by Art-Net or sACN through an Ethernet link. The HDMI DreamPanel HD-Box control system has been specially developed to drive video panels in HDMI, managing the image, the positioning of the panels, and the rotation between the media server layer, which generates the signal, and the display layer. It is used with the DreamPanel™Manager, PC-compatible software that lets the user configure a matrix, orientate the tiles individually, and adjust brightness. Morpheus Lights is the exclusive US distributor for Ayrton. AYRTON.EU MORPHEUSLIGHTS.COM

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NEW I/O-R BOARD FOR RPC PLATFORM LYNTEC

he I/O-R board (O-R stands for outbound relay) for the RPC platform expands RPC control options to include high-current contactors and outlet control. The board allows users to control devices outside of the RPC panel—any device that can be controlled with a low-voltage dry-contact closure—as part of the RPC control platform. As a result, users have more flexibility to connect and control complex systems on a single control platform. Users can assign an address to any of the remote devices and control it individually or as part of a system sequence. The board installs into an RPC panel like a standard I/O board. Once installed, the outputs can be programmed to operate in the same way as a motorized breaker via the web interface, enabling users to address each output individually and then assign the device to a zone for automated control. Industry-standard dry-contact relays provide control flexibility beyond motorized breakers. LYNTEC.COM

MODLOCK STAGING ACASS SYSTEMS

odLock Staging has been designed for easy setup, as each segment is secured with the most advanced features available on the market, according to the manufacturer. The system is designed for maximum efficiency and air cargo systems, and it allows mechanical systems to be installed for extremely large looks and effects. Decking size dimensions are 40’’x80’’x3¾’’, and other standard sizes are available. Rolling systems are live load-rated at 120lbs. per square foot, while static systems are rated at 170lbs. per square foot. Deck carts measure 45’’x90’’x72’’. ACASS-SYSTEMS.COM 2016 JANUARY \\\

TECH ///

LDI 2015: PRODUC T NE WS

500ML CONSOLE PHILIPS STRAND LIGHTING

esigned for control of LED fixtures and moving lights, the 500ML lighting control console has an 8’’ TFT color touchscreen for fast setup, with backlit command buttons. The console also has one external DVI port to add a touch monitor for even more control. In addition, the console has 24 faders, each of which may be used as a master, submaster, or playback. Equipped with backlit play, pause/reverse, and bump buttons, the console allows cue stacks to be triggered as required for busking operation, and the user interface is quick to understand for the professional or amateur lighting programmer. STRANDLIGHTING.COM

KREIOS FLX LED OSRAM SYLVANIA

he Kreios FLx LED fixture provides illumination in a variety of spaces from catwalks, over the stage, black box theatres, the wings of the stage, or as a safety light outside the loading dock. It delivers a high luminous intensity equal to 500W tungsten fixtures using 90W, delivering 80% energy savings, according to Osram Sylvania. The fixture has a 5,000-lumen output, warm 3,500K color temperature, and CRI of 92, which helps ensure reliable color rendering of costumes thanks to Osram Oslon® LEDs. With a life rating of 40,000 hours (L70), the LED flood light also has passive cooling, making it completely silent, and the black housing color maintains low visibility when not in use. The diffused glass reduces glare, and the fixture delivers no UV/IR emissions. The IP65 outdoor-rated fixture is also dimmable and includes a gel frame. OSRAM-AMERICAS.COM/ENTERTAINMENT

HELIXNET VERSION 3.0Â CLEAR-COM

elixNet Version 3.0 is a free software-only update to the HelixNet digital network partyline platform that features additional capacity and simplified control functions. With this new update, the HelixNet multiplies its basic channel count by three, with a new offering of 12 channels per HMS-4X Main Station. An additional 12 channels can be added by purchasing a license, enabling a single station to provide 24 channels. In order to support this expanded channel count, any combination of main or remote stations (HRM) can be configured to function as expansion key stations. With multiple devices acting as one system, users are able to address all users with a single headset/mic/loudspeaker. The new version also features a free browser-based software tool called Core Configuration Manager (CCM) for configuration of all devices via the latest versions of all major browsers on Mac, PC, and tablet platforms. CCM offers visual representation of all connected devices and functions, and the save/restore function allows duplication of systems. CLEARCOM.COM

X2 WAVE FLAMER LE MAITRE

he X2 Wave Flamer is a fluid-based flame machine that combines a single movable head with a pressurized fuel source, producing a wide range of flame effects. The swiveling head allows the unit to produce very fast and accurate flame surges from 3m to 10m in height within a radius of 210Â°, controlled by DMX or a wireless option. LEMAITRELTD.COM

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LDI 2015: PRODUC T NE WS

CUBECONNECT ROSCO/BLACK TANK

he Rosco CubeConnectTM system adds wireless control to a Rosco MIRO or Braq Cube. The basic system includes a transmitter box and receivers that enable a solution for installations, retrofits, rentals, trackmount, and portable applications. It uses an FCC-approved, proprietary wireless protocol developed by Black Tank, specially optimized for the control of LED lights. Receivers utilize power directly from the fixtures, so external power supplies are not required. By plugging a receiver into the input port on the back of a fixture and sending the transmitter either DMX or serial commands, users can enable wireless control. Additionally, an iOS application is currently under development that will enable wireless control via Bluetooth-enabled Apple devices. ROSCO.COM THEBLACKTANK.COM

DB 1 I-PIX

B 1 is a hybrid video and lighting fixture that makes use of the manufacturer’s proprietary LVVP (Light Valve Video Projector) technology for a soft-edged wash light and a high-definition screen, all driven via DMX or video input. Its surface is 3’x1.7’, powered by 15 80W white LEDs, producing 1,250W of LED power. Color temperatures available are 3,000K or 4,000K. Color and beam control are refreshed at 60Hz, enabling fast and dynamic beam patterns, without the inertia inherent in moving lights. The beam is projected at a right angle to the surface. By tessellating the array, beams become more pronounced and defined as the system is scaled. i-Pix products are distributed in the US by Inner Circle Distribution. DB1.LIGHTING ICD-USA.COM

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POINTMAN S MODEL ¼-TON TOTAL STRUCTURES

he Pointman Electric chain hoist range now includes the Pointman S Model ¼-ton (250kg) capacity unit that offers internal geared limit switches and an optional second brake, all of which can be contained within its standard-sized housing. The lifting speed of 16’ per minute and 250kg working load capacity are maintained in both three-phase (180V to 500V) and single-phase (110V or 220V) units. Due to a new profile load chain, a ¼-ton unit fitted with 60’ height of lift and limit switches weighs less than 35lbs. In addition to the new model release, Pointman’s IP65 ingress protection rating can now be increased to IP67 on the ½-ton, 1-ton, and 2-ton units. This rating allows the unit to be fully submerged under water to a depth of 1m for a period of 30 minutes. TOTALSTRUCTURES.COM

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THE BARD EN POINTE

d r a B TheEn Pointe CHRIS T OPHER W HEELDON’S DA Z ZLING V ERSION OF THE WINTER’S TALE /// BY ELLEN L A MPER T-GRE A U X 90

his year marks the 400 th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death, and his plays are being produced around the world in celebration of the Bard’s bounty, but one of the most breathtaking productions is British choreographer Christopher Wheeldon’s ballet version of The Winter’s Tale, a co-production by The Royal Ballet and National Ballet of Canada, with music by Joby Talbot. Following its world premiere in London in April 2014, The Winter’s Tale was performed last November in Toronto and will be seen later this month at The Kennedy Center in Washington DC, before a revival at The Royal Ballet in April. Sets and costumes are by Bob Crowley, with lighting by Natasha Katz, projections by Daniel Brodie, and silk effects by Basil Twist. The designs were inspired by the oil paintings of Caspar David Friedrich, with storm-tossed ships, sunny cliffs, forests in winter, and a pastoral scene, with a large tree on an island, which contrasts with the pain and jealousy in the rest of the production, and where life is really perfect.

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THE BARD EN POINTE

SETS “Shakespeare without words...the challenge of The Winter’s Tale,” says set and costume designer Bob Crowley. “I had designed the play a while back for The Royal Shakespeare Company, so I was very familiar with it. It is basically two totally different worlds, namely Sicily in Act One and Act Three, and Bohemia in Act Two. There is also a time lapse of about 16 years between Act One and Act Two. Sicily was designed as very dark and architectural, gray and Puritan. It also included a gallery of white marble statues, as collected by King Leontes. As the play ends famously with a ‘statue’ of his wife and dead child, it already had a context of being part of a collection. Bohemia was a total contrast of nature and color, with a huge ancient wishing tree that appeared to almost float against a vivid blue, summer sky, a place of pilgrimage for the inhabitants of Bohemia and the young lovers Perdita and Florizel. The play also famously has the stage direction ‘exit pursued by a bear,’ and the brilliant Basil Twist made a huge bear out of silk that appears to rear out of the stormy seas on the coast of Bohemia.”

Katz also added five Phillips Vari-Lite VL3500s to each production.

92 KAROLINA KURAS, COURTESY OF THE NATIONAL BALLET OF CANADA

PROJECTIONS “The decision to use projections came straight from Christopher Wheeldon,” explains projection designer Daniel Brodie. “He’s a visual master, and he often has very specific ideas that will be done with projection. We also experimented in an early workshop with Basil Twist using video projections as part of the ‘exit pursued by a bear’ effect. In the end, that was scrapped, but there is still a large amount of video in the show. The prologue, for example, takes us through the seasons in a long animated sequence. Natasha and I worked very closely to get the balance right for the projections. We created several large effects: a storm, the masts of a ship, the ripples of the ocean surface. All of this has to be carefully coordinated with the lights and the music to get the atmosphere right. Each of the voyages between Sicily and Bohemia is illustrated with a projection. These were really fun to create; we were creating motion graphics in the style of a famous painter, which is always challenging and super rewarding. The design objective in this one was to make it feel like the moody, tempestuous landscapes of Caspar David Friedrich.” In London, the production uses an SAMSC Catalyst Media Server and in Toronto, a coolux Pandoras Box. There is a large amount of video in the show, including a long animated sequence about the seasons in the prologue.

KAROLINA KURAS, COURTESY OF THE NATIONAL BALLET OF CANADA

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LIGHTING “I’ve done a number of ballets with Christopher Wheeldon and several productions with Bob Crowley, including An American In Paris. The Winter’s Tale is an extraordinary ballet,” notes lighting designer Natasha Katz. “I never need to hear words to The Winter’s Tale again! Chris Wheeldon, the choreographer, found a way to dig deep into our souls and tear out our hearts, and Bob Crowley’s work is scenic poetry. It truly is an amazing production.” Katz basically used the two different rep plots already in place for The Royal Ballet, which is 80% moving lights, and National Ballet of Canada, which is almost all conventionals. “So Jeff Logue, lighting coordinator at National Ballet of Canada went through the ballet cue by cue, using video, to see where the moving lights are focused and their intensity, and then transfer to the conventionals and on a different console,” Katz adds. “We discussed concept and color to make sure it’s as close as possible from one production to the other.” In both instances, she added five Philips Vari-Lite VL3500s, which she refers to as “the power behind the show, creating strong shadows from upstage. They are bright, intense, and very white for several moments on stage, and Leontes’ jealousy is shown with those lights in an acid green. They support the emotional underpinning of the ballet,” Katz explains. “There is a big sculptural edifice 94

on stage with columns and arches, and the brightness of the VL3500s comes through the columns and arches to create shadows on stage.” For the bear effect by Basil Twist, a big silk drop, 40'x30', with a bear painted on it is moved to make it look like the bear is eating people. “I put ‘bear’ lighting on it,” says Katz. “The drop is lit pretty much flat from the front so you can see his face.” In collaboration with projection designer Daniel Brodie, Katz notes that they “balanced and keyed off of each other in terms of color. The video is used for storytelling, including a boat and waves projected for the storm scene to get us to the perfect island.”

“Bohemia

KAROLINA KURAS, COURTESY OF THE NATIONAL BALLET OF CANADA

was a total contrast of nature and color,” says Crowley, “with a huge ancient wishing tree that appeared to almost float against a vivid blue, summer sky.”

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COURTESY OF BOB CROWLEY

KAROLINA KURAS, COURTESY OF THE NATIONAL BALLET OF CANADA

The VL3500s come through the columns and arches of the sculptural edifice, creating shadows on the stage.

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