ENVISION I BUILD I TECH I GO
MARCH 2016
THE 1975 TOUR DESIGN FIDDLER ON BROADWAY GRAMMY AWARDS’ LIGHTING
WALLY WINNER GORDON PEARLMAN DESIGNING JENNIFER HALEY’S PLAYS WHAT'S TRENDING IN AUDIO PLAYBACK MARK HOLDEN’S NEW ACOUSTICS BOOK
DEREK MCLANE’S SET REFLECTS “EVERYONE DREAMS IN GOLD” THEME
TABLE OF CONTENTS ///
M A RCH 2016 /
GO ///
5 QUESTIONS: BRYN WILLIAMS, FOUNDER OF LIGHT INITIATIVE
/// B Y M E G H A N P E R K I N S
ENVISION ///
GORDON PEARLMAN
THE WALLY RUSSELL FOUNDATION 2016 LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD /// B Y E L L E N L A M P E R T- G R E A U X TECH ///
ENVISION ///
WHAT’S TRENDING: AUDIO PLAYBACK SOFTWARE /// B Y E L L E N L A M P E R T- G R E A U X
COVER: KEVIN WINTER, GETTY IMAGES
TECH ///
A NEW BOOK FOR ACOUSTICS
ACOUSTICS OF MULTI-USE PERFORMING ARTS CENTERS: TUNING THE HALL, PART ONE /// B Y M A R K H O L D E N
INTRODUCING DESIGNDB.ONLINE
LOG INTO A NEW, FREE APP FOR SOUND DESIGNERS /// B Y M A T T D A L E
COVER STORY ///
That ‘70s Show Tobias Rylander’s Production Design For The 1975 /// BY M A RI A N S A NDBERG
Crystal Ball
BUILD ///
The 88th Annual Academy Awards Glimmers In Swarovski /// B Y E L L E N L A M P E R T- G R E A U X A N D MEGHAN PERKINS
FEATURES ///
Nether Regions Designing The Plays Of Jennifer Haley /// B Y D A V I N A P O L E O N
LOADOUT ///
Out Of Anatevka Don Holder Lights The Broadway Revival Of Fiddler On The Roof /// B Y E L L E N L A M P E R T- G R E A U X
The Sound Of Music The 58Th Annual Grammy Awards /// B Y M A R I A N S A N D B E R G A N D E L L E N L A M P E R T- G R E A U X
GO ///
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5 QUESTIONS
View Halo on tour
5Qs Bryn Williams
Founder Of Light Initiative /// By Meghan Perkins
W
hen lighting designer Ed Warren wanted to upgrade the classic PAR fixture for Mumford & Sons’ current Wilder Mind Tour, he turned to bespoke creation company Light Initiative. Collaborating with the LD, Light Initiative founder and director Bryn Williams and head of production engineering Simon Cox developed Halo, a new range of LED addons for PARs, comprising Halo64, HaloPix, and HaloStrobe. Two more versions of the Halo fixture are currently in development as well as a full video control option now available. Light Initiative’s repertoire of collaborative projects includes National Television Awards 2016, Eurovision Song Contest 2015, and Take That Tour 2015, among others. Live Design caught up with Williams to learn more about the London-based company and its new Halo range. 2016 MARCH \\\
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GO ///
5 QUESTIONS
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How did Light Initiative come about, and what is its mission? I was running an operations research company, using artificial intelligence to solve difficult scheduling problems, when I was asked to create a lighting control system for pixel LEDs. Initially, what started as a bit of fun became my dominant focus, and now Light Initiative employs 30 people and has worked on some of the biggest projects in TV, touring, and events. Our mission is to create genuinely new performance support infrastructure, be that lighting fixtures, lighting/video control systems, or props and set pieces.
6 VALERIE, FIFTH ESTATE
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What is Light Initiative’s design philosophy, and what services does it provide to fulfill it?
We employ both top-down and bottom-up approaches to design. Bottom-up: At its most fundamental, it starts with finding new design elements, such as light emitters, light modification materials, or delivery and control principles. In our pursuit of the new, we combine new design elements with existing design elements in unique and interesting ways: innovation via combinatorial optimization, a technique borrowed from operations research. Using IN OUR this method, we have recently reinvented the humble light box. We can now deliver the same or better effect for 30% of the cost PURSUIT OF THE NEW, of a traditionally constructed light box. The top-down approach is challenge- WE COMBINE NEW led and a bit more fun, and usually begins with an impossible imagining that defies DESIGN ELEMENTS universal laws and principles, though is often inspired by the results of our bottom-up search. So here’s a new brick; WITH EXISTING DESIGN now imagine the palace we will create. Our services are split between bespoke ELEMENTS IN UNIQUE creation and product rental. Also, we have an interesting model in which we aim to AND INTERESTING create bespoke creations in a modular way, such that components are reusable, WAYS. or we reuse components from previous projects. This allows us to provide bespoke creations for near rental prices.
2016 MARCH \\\
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GO ///
5 QUESTIONS
National Television Awards 2016
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TRISTAN FEWINGS, GETTY IMAGES
Electro Velvet’s final performance at Eurovision Song Contest 2015
NIGEL TREBLIN, GETTY IMAGES
Light Initiative has reimagined the classic PAR with LED technology. Tell us what inspired this revision and how the traditional light fixture has been improved? The humble PAR is a simple fixture, and that’s part of its success and continued use. It does a simple job very well. Adaptations to improve its versatility, such as gel frames and then scrollers, have come along, and we see the Halo range as an extension of this pursuit. The design needed to be extremely robust to meet the rigors of touring and, as tungsten PAR 64s get hot, work comfortably in this environment. A very nice feature of the Halo range is that it fits into the gel frame, so you can tour the frames but source the PARs locally.
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The Britannia Beat aboard P&O The Britannia
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Did the concept of the product continue to develop even when it was used on tour? The first leg of the tour was done with Halo64, an RGB-only product. It was during a visit to see the show when Simon Cox and I were inspired to create, alongside Ed Warren, the HaloPix and HaloStrobe versions. For the next leg of the tour, all the Halo64s were replaced with HaloPix and HaloStrobe.
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5 QUESTIONS
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What has been your favorite project with Light Initiative? The most challenging? There are lots of favorites, but the one that sticks in our minds is the interactive Claridge’s Christmas Tree, which we helped create for Burberry, using light, movement, and the iconic Burberry umbrella. The process of working with the Burberry design team was gratifyingly collaborative. What pleased us is that the structure continued to evolve, from the original concept through the design process and our collective solution to its response to the glamour of the environment that it was ultimately designed for, the people who interacted with it, and the festive nature of the time of year. Everyone was dressed up, Christmas decorations ubiquitous, the space glowed, and the multifaceted tree reflected that back tenfold. Every moment was different. The tree, the people, and the space became part of one unique, ongoing installation. The magic for us was that none of us really appreciated what the ultimate result was going to be until we saw it. It genuinely surprised us! The most challenging project was providing a 30m video LED Union Jack and 21 free-roaming LED costumes for the open deck show for P&O The Britannia. The flag was 360° viewable and contained 8,000+ pixels, and the costumes had 3,000+ pixels each. The challenge was to provide frame-perfect synchronization for all 21 costumes across a 60-minute show without the use of any wireless signal; several powerful radars dominated the spectrum. Also, the client wanted a way to break away from the slow creation cycle associated with video rendering. Previsualization can help but not when you want to program the show whilst the performers are wearing them. We needed a way to change the show instantaneously, much like you would a normal lighting rig, and still have high-resolution video style effects. Controlling 30,000+ pixels using pixel-mapping techniques wasn’t a viable option as the lighting console could control 5,000 at most. So 21 wandering high-res video-enabled costumes, but no video or pixel mapping in the workflow or any wireless signal to control cues? Challenge accepted and met, but that’s another story
ENVISION /// GORDON PE ARLMAN
GORDON PEARLMAN THE WALLY RUSSELL FOUNDATION 2016 LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
/// BY ELLEN L AMPERT-GRE AUX
O
ne of the brightest lights in the industry, Gordon Pearlman, is a renowned inventor, entrepreneur, and innovator. He created the first computer-based theatrical lighting console, the LS/8, which was used for A Chorus Line on Broadway, with its legendary lighting design by Tharon Musser. Winner of the 2016 “Wally” Lifetime Achievement Award, Pearlman chats with Live Design about the many illuminating facets of his luminous career.
Pearlman at a Kliegl Command Performance system in 1980
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ENVISION /// GORDON PE ARLMAN
LIVE DESIGN: How did you get into the lighting business? GORDON PEARLMAN: Like most gested I write a program in Basic to everyone I know, I started working backstage at the local community theatre. In my case, it was the Des Moines Community Playhouse. That led to an undergraduate degree in Theatre and a Masters in Scene Design and Lighting Design from Tulane. After that, I was the technical director and lighting designer at the University of North Carolina, and that’s where the story really begins. I had a graduate student who wanted to do a show with 24 slide projectors and hundreds of slides. This was long before commercial controllers or even microprocessors needed to run them. I picked up a paper tape reader at State Surplus and started to work. I guess I should probably pause here and explain what paper tape was. Paper tape and punch cards were the original form of offline storage. Tape had eight columns for holes; you punched a hole for a one or no hole for a zero. Each row was a byte, or in teletype communication, a character. It didn’t take long to realize that punching the tape was going to be a very big problem, since it had to be done every time the cues changed. Someone sug-
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do the job. The mainframe at UNC had a few teletypes connected for very slow, interactive work. Most jobs were done by submitting a box of punch cards and coming back the next day for the results. Teletypes had a built-in reader/ punch so I wrote my first program that could record, insert, and delete cues. That made me think that there was a better way than a bank of preset wings or banks of stagehands pulling levers. So I applied to the faculty grants committee to purchase a minicomputer: 8,000 words of core memory to store the program and cues. My chairman signed the request because he knew no grants from the theatre department ever got funded. What he didn’t know was that my neighbor and friend was the chairman of the committee. That system became the LS/8 which, when A Chorus Line opened on Broadway in 1975, became not only the first time electronic dimmers used on Broadway, but also the first stored program lighting controller designed for the theatre. I have designed lighting control systems ever since.
Serious Moonlight Tour, 1983
LD: What are the major milestones in your career? GP: It has been hard to top waiting for the reviews with Michael Bennett, Marvin Ham-
lisch, and the great Tharon Musser at Sardi’s after opening night of A Chorus Line, but there are a few others that stand out: the Seattle USITT where Kliegl introduced the Performer. We had ten Performers on stands all over the booth. Prior to that, no one had ever seen more than a single demo console in a booth, and no one had ever seen a portable console. Others: bbeing honored by the local members of my IES chapter when I was nominated and then elected as a Fellow of the IES; the opening of The Age of Computing exhibit at the Computer Museum in Boston when the LS/8 from A Chorus Line was put on permanent exhibition; being honored by all my friends and colleagues when I was asked to join the The LS/8 on A Chorus Line, 1975 Fellows of USITT; and this latest honor, the Lifetime Achievement Award of the Wally Russell Foundation, is especially meaningful because so many of the previous winners have been my mentors and inspired me.
LD: How did you become an inventor? GP: I was the kind of kid that tore apart
everything to see how it worked. I even got them back together sometimes. After that, it all just happened.
LD: How have LEDs changed the lighting
landscape? GP: I have always been involved in control and never very involved in fixtures. The major effect on control has been the need for many more channels and color control. Both of those issues had to be addressed for automated fixtures years ago. Of course, it will eventually eliminate the need for dimmers, but I was lucky enough to retire before I was affected.
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ENVISION /// GORDON PE ARLMAN
LD: What do you see coming down the
pike in terms of innovation in lighting? GP: Now you have kind of hit on one of my hot buttons. Our industry has, in the past, been a real innovator in technology. We were doing realtime process control and robotics when everyone else was just dreaming about it. As my former partner Steve Carlson always said, “We are not on the leading edge of technology.: We are on the ragged edge.” But we just don’t seem to be able to give DMX a decent funeral and move on to a faster, bi-directional, errorchecked technology like everyone else. We just keep spitting the data out and praying someone is listening. Adding Ethernet to a fixture costs less than the two DMX connectors it would replace. The fact that everyone is now replacing their fixtures The LS/8 from A Chorus Line in the Computer Museum, Boston, 1991
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with LEDs has given us a unique opportunity to change the whole dynamic, but instead, I see all the fixtures advertising “mains or DMX,” keeping alive two old technologies—dimmers and DMX—that eventually have to go. The Wally Russell Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award is presented on an annual basis to an individual who has, during his career, has made an outstanding contribution to the entertainment industry. Pearlman will be presented with this award at the USITT Exhibition and Conference in Salt Lake City on March 18. Wally Russell Foundation
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2016 MARCH \\\
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ENVISION ///
B O O K : A C O U S T I C S O F M U LT I - U S E PERFORMING ARTS CENTERS
A NEW BOOK FO ACOUSTICS OF MULTI-USE PERFORMING ARTS CENTERS: TUNING THE HALL, PART ONE
G RUSS IMAGES
/// BY MARK HOLDEN
OR ACOUSTICS
Dell Hall at the Long Center for Performing Arts
ENVISION ///
B O O K : A C O U S T I C S O F M U LT I - U S E PERFORMING ARTS CENTERS
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ulti-use performing arts centers were once considere d pariahs of the arts community. Through the use of adjustable acoustics systems, these types of halls can now adapt to different types of performance without degradation in sound quality and are comparable to many concert and single-purpose halls. My passion for the complexity and artistry required in the acoustic design of these spaces is revealed within this book. I wanted to dispel the many myths and use evidence-based design (not just theory) to prove that outstanding acoustics can be achieved in multi-use performance spaces. I guide the reader from planning of the initial concept through to the final tuning, which is the featured chapter in this piece. The text is a tool for architects, acousticians, musicians, and students in addition to the general public.
THE BOOK CAN ALSO BE PURCHASED ON AMAZON.COM FOR KINDLE AND HARDCOVER HERE:
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JORDAN MONK
THE BOOK CAN BE PURCHASED AT CRC PRESS ONLINE HERE:
CHAPTER 17: TUNING THE HALL Adjustable acoustic systems in a multiuse hall are most effective when they are set at the appropriate position for a particular program. Tuning the hall is the process of determining the optimal position for the musicians on the stage, as well as the shell, banners, and drapes for each type of performance or rehearsal. Calculations and modeling can determine rough, general settings and measurements can then prove the impact on reverberation time, early reflections, and other acoustic criteria. Tuning the hall to its optimal settings requires the use of live musicians both onstage and in the orchestra pit. A COLLABORATIVE PROCESS The process of tuning is one that has developed over many years through evidence-based results in dozens of facilities. No two halls are identical. Every hall has unique systems and attributes, so it is not possible to pinpoint one methodology that achieves optimal sound in all halls. That process itself is collaborative and teambased, much like the initial design of the hall. Questions must be asked. The acoustician must listen to opinions and integrate the observations of musicians, experienced listeners, and other team members. During the tuning of Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center, my team gathered input through the distribution of written questionnaires to faculty, board members and experienced listeners. At other halls, we were less formal and
asked musicians specific questions about shell settings, musician positioning, and the way the hall responded to drape settings. I believe that tuning a hall is similar to tuning a piano. The piano tuner begins by forcing the string out of tune and then slowly brings it into tune. The basic approach begins with the acoustic banners fully extended in the hall. Gradually the banners move to a position with an improved condition. Start with the instruments fully upstage, and gradually move them downstage into more optimal positions so as to hear the differences and understand how the hall is working. Interestingly, the same methodology of tuning is used for tuning electronic enhancement systems. With electronics, the RT is set for unnatural longer and louder reflections, and then they are backed down until the sound is natural and comfortable. PREPARING FOR THE TUNING: WHAT TO KNOW Many technicians and musicians have been gathered for the tuning and the acoustician must be prepared. Be familiar with all calculations and measurements before arriving. This includes checking ceiling reflector angles, ray tracing or CATT models, RT measurements, and background noise measurements. Study the drawings for acoustic drapes and banners. Know how they are labeled, where they are located, and how they are controlled. Have a thorough understanding of the control systems. Know where they are located and how they work. 2016 MARCH \\\
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ENVISION ///
B O O K : A C O U S T I C S O F M U LT I - U S E PERFORMING ARTS CENTERS
WHAT TO BRING Do not assume that drawings will be provided by the facility. Bring half-size drawings of key items. A flashlight and a 50’ tape measure will be invaluable in addition to tuning tools including the angle meter, meters, and acoustic balloons. Don’t forget to bring a camera to document the process. WHAT TO DO Before the tuning event begins, speak with the technical director or manager to get an accurate feel for what works, what doesn’t work, and what issues or problems have occurred in the facility. Create a tuning schedule and review it with the technical director or music
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dean. Confirm when groups will be in the hall and what accommodations they will require. Try to get as much community involvement as possible. Utilizing local high school bands or community chorus groups during tuning generates excitement about the new facility. Gently discourage groups that will not be helpful in the tuning process. Schedule acoustic measurements as well as breaks. When you arrive for tuning, set up a tech station at the center of the hall with power outlets, chargers, laptop, drawings, and chairs to create a command center. Make sure a stage crew is handy, and be aware of their onsite schedule and union requirements for breaks.
SETTING THE SHELL FOR TUNING Setting the orchestra shell is the most time consuming and complex part of the process. The shell has many functions; it must work acoustically, be visually attractive, mask backstage and offstage areas, allow access to musicians, allow for air flow, etc. The first step is for the theatre consultants to check the shell to ensure it is hung on the correct line sets, that the angles of the ceilings are close to our recommendations, and that lights in the ceilings are set and working correctly. Next, bring the ceilings in to the stage level, one at a time, for visual inspection. The acoustician must check for warping, delaminating, damage, and sighting down the leading and trailing edge to see that edges are straight and true. CEILING ANGLES It is important to assess the angle of the reflector face as it relates to the stage floor. This is easily accom-
plished when the ceilings are lowered to about 4’ (1.2 m) off the floor. Check the difference in height off the stage floor for the leading and trailing edge of the shell (upstage/downstage) from that which is on the drawings. Trust the angle that ray tracing and CATT models suggest, even if it looks wrong. Typically, the angle of the large (downstage) part of the face of all three reflectors is set at 15° to horizontal as a starting point. The rear part, or the back third of the reflector, is the curved swoop that sends energy back to the musicians on stage, and the front two-thirds of the reflector sends energy out to the hall. We investigate the first twothirds, because the rear is not angle-specific. Each ceiling piece is a three-way valve, in a way, that operates in the time domain and in the energy domain. Sound is blended on stage to become homogeneous, directed out to the audience, and vented to the upper volume of
the stage house in order to reduce the loudness of brass and percussion. CHORAL REFLECTOR The ceiling piece located furthest upstage is the choral reflector, since the orchestra usually plays forward on the lift. Here the angle setting is steeper—up to 20° or 25°—so that choral sound is projected into the audience chamber and does not get overpowered by the orchestra. Next, determine the height of the ceiling reflectors from the floor. Using the calculations as a guide, take a 50’ tape measure to the leading edge of the shell, and fly it out to the calculated height to determine the starting point. The ceiling reflectors must pass the visual and listening tests. When lights are in the shell ceilings, the lighting variable is removed from the equation. If lights are centered between the ceilings, the process becomes more complex as lights will need to be masked, angled and set.
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ENVISION ///
B O O K : A C O U S T I C S O F M U LT I - U S E PERFORMING ARTS CENTERS
FORESTAGE REFLECTORS In many halls, the shell starts with the forestage reflector, or the eyebrow piece. This extension of the orchestra shell ceiling has a slightly different function than that of the onstage reflectors. Forestage reflectors are located forward of the proscenium, and the volume above is designed to be part of the overall acoustic volume of the hall. The sound that travels through the reflectors is not lost in the stage house. It contributes later in time to the overall acoustic energy, or loudness, and drives the upper reverberant volume of the hall. If the forestage reflector is too tight, the upper volume is starved of sufficient sound energy and cannot create the proper level of reverberation. This will result in too much sound directed down to the audience and musicians, strings that are far too bright and harsh, and weak reverberation that lacks envelopment. Often, forestage musicians have a hard time hearing themselves and each other if the forestage reflector is too open, and there is already a strong reverberant field and great envelopment. 24
MANY TECHNICIANS AND MUSICIANS HAVE BEEN GATHERED FOR THE TUNING AND THE ACOUSTICIAN MUST BE PREPARED.
The first of the two reflectors (the one closest to the proscenium) should be set at about 20° to 25°, and the second reflector set at 15°. Utilize ray tracing to determine these positions. Sometimes, a winch is in place to provide vertical movement for the forestage reflector. This allows the array to move up and out of the way of lighting angles. If this is the case, the trailing edge of the reflector should start 30’ (9.1 m) off the stage. At times, the forestage reflector is fixed in position and the winch eliminated to save money on a project. This was the case at Dell Hall at the Long Center for Performing Arts in Austin, TX. Here, we set the fixed forestage ceiling reflector at a higher position than optimal, about 35’ to 40’ (10.7 to 12.2 m) off the stage. This works, but a movable forestage reflector on a winch is preferred. Note that the angle of the forestage can be pre-set from calculations so angle adjustability is not normally required.
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ENVISION ///
B O O K : A C O U S T I C S O F M U LT I - U S E PERFORMING ARTS CENTERS
SHELL TOWER SETTINGS Orchestra shell towers, in conjunction with shell ceilings, support the orchestra and chorus with strong reflections that improve hearing, support blending, support reverberation, and project sound into the hall. Their acoustic, aesthetic, and practical design is discussed in detail in Chapter 10. Here we put them into action. Set towers according to the theatre consultant’s design drawings, but don’t permanently mark them on the floor yet. The tower closest to the proscenium is tricky because too large a gap allows the audience to see into the stage house. Instead of dropping soft goods into that gap for masking, adjust the angles of the wall to be slightly more offstage so the line of sight is blocked adequately. As with every adjustment, moving the towers too far offstage affects other criteria. The gap between the towers and ceilings should not exceed 24” (0.6 m) or else the positive wall/ceiling reflection pattern will be negatively affected. Visual appeal is also lost if the gap between the walls and the ceiling is uneven or too large. The 24” (0.6 m) gap allows the towers to come offstage at the fire-curtain and looks good from locations in the audience chamber. TUNING ADJUSTABLE ACOUSTIC DRAPES AND BANNERS As with all halls, the reverberation requirements of the symphonic orchestra is ill-disposed to amplified music and Broadway productions. For the most part, a hall should be at the most reverberant with a reverberation time of at least 2.0 seconds for classical symphony and choral music. A question presents itself: Why not leave all the drapes stored and go with max RT for symphonic tuning? There are three factors involved in this answer. First, it is best to start with all drapes deployed to see how the room reacts and how the energy from the stage fills the room. This allows the acoustician to hear the direct sound more clearly with less cover from the reverberant field. Second, leaving some drapes deployed provides a vital simulation of the audience condition during rehearsals. This allows the acoustician to learn how much drape to deploy to accomplish the best sound. Third, the upper balcony seats can be a bit too reverberant. The deployment of one to three upper rear drapes might be necessary even in concert mode with audience. MOTOR CONTROLS The advance of software programming technology for motor controls leads to a temptation to produce an unlimited number of tuning options. Avoid this mistake. Primary end-users have limited time and experience setting the system ,and there is a big risk of using incorrect settings. Select controls that are designed to be intuitive to users and the tech crew and that list the type of programming being performed in the hall rather than using complex and confusing presets. 26
“
FORESTAGE REFLECTORS ARE LOCATED FORWARD OF THE PROSCENIUM, AND THE VOLUME ABOVE IS DESIGNED TO BE PART OF THE OVERALL ACOUSTIC VOLUME OF THE HALL.
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Wagner Noel PAC, Midland, TX, 2009. Movable forestage settings. A: Set angles at about 20° to 25° for 1st unit, B: 15° to 20°, C: 30' (9.1m) above stage level, D: maximum 24'' (0.6m) gap between shell and towers, E: 18'' (0.4m) target gap between ceilings.
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ENVISION ///
B O O K : A C O U S T I C S O F M U LT I - U S E PERFORMING ARTS CENTERS
EXAMPLES OF PRESETS: Symphony setting: all drapes and banners are stored except for the upper rear drape at the rear of the balcony. Opera setting: Some ceiling banners are deployed. Amplified music/voice setting: all drapes and banners are deployed. As much as we wish for fine-tuning control of individual acoustic criteria such as reverberation time and early reflections, remember that acoustics aren’t controlled that acutely with any device. Acoustic banners work well, but they are a rather blunt instrument. At most, there should be one preset in between the stored and deployed setting. Many settings can be grouped together rather than individually controlled. Overly complex control systems are expensive, provide no real value to end users, and may not even be used! ESSENTIAL FEATURES OF A CONTROL SYSTEM Control pendant: This allows drapes to be controlled by a technician standing center stage and watching the drapes move. A duplicate control system exists in the control room. Touchscreens and presets: These must be based on intuitive thinking rather than machine language. Visual guide: Since drapes and banners are not always visible to the technician, it is helpful to have a numerical readout of the percentage of movement for drape positions. 28
IT IS BEST TO START WITH ALL DRAPES DEPLOYED TO SEE HOW THE ROOM REACTS AND HOW THE ENERGY FROM THE STAGE FILLS THE ROOM.
REHEARSAL MODE VERSUS PERFORMANCE MODE Since tuning of the hall occurs during rehearsal, consideration must be given to the different conditions surrounding a performance. You will need to account for this discrepancy when you complete the settings for the hall. Plan to set the drapes so that sound is over the top, that is, too reverberant, too big, too lush. When the audience enters, the hall will settle down and come right in to line. Rehearsal mode should be 0.2 to 0.3 seconds more reverberant than optimal, to accommodate the impact of an audience. An audience also reduces direct energy and reflections. If you tune the hall during rehearsal mode for optimal sound without an audience, it will be low in reverberation, lack brightness and lack loudness in performance mode.
Mark Holden is chairman and lead acoustic designer at Jaffe Holden Acoustics, located in Norwalk, CT. He has collaborated on hundreds of diverse performance and exhibition space designs throughout the world. He thrives on the creative design processes that call on his unique skills as an engineer, physicist, communicator, and former jazz musician to create superior acoustic environments. Educated at Duke University where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering, Holden has authored numerous papers and columns for major trade publications. He lectures at universities across the United States, including Harvard and the University of Miami. He is a member of the National Council of Acoustical Consultants and elected fellow of the Acoustical Society of America.
READ PART TWO NEXT MONTH. 2016 MARCH \\\
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COVER STORY
CRYSTAL BALL
THE 88 TH ANNUAL ACADEMY AWARDS GLIMMERS IN SWAROVSKI /// BY ELLEN L AMPERT-GRE AUX AND MEGHAN PERKINS 2016 MARCH \\\
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COVER STORY
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CHRISTOPHER POLK, GETTY IMAGES
T
he 88th Annual Academy Awards, hosted by Chris Rock on Sunday, February 28 at Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre, saw a number of firsts, from Leonardo DiCaprio’s Oscar win as Actor in a Leading Role for his performance in The Revenant to the most Swarovski Crystals ever used in an Oscars set design. Welcoming new producers David Hill and Reginald Hudlin, the star-studded—or rather, Swarovski Crystal-studded—event featured set design by Derek McLane, lighting design by Robert Dickinson and Robert Barnhart of Full Flood, and sound design by Pat Baltzell of Baltzell Audio Design. PRG provided the lighting, and ATK Audiotek supplied the sound equipment.
McLane’s inspiration for the set design hailed from the 1970s, a time that was “an incredible period in Hollywood moviemaking and also a source of really amazing architecture, design, and style,” as the designer told Swarovski. Collaborating with Swarovski for the fourth time on the Oscars, McLane believed the crystals would be a key element in achieving that 1970s glam. “We used an enormous amount of Swarovski crystal on stage this year,” McLane said. “I’ve been told that it is the most Swarovski crystal that has ever been put on an Oscars stage.”
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KEVIN WINTER, GETTY IMAGES
COVER STORY
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Equipped with the theme of “Everyone Dreams In Gold,” McLane created a rhythm of different shades in the design to make the gold ebb and flow and, ultimately, mean something more. To the left and right of downstage behind the presenters were sunbursts, comprising steel rods of different thicknesses, leafed in silver and gold, and layered one of top of the other. The silver leaves were glazed with various shades of gold. 2016 MARCH \\\
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KEVIN WINTER, GETTY IMAGES
KEVIN WINTER, GETTY IMAGES
MCLANE FIRST BEGAN DESIGNING THE PROSCENIUM WITH A COLLECTION OF PENCIL SKETCHES, PLAYING AROUND WITH SHAPES THAT FIT THE DOLBY THEATRE AS WELL AS THE PROPORTIONS OF A TELEVISION SCREEN. THE FINAL PRODUCT WAS A MASTERFUL ARRAY OF RADIATING METAL LAMINATE RODS DIPPED IN A BRONZE COLOR. COVERED IN 37,000 SWAROVSKI CRYSTALS, THE PROSCENIUM WEIGHED ABOUT 20,000 POUNDS.
Staggered in space and shaped like waves, seven crystal curtains flew in, as well as a large, black wall embedded with 34,000 radiating crystals, evoking 1930s Hollywood movie musicals. “Crystals reflect light beautifully,” McLane explains, “and that changes even as you shift your head slightly. And that has a magic feeling that I think is innately glamorous to people.”
COVER STORY
A series of tall, vertical rods with Oscar statues flew in, as well as five wagons, each with 30 decorative Oscars, ranging from 6’ in height to 3’ and facing all different directions. The clusters of decorative Oscars were rearranged on stage throughout the show. Scenic shops for the Oscars’ sets included Scenic Express, Goodnight & Co, and Warner Bros.
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CHRISTOPHER POLK, GETTY IMAGES
COVER STORY
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A large LED screen was used as an upstage cyc, bordered by six pivoting LED screens, three on each side of the stage, with varying resolutions, the higher resolution being downstage. Five LED screens flew in and out independently of each other as well. Cindy Hauser of LA Made Creative served as the screens producer.
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KEVIN WINTER, GETTY IMAGES
COVER STORY
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IN KEEPING WITH THE THEME OF THE SHOW, THE LIGHTING FOR THIS YEAR WAS VERY GOLD, BARNHART SAYS, WITH “LESS BLUE AND FEWER SUBDUED COLORS THAN USUAL.” THE CRYSTALS REQUIRED A LOT OF LIGHT FROM DIFFERENT ANGLES IN ORDER TO MAKE THEM COME ALIVE. THE RODS OF SWAROVSKI CRYSTALS ARRAYED AROUND THE PROSCENIUM WERE BACKED WITH FABRIC, AND FULL FLOOD WAS CAREFUL NOT TO BRING THE FABRIC TOO FAR FORWARD AND, THUS, FLATTEN THE LOOK OF THE DESIGN. LIGHTING THE CRYSTALS FROM AN ANGLE AVOIDED THIS ISSUE AND ALSO ADDED A PRISM EFFECT, CATCHING THE COLOR WITHIN THE CLEAR, FACETED CRYSTALS EVERY TIME THE CAMERA MOVED. THE CRYSTALS ON THE PROSCENIUM WERE LIT WITH PHILIPS VARI-LITE VL3500 SPOTS, WHILE PHILIPS COLOR KINETICS COLORBLAST TRX FIXTURES BROUGHT OUT THE WARM GOLD OF THE FABRIC. 2016 MARCH \\\
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COVER STORY
Stage Plot
KEVIN WINTER, GETTY IMAGES
FOH Plot
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Box Plot
Floor Plot
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KEVIN WINTER, GETTY IMAGES
COVER STORY
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FOR THE WEEKND’S SONG, “EARNED IT,” FULL FLOOD DESIGNED CANDELABRAS AND FOOTLIGHTS AND HAD THEM CUSTOM BUILT. FOR THE SAME SONG, DEREK MCLANE CALLED FOR A VERY LARGE, BLUE AUSTRIAN CURTAIN UPSTAGE AND ADDED A RING OF GOLD TORCHIÈRES TO HELP CREATE A DECADENT CLUB AMBIANCE.
COVER STORY
Lady Gaga performed “Til It Happens To You” at a white grand piano, in a black void that was an iris curtain and opened to reveal a group of 50 sexual assault survivors standing upstage. One Clay Paky Sharpy provided a dramatic beam of light cutting through the darkness.
LIGHTING GEAR LIST 65 Philips Vari-Lite VL5 25 Philips Vari-Lite VL2402 150 Philips Vari-Lite VL3500 Spot 115 Philips Vari-Lite VL3500 Wash 24 Clay Paky Sharpy Wash 10 Clay Paky Sharpy 200 Philips Color Kinetics ColorBlast TRX 20 ARRI 650 Fresnel 55 ARRI 300 Fresnel 100 ETC Source Four 7 Strong Super Trouper Followspot 2 PRG 676 console 2 ETC EOS TI console
KEVIN WINTER, GETTY IMAGES
PRG LIGHTING Andy O’Reilly, PRG, Programmer James Beaghan, PRG, Chief Tech Danny Villa, PRG, Lead Tech Patrick Brazil, PRG, Tech Janos Bode, PRG, Tech Nicole Plaza, PRG, Production Coordinator Assistant Jeff Javier, PRG, Production Coordinator Assistant Travis Snyder, PRG, Production Coordinator Tony Ward, PRG, Account Manager Brian Edwards, PRG, General Manager
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Full Flood Robert Dickinson, Lighting Designer Robert Barnhart, Lighting Designer Jon Kusner, Lighting Director Dave Thibodeau, Lighting Director/Show Administrator Mike Berger, Lighting Director Madigan Stehly, Assistant Lighting Director Charles Dabezies, Assistant Lighting Director Marie Turner, Office Alen Sisul, Gaffer Chris Lopez, Best Boy Patrick Boozer, Board Operator ARRIVALS/RED CARPET Ted Wells, Lighting Victor Lopez, Arrivals Gaffer Mike McLeod, Red Carpet Gaffer Andrew Webberley, Red Carpet Board Operator
Swarovski-studded set
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CHRISTOPHER POLK, GETTY IMAGES
CREDITS
Chris Rock’s opening monologue was lit using 1,000 light bulb rods, used later in the show as well. Within the rods of the sunbursts on set were long, cylindrical, or torpedo-shaped incandescent bulbs— which Barnhart laments are becoming harder and harder to find—that were chased for extra sparkle. LED tape outlined the stage, while key light and backlight were balanced to help pop the people from the background, using a Ballantyne Strong Super Trouper xenon followspot, color correcting the 5,600K to 4,400K “white.”
COVER STORY
DICKINSON AND BARNHART’S LIGHTING DESIGN FEATURED PRIMARILY PHILIPS VARI-LITE PRODUCTS: 65 VL5S, 25 VL2402S, 150 VL3500 SPOTS, AND 115 VL3500 WASHES. THE RIG ALSO INCLUDED 200 PHILIPS COLOR KINETICS COLORBLAST TRX FIXTURES; 24 CLAY PAKY SHARPY WASHES AND 10 SHARPY UNITS; 20 ARRI 650 FRESNELS AND 55 ARRI 300 FRESNELS; 100 ETC SOURCE FOURS; AND SEVEN STRONG SUPER TROUPER XENON FOLLOWSPOTS. THE LIGHTING WAS CONTROLLED VIA TWO PRG 676 CONSOLES AND TWO ETC EOS TI CONSOLES. 48
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COVER STORY
Jon Kusner, Dave Thibodeau, and Mike Berger of Full Flood were the lighting directors for the show. The Full Flood team also included Madigan Stehly and Charles Dabezies, assistant lighting directors; Alen Sisul, gaffer; Chris Lopez, Best Boy; and Patrick Boozer, board operator.
KEVIN WINTER, GETTY IMAGES
Andy O’Reilly of PRG programmed the lighting. As PRG chief tech, James Beaghan worked with lead tech Danny Villa, and techs Patrick Brazil and Janos Bode. The PRG Lighting crew also included production coordinator Travis Snyder, with Nicole Plaza and Jeff Javier, production coordinator assistants.
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Lighting for the arrivals and the red carpet was by Ted Wells, with Victor Lopez as arrivals gaffer and Mike McLeod as red carpet gaffer, and Andrew Webberley as red carpet board operator.
JASON MERRITT, GETTY IMAGES 2016 MARCH \\\
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COVER STORY
Designed by Baltzell and supplied by Audiotek, the main sound system included 30 JBL by Harman VerTec® line array elements, suspended in two arrays of 15 enclosures each, and 12 VerTec 4880A subwoofers, suspended in two arrays of six subwoofers each.
KEVIN WINTER, GETTY IMAGES
Six JBL MS28 loudspeakers were used for under-balcony area coverage, while 140 JBL Control 25T surface-mount loudspeakers were positioned under audience seats in the VIP seating area. Four JBL AC15 two-way loudspeakers were used for the Academy Governors’ boxes.
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COURTESY OF DEREK MCLANE
SET SKETCHES
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ADAM POWELL
TOBIAS RYLANDER’S PRODUCTION DESIGN FOR THE 1975 /// BY M A RI A N S A NDBERG
W
hile the indie pop/rock band’s previous incarnations include Talkhouse and The Slowdown, among many others, today, these four lads from Manchester, United Kingdom, are known as The 1975. Tobias Rylander of Seven Design Works, who has been working on production and lighting designs for the indie set for several years, has taken on the band’s latest tour, having also worked on their last outing. Three years ago, when The 1975 first started considering a major world tour, Rylander was a natural choice, given his experience with similar bands. “They knew of my work with other artists like the xx but wanted to have something graphic and used Roy Bennett’s work with Nine Inch Nails as a reference,” says Rylander. “Roy and I being colleagues and very like-minded, it was a perfect fit. That originated the first design, which was also all video-based but in the form of graphical aerial projections, a design that I am very proud of and happy with. Apparently, the band was too, and asked me to come back.” 2016 MARCH \\\
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FE ATURE
LIGHTING IS ALL PROGRAMMED AS ONE IDENTITY AND ON THE SAME CONSOLE, CUED BY DARREN AND TIMECODED TO THE GRANDMA2 CONSOLE.
The design process took place last summer while the band was recording the new album in Los Angeles, which Rylander says allowed the team to “merge the band’s whole creative identity for the album launch and release and start of the tour.” This time around, the design became an offshoot of the last tour aesthetic, combined with the new album artwork and social media identity. “It is actually a direct response from the fans’ expectations and longing for the band and what they are to them,” adds Rylander, who designed the full production, overseeing the lighting and video content design. “Where the last design was very graphically oriented and black and white, with aerial projected lines and moving shapes used as backlights shot out over the audience, we started noticing that the very dedicated fan base started colorizing and filtering their own photos in a very colorful pink and blue hue saturation way. That led us into the multicolored track.”
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TOBIAS RYLANDER OF SEVEN DESIGN WORKS DESIGNED THE FULL PRODUCTION FOR THE 1975’s TOUR, OVERSEEING THE LIGHTING
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TONY WOOLLISCROFT
AND VIDEO CONTENT DESIGN.
TONY WOOLLISCROFT
THE SHOW IS ALL ABOUT VIDEO, IN TERMS OF EACH VIDEO SURFACE BEING USED AND PROGRAMMED AS A LIGHT SOURCE.
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He adds that he and lead singer Matthew Healy have a mutual admiration for artists who use light in their work, including James Turrell and Olafur Eliasson, inspiring them to break out of the strict graphical and color constraints of the first tour design. “Matt and the band wanted the stage and each look and song to be more of a piece of art in which they performed their songs than the standard light and stage design,” he says, also referencing the influence of director Stanley Kubrick and his use of one-point perspective.
ALL ABOUT VIDEO, ALL ABOUT LIGHT
Rylander says the show is “all about video, in terms of each video surface being used and programmed as a light source.” The stage is covered with approximately 1,600sq-ft of WinVision 9mm high-res video screens in various sizes, angles, and positions, not necessarily used as video surfaces, Rylander says, “but more as a colorful canvas and graphical shapes and frames, a space within the space of the stage, a world or room for the band to perform within. Side screens create sidelights for the performing artists. The back screen wall often works as a solid backlight, and the top Blade frames work as top-light. In that sense, it is all video-driven but light-oriented. Video and LED are prominent, but it is all about light.”
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COVER STORY
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JEREMY FOIL
ADAM POWELL
THE ORIGINAL DESIGN HAD A TOP ‘LID’ OF THE SAME WINVISION 9MM PRODUCT, BUT AT THE MOMENT, THE TOP IS A SOLID MIRROR TO REFLECT THE LIGHT AND VIDEO OF THE BACK SCREEN.
The backdrop is a 50’ x 16’ WinVision 9mm LED screen, while four 10’-high screen towers sit out in front, approximately 8’ downstage of the back screen, also with WinVision 9mm standard tiles, plus quarter versions. Over the band are three Revolution Blade 1260s that Rylander says help preserve the band’s identity, since they are from the previous design. The floor trusses and fascia comprise Winvision Air 9mm LED panels. “The original design had a top ‘lid’ of the same WinVision 9mm product, but at the moment, the top is a solid mirror to reflect the light and video of the back screen,” says Rylander. “The towers fully blend into the back screen when using solid colors on all the surfaces. They create a very nice illusion of perspective, almost like a James Turrell light illusion.” Kerstin Hovland and Emery Martin from Electronic Countermeasures created the video content under Rylander’s direction. “The video surfaces needed to look good from all angles, and since LED and video is quite a new field for me, I had a lot to learn. I also had to be very smart regarding video content and colors, something Kerstin helped me with creating all the video content.” Hovland and Morgan Brown designed the video playback system to
manage and run the content, with Brown programming the Green Hippo Hippotizer V4 media servers used for the tour. “Morgan was the one who first taught me how to program video servers, and I knew we were like-minded and that he would understand how I wanted to use the system,” says Rylander. “Morgan and Kerstin were both on site for previz and production rehearsals and came up with a great system for me to be able to use the set and stage the way I wanted. Morgan designed the system so that I could grab and treat each video surface and layout as a light, in terms of layers, color, intensity, strobes, effects, etcetera. Kerstin created the content in the same way, where all the surfaces have to line up to each other in terms of positioning, since it is all based on perspective and distance.” A live video feed to the stage screens is used for one song via a camera placed at FOH center to create a onepoint perspective, “using the realtime latency in the video servers and processors to match the beat of the song and track—a very interesting look that looks different every day,” says Rylander. The show is run on two MA Lighting grandMA2 consoles, with three Networking Processing Units (NPUs).
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ADAM POWELL
The creative team did some preprogramming in Stockholm, Sweden, at Brown’s studio, Brown’s Blend. “We used [MA Lighting] MA 3D to program lights and used the new Hippo v4 to actually previz the video in perspective to each surface, which saved us a lot of time,” says Rylander, adding that he works on most of his designs and sketches in SketchUp and then renders and lights them using Adobe Photoshop and other software. “I merge my renders with video content from Kerstin and create the full treatment for the band and management,” he adds. “In this case, we did not need much redrafting or new renderings since the design work was such a close 62
collaboration with the band. I basically saw them once a week or more to look at sketches and references, so when the design was signed off on and confirmed, we could move on to focus on content creation and programming.” The upcoming summer tour will swap out the current WinVision 9 screens for WinVision Air versions. VER supplied the media servers, processors, and screens, with Paul Gilzene as account manager and Leon Phillips as LED account manager. Additional gear includes eight TMB ProPlex OptoSplitters, four ProPlex GBS Gigabit Ethernet switches, and a VER Touring Opticon Snake.
WE USED [MA LIGHTING] MA 3D TO PROGRAM LIGHTS AND USED THE NEW HIPPO V4 TO ACTUALLY PREVIZ THE VIDEO IN PERSPECTIVE TO EACH SURFACE, WHICH SAVED US A LOT OF TIME.
Tap to view The 1975 “Ugh!” music video
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KILL THE SPOTS Even though video acts as a light source, there’s no lack of lighting in this design, mostly from Clay Paky fixtures: 36 Sharpy Washes, 16 Mythos units, and four Alpha Profile 1500s with framing shutters and custom gobos, as well as 63 TMB Solaris LED Flares and 28 GLP impression X4 Bar 20s. “The lighting rig is there to enhance and create further depth to the different levels of videos,” says Rylander, who worked on the lighting design with the band’s longtime LD and childhood friend, Darren Purves. “Working with fields of colors and lights, I decided to work with huge color washes.” To that end, Solaris Flares sit under the drum kit and risers and are also used for sidelights, audience blinders, and strobes. The Solaris Flares also serve as wash units along with the Clay Paky Sharpy Wash fixtures. For cue and effects lighting, side trusses house Clay Paky Mythos units that don’t move but create patterns and perspective looks. “Overhead, at a maximum trim height, I have three Clay Paky Alpha Profile 1500s, where the custom gobos and framing system are essential,” says Rylander. “They are only used for a couple of times during the show, but when used, they create a beautiful ‘illusion’ of framing, height, and perspective.” On the upstage and downstage edges are lines of GLP impression X4 Bars that create further layers of color and the illusion of the color of the video screen falling from the frame into the audience. “These, together with six groups of five Sharpy Washes are the only moving lights on the show that actually move and are animated,” the designer adds. “It is all programmed as one identity and on the same console, cued by Darren and timecoded to the grandMA2 console.”
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ADAM POWELL
“OVERHEAD, AT A MAXIMUM TRIM HEIGHT, I HAVE THREE CLAY PAKY ALPHA PROFILE 1500S, WHERE THE CUSTOM GOBOS AND FRAMING SYSTEM ARE ESSENTIAL,” SAYS RYLANDER.
ADAM POWELL
With all the light from both fixtures and screens, the look of the tour itself is still rather shadowed. “I am not a huge fan of the followspot look,” says Rylander. “But in this case, it is also more of the identity of the band and the show. With this much light in the form of video sources, followspots are not really needed. Matt is a very strong band leader and presence on stage, and with a production this size, it would ruin both the band dynamic and the artwork and dynamic of the light and video. Next year when we upscale the show to arenas, we might have to start using them, but then, of course, having to be very precise and experimental with them. At the moment, we are highlighting solos and specials being clever with video content for these moments.” Since most of the design was created without a complete set list, much tweaking was left to do, but Rylander says that the time in previz helped the design team create basic looks and moods in anticipation of rehearsals. “Morgan and Darren really did a great job just thinking ahead, so that, when we finally started programming to timecode and directing the show, they often had already thought of something for that very cue and moment, and had it prepared for me when I asked for it,” says Rylander. “The band came in for one day and played the set for us. We video recorded it to timecode, and then they left for two days to let us work on it. During this time, I had to place and direct all content to where it would fit in the set. From that, it did not change much except for tweaking and polishing the programming.”
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I AM NOT A HUGE FAN OF THE FOLLOWSPOT LOOK,” SAYS RYLANDER. “BUT IN THIS CASE, IT IS ALSO MORE OF THE IDENTITY OF THE BAND AND THE SHOW.
Rylander says that his biggest challenge on this design was learning more about LEDs and video screens, joking that he has always held the opinion they would never enter into his designs. “Then, here I am designing a show where the whole stage is basically a video screen,” he says. “I really had to learn the specifics of video screens and a lot of new terms. It is not just about pixels, size, and resolutions. I had to find something that worked both physically in manufacturing and framing. It also had to line up perfectly and look good at all angles. I learned a lot about heat shielding, spread, and optics of screens. I also had to do a lot of math, calculating shapes in relation to each other, since I wanted to use a lot of perspective relations in the screens. Kerstin and I were pulling out our soon-to-be gray hairs, and it made me wish I had paid attention in school more.” The tour’s production manager is Dermot Lynch, with Josh Barnes as global touring lighting crew chief. VER also supplied the lighting package, with Joe Gonzales as US lighting account manager. The 1975 continues to play shows throughout Europe and the US into the summer.
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FE ATURE
JOAN MARCUS
OUT OF ANATEVKA
DON HOLDER LIGHTS THE BROADWAY REVIVAL OF FIDDLER ON THE ROOF /// BY ELLEN LAMPERT-GREAUX
FE ATURE
BART SHER WAS INTERESTED IN CREATING A FIDDLER THAT WAS A CLEAR DEPARTURE FROM THE WHIMSICAL BORIS ARONSON/ CHAGALL ORIGINAL DESIGNS. THIS VERSION IS SET IN AN OVERTLY THEATRICAL SURROUND—A VAST, WHITE BRICK BOX—WHERE PERIOD AND SOMEWHAT AUTHENTIC OBJECTS, PROPS, AND SCENIC EFFECTS ARE FLOWN IN AND TRACKED ON TO TELL THE STORY. 72
O
ne of Broadway’s most beloved—and longest r unning—mu s i c a l s is back again. Fiddler On The Roof, lovingly revived by director Bartlett Sher (inspired by the work of Jerome Robbins), features designs by an award-winning team: sets by Michael Yeargan, costumes by Catherine Zuber, lighting by Donald Holder, and sound by Scott Lehrer. As you get ready to wail and waltz with Tevye and his daughters, here’s a look at the lighting as we are transported to the small town of Anatevka in rural Russia circa1905.
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The second act—late fall-winter—is increasingly stark and drained of color.
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JOAN MARCUS
LIVE DESIGN: What research did you do for such a revival? How to make it “fresh”? DONALD HOLDER: Bart Sher was interested in creating a Fiddler that was a clear departure from the whimsical Boris Aronson/ Chagall original designs. This version is set in an overtly theatrical surround—a vast, white brick box—where period and somewhat authentic objects, props, and scenic effects are flown in and tracked on to tell the story. Bart mentioned early on about doing a production with only tungsten sources. I believe it was his way of saying he was looking for a rough-hewn, spare vocabulary: a raw, unadorned beauty that was very much in keeping with the world of the shtetl and the tragic undertones of the story.
THIS VERSION IS SET IN AN OVERTLY THEATRICAL SURROUND—A VAST, WHITE BRICK BOX—
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LIVE DESIGN: What were your design goals? DH: The principal objective of my design was to fill the world of Fiddler On The Roof with a living light that suggested the passage of time and season, ebbing and flowing with the constantly shifting emotional and musical landscape. We experience every time of day and move from spring to summer, fall, and winter during the course of the evening. The first act—set in spring-summer-fall—is more colorful and impressionistic. The second act—late fall-winter—is increasingly stark and drained of color as the play reaches its tragic conclusion. I responded to the open, almost operatic scale of the space by carving it out with bold singular lighting gestures, rather than break the space up into smaller components. “Tevye’s Dream” is really a departure from everything else in the musical, and the level of abstraction is at its height here. I used a lot of kinetic movement effects— ground-fog, slowly spinning gobos cutting through haze, ballyhoos—and some rather intense color choices to create the sense of dreamscape.
FE ATURE
Holder uses a lot of kinetic movement effects and some rather intense color choices to create the sense of dreamscape.
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JOAN MARCUS
THE GLP IMPRESSION X4 BAR IS MAKING ITS BROADWAY DEBUT ON FIDDLER, HIGHLIGHTING KEY MOMENTS, SUCH AS THE OPENING AND “TEVYE’S DREAM.”
The front-of-house rig is a combination of City Theatrical AutoYokes and ETC Revolutions.
LIVE DESIGN: Which fixtures are the workhorses and what are they doing? DH: The front-of-house rig is all tungsten and virtually fan-less, which allows the more silent moments in the show to really be heard. It’s a combination of City Theatrical AutoYokes and ETC Revolutions. The onstage rig also features Revolutions for much of the low sidelight. For backlight, I’m using a combination of Clay Paky Sharpy Washes and [Philips VariLite] VL3500 washes for the more dramatic and operatic moments, and [Harman Martin Professional] MAC TW1 tungsten washes to backlight tighter and more intimate scenes. The GLP impression X4 Bar is making its Broadway debut on Fiddler, doing a great job with key moments, such as the opening and “Tevye’s Dream,” that require a low profile, high intensity LED strip light with tilt capability, color mixing, and zoom optics. I’m also using VL3500Q profiles for scenic detailing and back and crosslight specials. The rig also employs a fair amount of ETC Source Four ellipsoidals and Wybron Coloram II scrollers for the basic systems of light that carve out the space and serve as the backbone of the design. 2016 MARCH \\\
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PRG LIGHTING GEAR LIST
11 Philips Vari-lite 3500Q Spot 4 Philips Vari-lite 3500 Wash 8 Philips Vari-lite 2500 Wash 7 Philips Vari-lite 1000 AS 10 Harman Martin Professional MAC 2000 Performance Profile 12 Harman Martin Professional MAC TW1
JOAN MARCUS
8 GLP impression X4 Bar 6 Clay Paky Sharpy Wash 10 ETC Source Four Revolution 5 City Theatrical AutoYoke with ETC Source Four 10˚ 4 ETC Source Four 10˚ 25 ETC Source Four 14˚ 46 ETC Source Four 19˚ 165 ETC Source Four 26˚ 70 ETC Source Four 36˚ 5 ETC Source Four 50˚ 4 ETC Source Four 70˚ 22 ETC Source Four PAR NSP 8 Altman Lighting EconoCyc 6 ETC Source Four MultiPAR WFL 6 L&E 6’ 3- circuit Mini-Strip 6 Vegas-Style 3-circuit Mini-Strip 7 AC Lighting Chroma-Q Color Force 48 2 AC Lighting Chroma-Q Color Force 72 2 Lycian M2 Followspot 1 Lycian 1293 Followspot
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The revival is set in an overtly theatrical surround where period and somewhat authentic objects, props, and scenic effects are flown in and tracked on to tell the story.
42 Wybron Coloram II 4’’ Scroller 18 Wybron Coloram II 7.5’’ Scroller 8 DHA Double Gobo Rotator 1 Look Solutions Power Tiny 4 Look Solutions Viper NT 2 Harman Martin Professional Jem Glaciator X-Stream 2 MDG Atmosphere Hazer 2 Harman Martin Professional Jem Fan 3 ETC Sensor 96x2.4kw Dimmer Rack 1 ETC Sensor 48x2.4kw Dimmer Rack 4 Motion Labs 48-Way 208v Power Distribution 6 City Theatrical ShoW DMX Receiver 2 City Theatrical ShoW DMX Transmitter 5 City Theatrical ShoW DMX D3 Dimmer 1 ETC Eos Console 1 ETC RPU 1 ETC Eos Ti (used for programming)
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JOAN MARCUS
THE FIRST ACT—SET IN SPRING-SUMMER-FALL— IS MORE COLORFUL AND IMPRESSIONISTIC.
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Holder also uses VL3500Q profiles for scenic detailing and back and cross-light specials.
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Overheads Plot KEY TO SYMBOLS: ETC Source Four 10º 750w ETC Source Four 14º 750w ETC Source Four 19º 750w ETC Source Four 26º 750w
DIST FROM 0'-0" (SP) 36'-8 1/2"
WHITE RP SCREEN
BACK BRICK WALL
36'-0"
BACK BRICK WALL
597
598 H1
Altman Econocyc
ELEC #6
J3 J2 J1
NIGHT DROP 74 72 71
ELEC #5 70 69 68 67
DAY DROP
5 LADDER R
FIDDLER FLY 62 61 60
HANGING LAMPS
13'-7"
G3
577
356
18 2'-6"
G2
438
17
2'-0"
G1
578
F3
577
F2
579
F1
578
E3
577
E2
579
E1
578
D3
61
62
63
64
65
14w
14
13
Sharpy Wash
12
Sharpy Wash
3'-0"
2'-9"
11
Sharpy Wash
2'-9"
2'-0"
10
9
Sharpy Wash
8
Sharpy Wash
2'-0"
2'-9"
D1
578
ETC Source Four PAR MFL 750w
C3
577
C2
C1
B3 B2 B1
ETC Source Four PAR WFL 750w
A3 A2 A1
6TH ELECTRIC
44
Trim +34'-8"
220
7w
Sharpy Wash
2'-9"
579
11
SM
66
SPOT 3500Q
15
2'-0"
577
D2
10
SM
240
16
2'-0"
579
418 7
326 6
3'-0"
SPOT 3500Q
5
325
3500 WASH
4
2'-0"
2'-0"
3
2'-0"
219 2
3'-0"
2'-6"
1
2'-0"
5TH ELECTRIC
GHOST TEVYE'S HOUSE (FIDDLER FLY WITH IT)
WYBRON ColoRam II 7.5" WYBRON ColoRam II 4"
5 LADDER L Center of ladder: centered in masking, must fit within 4' space 28'-6" L of CL
VARI*LITE 3500Q SPOT 1200w
353 22
THE INN WALL 43 42 FLOATING HOUSE#3 ELEC #3 TRAIN STATION SIGN PORTAL #3
38 37 36 35
FLOATING HOUSE #2 32 31 30 29
HANGING LAMP 28 27 26 25
ELEC #2 24 23
2 ELECTRIC
12'-4"
TEVYE'S HOUSE
10'-4 1/2"
TEVYE'S HOUSE 20 19
HALF CURTAIN
9'-2 3/4"
HALF CURTAIN 16
PORTAL #2
7'-4 1/4"
PORTAL#2 11
BARN
6'-3"
BLACK BORDER
5'-7"
Fly Floor 23'-9" Clear
40 39
21
20w
2'-0"
436
Mac 2k
20
4'-0"
476
354
236
81
494
18 2'-0"
17
16
1'-9"
1'-9"
15
14w
2'-0"
SM 216
SPOT 3500Q
TW1
19 2'-0"
Center of ladder: +27'-9" US of PL, 25'-6" L of CL
8 500
14
3'-0"
324
34
493
416
12a
12
11
2'-6"
2'-6"
10 2'-0"
9w
9
3'-0"
8 2'-0"
7 1'-9"
6 1'-9"
323
3500 WASH
TW1
5 2'-0"
215
753
Mac 2k
TW1
13 2'-0"
42
82
4
3w
2'-0"
3
2
4'-0"
1
2'-0"
4TH ELECTRIC
SLIDE OPEN
FLOATING BARN 45 TELEPHONE LINE
235 TW1
22a
#480 PORTAL 495
Trim +33'-9"
351 12
3 LADDER R
352 11
2'-0"
10 2'-0"
31
496
434
532
9
8
2'-0"
32
FLOATING HOUSE #3
Mac 2k
7
1'-9"
531
Mac 2k
6
2'-9"
13'-0"
13'-0"
Center of ladder: +18'-8" US of PL, 25'-6" R of CL
454 5
2'-9"
414 4
322 3
1'-9"
2'-0"
#3 PORTAL
VARI*LITE 3500 WASH 1200w
4
75 232
347
432
SPOT 3500Q
HANGING LAMPS
472
481
348
233
752
5
76
481 6
HANGING LAMPS
SPOT 3500Q
TW1
19
20
77
17
16
15
14
13
12w
752
SPOT 3500Q
TW1
18
213
7
HANGING LAMPS
318
78
491
412
212
SPOT 3500Q
TW1
12
11
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
VARI*LITE 1000 AS 575w
Martin MAC Performance 2000w Martin MAC TW1 1200w CP Sharpy Wash 330w ETC S4 Revolution with shutters & ? 750w
©SteveShelley 2003
CT S4 10º Autoyoke with scroller & iris 750w
2 LADDER L
317
TW1
8w
VARI*LITE 2500 WASH 700w
3 LADDER L Center of ladder: +18'-8" US of PL, 25'-6" L of CL
Trim +29'-0"
FLOATING HOUSE #2
481
2 LADDER R
1 2'-0"
3RD ELECTRIC
FLOATING HOUSE #2
Center of ladder: +13'-2" US of PL, 25'-3" R of CL
321 2
2'-0"
AS
TAB
23
SM
VL2500 W
4 LADDER L 33
79
753
497
3500 WASH
51
34 33
32'-6"
H1
578
9 SPOT 3500Q
19
3'-0"
CHOPPER #2
16'-7"
579
Trim +33'-3" Low trim for 2-7: +31'-0"
41
41
PORTAL #3
H2
3500 WASH
20
2'-0"
577
Center of ladder: +27'-9" US of PL, 25'-6" R of CL
44
FLOATING HOUSE #2 15'- 1/2"
H3
43 355
21
47 46
FLOATING HOUSE #3 18'-8" 3 ELECTRIC 18'-5" TRAIN STATION SIGN 17'-10"
578
VL1k AS
ELEC #4 50
56 55
49 48
29'-0"
ETC Source Four 70º 750w
ETC Source Four PAR NSP 750w
Mac 2k
24'-6"
20'-4.4"
A1
Altman Econocyc
Mac 2k
4 ELECTRIC
THE INN WALL
B1
ETC Source Four PAR VNSP 750w
1 BOOM L
TW1
PORTAL #4 54
21'-8 3/4"
C1 Altman Econocyc
597
Mac TW1
26'-0"
22'-8 3/4"
598
Sharpy Wash
26'-9 1/2"
TELEPHONE LINE
597
4 LADDER R
59 58
WHEAT 57
WHEAT PORTAL #4
FLOATING BARN
D1 Altman Econocyc
Altman Econocyc
598
TEVYE'S HOUSE
53 52
33'-9"
597
©SteveShelley 2003
29'-8 1/2"
598
S4 Rev
FLY RIG
I3 I2 I1
239
Center of ladder: centered in masking, must fit within 4' space 28'-6" R of CL
66 65 64 63
GHOST TEVYE'S HOUSE 28'-1 1/2" GHOST
E1
Altman Econocyc
597
Fly Floor 26'-0" Clear
30'-10 3/4"
598
TAB
DAY DROP
F1
Altman Econocyc
597
SLIDE OPEN
32'-3"
TAB
34'-11" 33'-9 1/4"
5 ELECTRIC
598
Trim +34'-9"
SLIDE OPEN
6 ELECTRIC NIGHT DROP
597
7TH ELECTRIC
73
33'-3"
598 G1
Altman Econocyc
579 34'-8"
597
SPOT 3500Q
WHITE RP
1 BOOM R
3500 Wash
ELEC #7
3500 WASH
37'-8 1/2"
TAB
7 ELECTRIC
598 34'-9"
SLIDE OPEN
BOUNCE
70
ETC Source Four 50º 750w
39'-2 1/2"
CHOPPER #2
ITEM
TRIM
ETC Source Four 36º 750w
BOUNCE
STRIPLIGHTS AS INDICATED
Center of ladder: +13'-2" US of PL, 25'-3" L of CL
1
22
2'-0"
2'-0"
2'-0"
2'-0"
2'-0"
2'-0"
2'-0"
2'-6"
2'-0"
2'-6"
2'-6"
2'-0"
2'-6"
2'-0"
2'-0"
2'-0"
2'-0"
2'-0"
2'-0"
18 17
188
2'-0"
2ND ELECTRIC
21
CHANNEL Number Drop-in Iris
Trim +32'-6"
Gobo Rotator
2
UNIT Number TEMPLATE
1 TOWER R
7.5" ColoRam II 4" ColoRam II
15 14 13
1 TOWER L
BARN BLACK BORDER 109 FLOATING HOUSE #1
8 7 6 5 4 3 2
1 ELECTRIC
2'-7"
BLACKOUT DROP SHOW SCRIM
1'-2 3/4" 0'-10 3/4"
PORTAL #1
0'-3.7"
LINE SCHEDULE
ELEC #1 BOC SHOW SCRIM PORTAL #1
1 LADDER R
1
+0'0"
Center of ladder: +3'-2" US of PL, 25'-3" R of CL
#2 PORTAL
CHOPPER #1
FLOATING HOUSE #1 4'-7 1/3"
30'-3"
CHOPPER #1
12
FLOATING HOUSE #1 342
SM
344
1
71
20 2'-0"
2'-0"
19
18w
174
2'-6"
72 228
SPOT 3500Q
TW1
21
18
343
751
345
16 2'-0"
15 2'-0"
14 2'-0"
13 2'-6"
2
12a
12 11w
2'-0"
492 173
11
2'-6"
3
73
751
315
SPOT 3500Q
TW1
17 2'-0"
313
208
172
9 2'-0"
8 2'-6"
7 2'-0"
6 2'-0"
74
SPOT 3500Q
TW1
10w 10 2'-6"
SM
314
312
1 LADDER L
TW1
5 2'-0"
4 2'-0"
3w 2'-6"
3
171
2 2'-0"
1 2'-0"
1ST ELECTRIC
#1 PORTAL
Center of ladder: +3'-2" US of PL, 25'-3" L of CL
• ALL UNITS HANG ON 18" CENTERS UNLESS OTHERWISE INDICATED • ALL TRIMS ARE APPROXIMATE AND ARE TO BE VERIFIED BY DESIGNERS ON SITE • ALL TRIMS TO SHOW DECK • CONFIRM LADDER PLACEMENT WITH LD BEFORE INSTALLATION. • LADDERS RIGGED TO FLY • PROVIDE SCROLLER COOLING FAN CONTROL BY POSITION • SEE LW FOR TOPHATS AND ACCESSORIES
THIS DRAWING REPRESENTS VISUAL CONCEPTS AND CONTRUCTION 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.
Trim +30'-3"
DONALD HOLDER Lighting Design, Inc
CONFIRM PLACEMENTS FROM PLASTER LINE WITH SCENIC DEPT
17 West 20th Street 6th Floor NYC, NY 10011 (212) 691-6694 This drawing and all related paperwork, design concepts, and the resultant lighting design are the property of Donald Holder. Any attempt to use, reproduce, or otherwise alter these materials without the consent of Donald Holder is expressly forbidden.
L.D. 445
A
Preliminary Issue
10/2/15
B
Prelim Revisions
10/12/15
C
Final
12/29/15
C L REV # REVISION
DATE
PRODUCED BY Jeffrey Richards & Jerry Frankel DIRECTED BY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bartlett Sher SCENERY DESIGNED BY . . . . . . . . Michael Yeargan LIGHTING DESIGNED BY . . . . . . . . . . Donald Holder ASST LIGHTING DESIGNER . . . . . . . . . Caroline Chao PRODUCTION ELECTRICIAN . . . . . . James Maloney
BROADWAY THEATRE NEW YORK, NY
SCALE: 1/4" = 1'-0"
DRAWING
EXCEPT WHERE NOTED
DATE:
12/29/15
REVISION:
84
1
1 OF 5
Overheads
KEY TO SYMBOLS: PROSC BOOM R
PROSC BOOM L
ETC Source Four 10º 750w
C L
ETC Source Four 14º 750w ETC Source Four 19º 750w ETC Source Four 26º 750w ETC Source Four 36º 750w
2
AS
1
AS
AS
13'-6"
Trim +29'-0" from bottom of pipe to show deck Center of position -11'-0" DS of PL
13'-6"
21
22
ETC Source Four 50º 750w
1 BOX BM L
APRON TRUSS
70
FOH Plot
3
3'-0"
1 BOX BM R
23
ETC Source Four 70º 750w ETC Source Four PAR VNSP 750w ETC Source Four PAR NSP 750w
UNDER BOX R
UNDER BOX L
372
1
ETC Source Four PAR MFL 750w
362
1
ETC Source Four PAR WFL 750w
2 BOX BM R
371
2
2 BOX BM L
361
2
WYBRON ColoRam II 7.5" WYBRON ColoRam II 4"
1'-3"
1'-3"
1'-3"
1'-3"
2'-9"
2'-9"
1'-3"
3'-0"
3'-0"
1'-3"
2'-9"
2'-9"
1'-3"
1'-3"
1'-3"
1'-3"
1'-3"
3
SPOT 3500Q
303
3
4
SPOT TOWER R
21
20
19
18
17
16
15
14
13
12
11
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
101
155
185
800
800
154
184
102
499
183
103
153
499
104
182
152
800
800
181
151
105
5
FOH TRUSS LOW PIPE Not drawn in true position. Trim +32'-9" from bottom of truss to show deck
402
24
23
22
21
20
19
18
17
16
15
14
165
195
800
170
200
169
199
164
194
800
198
168
193
13
12
11
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
163
168
198
800
192
162
197
167
196
166
800
191
161
FOH TRUSS HIGH PIPE
3 BOX BM L
Mac 2k
25
Center of position -28'-0" of PL High pipe is overhung on US chord
TW1
2'-0"
VARI*LITE 2500 WASH 700w
VARI*LITE 1000 AS 575w
Martin MAC Performance 2000w
Mac TW1
3 BOX BM R
26
VARI*LITE 3500 WASH 1200w
442
4
SPOT TOWER L
5
VARI*LITE 3500Q SPOT 1200w
304
2
2'-9"
3500 Wash
1'-3"
3500 WASH
2'-9"
AS
422
2
VL2500 W
333 462
307
1
VL1k AS
334
1
Mac 2k
337
Martin MAC TW1 1200w
Sharpy Wash
CP Sharpy Wash 330w ETC S4 Revolution with shutters & ? 750w
©SteveShelley 2003
S4 Rev
©SteveShelley 2003
CT S4 10º Autoyoke with scroller & iris 750w STRIPLIGHTS AS INDICATED
263
266
256
285
2
1
1
2
188
CHANNEL Number Drop-in Iris Gobo Rotator
2
464
1'-6"
1'-6"
5'-6"
2'-0"
5
8
7
225
463
421
800
158
6
1'-6"
1'-6" 1
501
1
11
503
511
570
520
Conductor Monitor
10
9
8a
8
568
512
549
502
7
6
5
504
512
567
4a
519
501
503
511
569
791
461
222
332
336
224
204
306
302
3
2
1
1
2
3
3
4
5
6
7
8
443
441
S4 Rev
254
401
©SteveShelley 2003
0a
11
12
251
548
550
THIS DRAWING REPRESENTS VISUAL CONCEPTS AND CONTRUCTION 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.
DONALD HOLDER Lighting Design, Inc
156
186
17 West 20th Street 6th Floor NYC, NY 10011 (212) 691-6694 This drawing and all related paperwork, design concepts, and the resultant lighting design are the property of Donald Holder. Any attempt to use, reproduce, or otherwise alter these materials without the consent of Donald Holder is expressly forbidden.
L.D. 445
13
335
6
+16'-0"
537
535
538
536
7
305
1
301
2
4'-6"
12
10/12/15
C
Final
12/29/15
See plan view for hanging position
REV # REVISION
+10'-6"
507
507
201
12
11
+10'-6"
S4 Rev
3
523
521
524
522
PRODUCED BY Jeffrey Richards & Jerry Frankel
S4 Rev
3
©SteveShelley 2003
©SteveShelley 2003
+9'-0"
DIRECTED BY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bartlett Sher
+9'-0" 4
4
SCENERY DESIGNED BY . . . . . . . . Michael Yeargan
94
10
©SteveShelley 2003
10
DATE
9
281
4'-6"
11
10/2/15
Prelim Revisions
3 BOX BM L
See plan view for hanging position 8
2
223
508
2 BOX BM L
+14'-6"
8
508
Preliminary Issue
B
+17'-0"
1 +14'-6"
9
291
A
691
+16'-0"
221
See plan view for hanging position
93
5
2'-0"
2'-0"
10
0a
692 +17'-0" 6
©SteveShelley 2003
8
9
4
©SteveShelley 2003
3'-8"
5
7
92
157
7
• ALL UNITS HANG ON 18" CENTERS UNLESS OTHERWISE INDICATED • ALL TRIMS ARE APPROXIMATE AND ARE TO BE VERIFIED BY DESIGNERS ON SITE • ALL TRIMS TO SHOW DECK • CONFIRM LADDER PLACEMENT WITH LD BEFORE INSTALLATION. • LADDERS RIGGED TO FLY • PROVIDE SCROLLER COOLING FAN CONTROL BY POSITION • SEE LW FOR TOPHATS AND ACCESSORIES
©SteveShelley 2003
331
2 BOX BM R
6
3'-8"
91
252
S4 Rev
©SteveShelley 2003
See plan view for hanging position
187
403
541 4
3 BOX BM R
542
9
202
543
188
7.5" ColoRam II 4" ColoRam II
4
255
5
205
BALCONY RAIL
9
404
3
4 10a
3
2
444
2
2'-0"
423
1'-6"
2'-0"
2'-0" 2'-0"
11
544
264
4'-0"
1'-6"
2'-0"
12
800
189
1'-6"
2'-0"
9
1'-6"
2'-0"
7
2'-3"
2'-0"
8
10
261
3
2'-3"
2'-0"
159
4
2'-0"
5
1'-6"
13 12
6
1'-6"
14
2'-0"
1
2'-0"
2
424
265
2'-0"
2'-0"
1'-6"
3
2'-0"
4
262
UNIT Number TEMPLATE
LIGHTING DESIGNED BY . . . . . . . . . . Donald Holder ASST LIGHTING DESIGNER . . . . . . . . . Caroline Chao PRODUCTION ELECTRICIAN . . . . . . James Maloney
+6'-6"
+6'-6"
1 BOX BM R
5
BROADWAY THEATRE
1 BOX BM L
5
373
See plan view for hanging position
363
NEW YORK, NY
See plan view for hanging position
DRAWING
SCALE: 1/4" = 1'-0" EXCEPT WHERE NOTED
2
12/29/15
DATE:
REVISION:
1
OF 5
PROSC BOOM R
588 585 582
8
TAB
COLOR FORCE 48
5 LADDER R
624
623
6
GLP X4
114
587 584 581 B1
3 ckt MultiPAR STRIPLIGHT WFL
115
5
GLP X4
4
GLP X4
116 3
GLP X4
COLOR FORCE 72
622
621
620
632
3
632
2
632
1
COLOR FORCE 72
619
618
COLOR FORCE 72
617
616
734
615
613
612
611
733
Viper NT
609
608
732
Viper NT
ETC Source Four 19º 750w
C1
B1
COLOR FORCE 72
607
606
605
3
631
2
631
1
631
COLOR FORCE 48
604
603
602
A1
601
Viper NT
GHOST TEVYE'S HOUSE (FIDDLER FLY WITH IT)
Install under stairs
TRAP SR
ETC Source Four 50º 750w
ETC Source Four PAR MFL 750w
WYBRON ColoRam II 7.5" WYBRON ColoRam II 4"
Run hose to stage level Not shown in actual FLOATING HOUSE #3position
Track #2
HANGING LAMPS
711
Pop-up for Glaciator in basement for 1-7 'The Dream'
SPOT 3500Q 3500 WASH
AS TW1
2 LADDER L
712
Center of ladder: +13'-2" US of PL, 25'-3" L of CL
VARI*LITE 1000 AS 575w
Martin MAC Performance 2000w Martin MAC TW1 1200w CP Sharpy Wash 330w
Sharpy Wash
HANGING LAMPS
VL1k AS
FLOATING HOUSE #2
HANGING LAMPS
Mac 2k
CHOPPER #2
CHOPPER #2
FLOATING HOUSE #2
Track #2
2 LADDER R
Pop-up for Glaciator in basement for 1-7 'The Dream'
1 TOWER R
ETC S4 Revolution with shutters & ? 750w
©SteveShelley 2003
S4 Rev
©SteveShelley 2003
1 TOWER L
CHOPPER #1
CHOPPER #1
#2 PORTAL WELL TRAP
WELL
741
FLOATING HOUSE #1
Tiny Fog on Stove for Act 1 Scene 1
Track #1
Track #1
1 LADDER R
701
CT S4 10º Autoyoke with scroller & iris 750w
701 MDG
STRIPLIGHTS AS INDICATED
SL JUMP DL Lower Jump
188
1 LADDER L
Center of ladder: +3'-2" US of PL, 25'-3" R of CL
CHANNEL Number Drop-in Iris Gobo Rotator
Center of ladder: +3'-2" US of PL, 25'-3" L of CL
2
UNIT Number TEMPLATE 7.5" ColoRam II 4" ColoRam II
#1 PORTAL
+26'-0"
• ALL UNITS HANG ON 18" CENTERS UNLESS OTHERWISE INDICATED • ALL TRIMS ARE APPROXIMATE AND ARE TO BE VERIFIED BY DESIGNERS ON SITE • ALL TRIMS TO SHOW DECK • CONFIRM LADDER PLACEMENT WITH LD BEFORE INSTALLATION. • LADDERS RIGGED TO FLY • PROVIDE SCROLLER COOLING FAN CONTROL BY POSITION • SEE LW FOR TOPHATS AND ACCESSORIES
+26'-0" 1
596
2
596
593
1
593
2
4'-0"
6
473
554 +26'-3"
558
2
+29'-0"
471
Mac 2k
+24'-6"
+27'-0"
+25'-6"
37
7 +23'-0"
4
227 +20'0"
Note: Rolling dance tower is 15" wide to fit US of Portal #2
488
8a
9
10
11
12
487
346 +16'-3"
+16'-0"
487
7
292
13
70
+19'-3" +18'-9"
244
7a
15
547 70 +12'-0"
+12'-0"
+17'-6"
238
+15'-9"
634
©SteveShelley 2003
©SteveShelley 2003
©SteveShelley 2003
©SteveShelley 2003
1 TOWER R
8
Mac 2k
12
595
592
5
6
595
592
6
+22'9"
13
15
2 LADDER R
3 LADDER R
Trim: +11'-6"
Trim: +11'-6"
Trim: +11'-6"
5
413
9
572
561
243 5
573
+20'-3"
+18'-9"
376
13
12
15
14
VL2500 W
16
218
+17'-6"
633
+15'-9"
+17'-3"
8
10
13
12
8
594
591
8
9
594
591
9
58
+12'-0"
Trim: +11'-6" Note: Yoke all units back, out of sightlines
Trim: +12'-0"
Prelim Revisions
10/12/15
Final
12/29/15
17
241
284 VL1k AS
1 BOOM L
27
REV # REVISION
534
6
316
10
9
12
11
311
485
Note: Rolling dance tower is 15" wide to fit US of Portal #2 +7'-0"
+16'-3"
+16'-0"
283
282
364 485
ASST LIGHTING DESIGNER . . . . . . . . . Caroline Chao
2 13
16 +12'-0"
15
800
PRODUCTION ELECTRICIAN . . . . . . James Maloney
381 513
800
+12'-0"
BROADWAY THEATRE NEW YORK, NY
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DATE:
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REVISION:
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DRAWING
EXCEPT WHERE NOTED
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SCENERY DESIGNED BY . . . . . . . . Michael Yeargan LIGHTING DESIGNED BY . . . . . . . . . . Donald Holder
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PRODUCED BY Jeffrey Richards & Jerry Frankel DIRECTED BY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bartlett Sher
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This drawing and all related paperwork, design concepts, and the resultant lighting design are the property of Donald Holder. Any attempt to use, reproduce, or otherwise alter these materials without the consent of Donald Holder is expressly forbidden.
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THIS DRAWING REPRESENTS VISUAL CONCEPTS AND CONTRUCTION 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.
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Martin Glaciator
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Hang under deck level in trap
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G1 E1 CONTINUOUS LIGHTING F1TROUGH(RUNS FULL LENGTH OF D1BACK WALL)
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The ONLY bona fide, white-light LED retrofit for the Source Four® ellipsoidal
NETHER
BUILD ///
PROBLEM/SOLUTION
REGIONS
DESIGNING THE PLAYS OF JENNIFER HALEY /// BY DAVI NAPOLEON
BUILD ///
PROBLEM/SOLUTION
W
hen Jennifer Haley was a performer with Troupe Texas in Austin, actors created sets with their bodies. In a production of The Caucasian Chalk Circle, for instance, they lay on their backs, legs in the air, providing a bridge for an escaping Grusha, who walked over on their feet, using long poles. Haley recalls an assignment later, when she was studying playwriting with Paula Vogel at Brown: Write an impossible play. Haley has built a career on plays that some may find impossible. They are sometimes set in virtual worlds as well as in the real one. She wrote one in the style of a graphic novel. Although technology allows her characters to live in alternate worlds, Haley says her plays are “not about technology but about the emotional relationships we get ourselves into.” “Jen’s work is challenging thematically and conceptually,” says director Matt Morrow. “Her writing style is so specific, while at the same time leaving room for interpretation. It may sound clichéd, but she really does think outside the box, and the fact that she deals with technology and our relationship with technology in a theatrical way makes her voice unique and singular.” Haley doesn’t provide much by way of stage direction or set description. “I specify as little as possible to leave the door open,” she says. And some of what she’s seen has pleasantly surprised her, including these three very different productions of The Nether.
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Neighborhood 3 at Humana Festival
ALTHOUGH TECHNOLOGY ALLOWS HER CHARACTERS TO LIVE IN ALTERNATE WORLDS, HALEY SAYS HER PLAYS ARE “NOT ABOUT TECHNOLOGY BUT ABOUT THE EMOTIONAL RELATIONSHIPS WE GET OURSELVES INTO.” 2016 MARCH \\\
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BUILD ///
PROBLEM/SOLUTION
HEATHER MULL
THE NETHER Haley’s plays may incorporate worlds that only technology can create, but productions have varied from highly technological to very simple. In The Nether, action moves between a futuristic interrogation room and a virtual world in the foyer, bedroom, and garden of a Victorian home, populated by pedophiles and children. Before the world premiere at the Center Theatre Group in Los Angeles, scenic designer Adrian W. Jones met with director Neel Keller at Keller’s house, where Keller brought out his little girl’s doll house. “Adrian was inspired by that,” says Haley. When the production began, everything was masked except the interrogation room. “Many people thought we were here for the whole play,” says Haley. Then the masking pulled away, revealing a beautiful house that began to spin. Characters moved through the moving house. “There were gorgeous transitions, with music,” Haley recalls, as well as quick costume changes as one character went from one world to the next. Lights were by Christopher Kuhl, sound by John Zalewski, and costumes by Alex Jaeger. 90
ADRIAN JONES’ SET DESIGN FOR THE NETHER WAS INSPIRED BY THE DOLL HOUSE OF DIRECTOR NEEL KELLER’S DAUGHTER. 2016 MARCH \\\
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BUILD ///
PROBLEM/SOLUTION
Jaeger wanted a look that was believable as the future, but not comic, and “without resorting to silver spacesuits. The characters are common people, so it couldn’t look too high fashion, and the characters had to be relatable. In the end, I took store-bought pieces and customized them by piecing them together and changing the color,” he says, adding that costumes worked with sets and lights to contrast the nostalgic virtual world with the contemporary interrogation room. “We ended up with Victorian costumes that were slightly too bright and too new looking in the way they might when being 92
rendered on a computer. Our brilliant set designer, Adrian Jones, created the amazing rotating set that was not only beautiful but bought me precious seconds and space to make the remarkable, magical costume changes. Within the set, there was a hidden room in the middle with secret doors leading into all the rooms of the house. As the house rotated, the actors would disappear into the middle of the house where our crack crew, who had to remain inside the set for the whole show, would execute a quick change in seconds, and the actor would magically reemerge into another room just before it rotated into view.”
CRAIG SCHWARTZ
Jones designed a rotating set for the premiere of Center Theatre Group’s production of The Nether.
At the Royal Court in London, the stage area floated up and down, managed by two stagehands who lifted and lowered pulleys, old-school style. When the production moved to the West End, that process was mechanized. In both venues, projections changed locations. Video designer Luke Halls created 3D projections on scrim that pulled away, allowing projections to play on actors and scenery. Es Devlin designed the sets, with lights by Paul Pyant, sound by Ian Dickinson for Autograph, costumes by Christina Cunningham, and original music by Nick Powell. In New York, the Manhattan Class Company did the show on a limited budget in the Lucille Lortel, a shallow space with little fly and wing space. Director Anne Kauffman and scenic designer Laura Jellinek talked initially about how they wanted to keep the interrogation room always present, which led to the first designs. “In exploring if the hideaway [also called the Nether] was real or not, we wanted to keep the line between real and fake up for grabs,” Jellinek says. “So we had different doors in the interrogation room, an old fire door, a large revolving metal door, and others that revealed glimpses of the hideaway when we went to those scenes, but the audience could only experience that world through the interrogation room. This also allowed the opportunity to close off the Nether as quickly as you could close a laptop.”
2016 MARCH \\\
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BUILD ///
PROBLEM/SOLUTION
CRAIG SCHWARTZ
Alex Jaeger designed the Victorian costumes for Center Theatre Group’s The Nether as slightly too bright and too new looking.
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“It was like an industrial space had been retrofitted for the future. The lighting in the interrogation room was very cold and very sculptural.” Lighting designer Benjamin Stanton says the team talked about how much to expose to the audience. “When you read a novel, the individual reading it comes up with his own picture of what’s there. We chose to reveal as little as possible of what the Nether actually looked like,” he says, explaining that portals opened from the interrogation room to show slivers of the three areas. “We wanted audiences to create the rest of it in their minds.” He says the interrogation room was in a fairly contemporary warehouse, with a ceiling. By putting LEDs
in channels above, he tried to make the space feel futuristic. “It was like an industrial space had been retrofitted for the future. The lighting in the interrogation room was very cold and very sculptural,” Stanton adds. When a door opened or a panel slid to reveal the virtual world, lush, warm light poured out into the interrogation room and filled the whole stage. By shutting the opening to the hideaway, the cold world could be recreated instantly. He used Philips Color Kinetics ColorBlasts for LEDs and ETC Source Four ellipsoidals. “When we started the
design, we were trying to stage the hideaway scenes in the Victorian rooms, and the biggest evolution was breaking free of that and having the hideaway characters expand their scenes into the interrogation room,” Jellinek says. “The actors in Victorian costume would emerge from the period rooms and continue to play the scenes in the interrogation room, sometimes with a ‘real’ character still onstage, which was a great way to question what was real and what was not. It added a depth to the production that felt very connected to all of the questions Jen was asking with the play.” 2016 MARCH \\\
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BUILD ///
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PROBLEM/SOLUTION
The Nether at Center Theatre Group
Stage directions did tell the team which room characters were inhabiting at any given moment, “but there was enough freedom in the piece to leave room for an exciting design process,” says Jellinek, adding that she can imagine a good production that takes place entirely in the interrogation room with no other scenery, “since the writing is strong enough that so much information is communicated already through the text. We were excited to find what felt like a specific take on the piece through our design, and it’s been exciting to look up other productions and see the variations in the design.” Haley notes that transitions were complex in the first two productions, while at the Lortel, the virtual world entered the interrogation room simply. In one transition, a door opened and a little girl in Victorian clothing ran in, sunlight spilling out behind her, to represent an imagined world overlapping the real one. Costumes were by Jessica Pabst, with sound by Daniel Kluger and Brandon Wolcott. Stanton says that, usually when he works on a play in New York that isn’t in the canon, he’s doing the first interpretation. This time, even though the play had been done twice before, it didn’t come with the baggage of too much description, so he experienced the same kind of freedom. Haley has seen six productions, all different, all wonderful. “Theatres work with different spaces and different budgets,” she says. “I try to write with that in mind.”
The Nether at Center Theatre Group
2016 MARCH \\\
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FC EO AV TE UR R SE T O R Y
BUILD ///
PROBLEM/SOLUTION
NEIGHBORHOOD 3 In her earlier play, Neighborhood 3: Requisition Of Doom, suburban teenagers are addicted to a video horror game set in a suburban subdivision identical to their own, and the line between reality and virtual reality blurs. Here, Haley uses minimal dialogue—no sentences, just chunks of text. Haley says she wanted the final scene to take place in a boy’s realistic bedroom. “You could do the rest of the play in a more abstract space,” she says. When it premiered at the Humana Festival in 2008, designer Michael Raiford created a glossy black floor with a black serrated wall and used glowing boxes to represent furniture. These were lit by LEDs from within. Props were painted to make them more abstract. For the final scene, they wheeled out a realistic desk and computer. The production was directed by Kip Fagan, with lights by Brian Lilienthal and costumes by Jessica Ford. Morrow did the play at Bricolage Production Company in Pittsburgh. “When I was working on Neighborhood 3, I had to figure out how to manifest a video game world on stage, not just through design but also through movement and sound, without giving away the ending that the entire play has been in the video game all along,” says Morrow who looked at online video games, how avatars move and react to each other and how they relate. “I also wanted to look behind the curtain of the technology, to see how it functions and creates the world. Pulling these elements together gave us the foundation for the design.” Morrow enlisted the talents of scenic designer Steffi Mayer, who created a cookie-cutter neighborhood with cutouts. The simple production featured an Astroturf floor. Lights were by Niki Ellis, sound by Dave Bjornson, and costumes by Angela M. Vesco.
Neighborhood 3 at Humana Festival 2008 98
I ALSO WANTED TO LOOK BEHIND THE CURTAIN OF THE TECHNOLOGY, TO SEE HOW IT FUNCTIONS AND CREATES THE WORLD. PULLING THESE ELEMENTS TOGETHER GAVE US THE FOUNDATION FOR THE DESIGN.
When Neighborhood 3 premiered at the Humana Festival in 2008, designer Michael Raiford created a glossy black floor with a black serrated wall. 2016 MARCH \\\
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BUILD ///
PROBLEM/SOLUTION
FROGGY Haley wrote Froggy in the style of a graphic novel, using boxes of text to indicate different psychological spaces. “I had no idea how to stage it, but it never troubled someone like Matt Morrow,” she says. “The script only helps open up conversations.” “With Froggy, we have been working on how to manifest a graphic novel on stage, with a video game embedded inside it,” says Morrow. “This has been a unique challenge, but we have had a blast looking at retro video games, reading graphic novels, and pulling apart and experimenting with framing devices in both. Froggy uses an immersive projection design as the scenic elements use a filmic language in a way that is built for live theatre. Again, there is a video game component. In the play that is still in development, a woman realizes her lover, who suddenly disappeared, is the star of a violent, bootleg video game. Digital media producer Owen Brierley has been working with the team to create scenic spaces using a gaming engine.
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Neighborhood 3 at Humana Festival
Froggy at Banff Centre Matt M. Morrow Demo recordings for Froggy, Banff Centre
“We talked a lot about worlds within worlds,” says Nathan Leigh, who composed music for the play. “One specific sound would be associated with a video game, another with westerns, and a third with film noir,” he says, explaining that the play evokes three worlds. He listened to the score of The Maltese Falcon and Ennio Morricone’s music for spaghetti westerns. He didn’t have to listen to video game sounds; he grew up with them. “It’s not like reading a Tennessee Williams script,” but, says Leigh, the visual language of graphic novels helped let them know which world they were in when. “She trades on old-school video games where a bunch of brown pixels can stand for a bar.” The live music he wanted proved easy to do for western music, writing for an old-style fiddle and classical violin, and for noir, with bass clarinet. “But when you get into electronic music, creating something that can be performed live in response to the actors is an interesting challenge,” he says. He spent months trying to figure out how to arrange and create the electronic elements in a way that would enable them to perform it live. Even notating electronic music is tricky; a common notation system is in the earliest stages of developing. When the play is published, he would like to be able to publish the score, but he has to create a new dictionary of symbols to make it possible for other artists to read it. 2016 MARCH \\\ 101
BUILD ///
PROBLEM/SOLUTION
Lighting for Bricolage’s production of Neighborhood 3 was by Niki Ellis, with sound by Dave Bjornson, and costumes by Angela M. Vesco.
HEATHER MULL
BREADCRUMBS Breadcrumbs, a two-hander about a crusty, isolated writer who is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, includes more by way of scenic directions, even though it relies on little by way of scenery. The play jumps back and forth in time, as a young woman helps the older writer finish her last book, a memoir. As the writer relives memories, props come out of the drawer of her work table. Characters take turns wearing a witch’s mask. Here, Haley uses the Hansel And Gretel idea of getting lost in the woods to represent dementia. She wanted leaves to fall in the final scene, and one of her colleagues suggested she use Post-It notes, which show up in earlier scenes. Haley, who so rarely offers stage directions, wrote that into the script. Davi Napoleon, a regular contributor to Live Design, is a freelance writer based in Michigan. Her book is Chelsea on the Edge: The Adventures of an American Theater.
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The final scene of Neighborhood 3 takes place in a boy’s realistic bedroom.
2016 MARCH \\\ 103 HEATHER MULL
TECH ///
WH AT ’S TRENDING
What’s Trending
Audio Playback Software /// BY EL L EN L A MP ER T- GRE A U X
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A
s the audio playback arena has gone digital, there are lots of software solutions that have taken the place of tape decks, reel-to-reel, cart machines, MiniDiscs, and other odd assorted pieces of hardware that were often cobbled together. A mini survey of sound designers reveals that some folks were pushed by creativity or perhaps the mother of invention to create their own software programs, while others have simply found solutions that fit the budgetary limitations of their theatres. A wide range of options, such as Stage Research SFX, Figure 53 QLab, Show Cue System, CSC from CTR Electronics, and Multiplay, allow great flexibility in audio playback, all right at your fingertips. No razor blades required. 2016 MARCH \\\ 105
TECH ///
WH AT ’S TRENDING
CARLTON GUC Stage Research, SFX
Audio playback has been trending in the theatrical industry recently, and as a sound designer, I was asked what I use and why. Historically, we have to go back to the late ‘80s, when as a programmer, I discovered that you can get sound out of an Atari 800. Fast-forward to the early ‘90s when I had an opportunity to leave my antivirus days to pursue a passion of mixing my programming skills with my theatrical sound design skills, plus an amazing 106
programming partner to establish a new company that changed the sound design world: Stage Research. Our product has a history of pushing industry leaders like Microsoft, sound card manufacturers, and others when the norm was only stereo playback. Today, not only do we have surround sound (5.1 and 7.1), but N channels of audio. The sound world was changed for every sound designer wanting to create art instead of dealing with tech. No more tape decks, reel-to-reel, cart machines, or MiniDiscs. SFX continues to be the only tool I use to create and execute sound designs. Last year, it ran Young Frankenstein in a semi-professional theatre in Cleveland with 300+
sound cues executed by numerous sources, including an ETC lighting console, orchestra MIDI controlled keyboard, and direct triggers from a console go button. During the winter holidays, SFX ran sound cues for Mary Poppins, certainly less demanding than Young Frankenstein, but when you need the dog to bark on time, it delivers. The most recent show that I was the assistant designer on is the production of In The Heights at The Beck Center in Lakewood Ohio, not an entirely complex show when it comes to sound effects—some cues that the board op takes, some cues that the orchestra triggers. However, within the show is a majorly critical sound cue that must play on time and is the only thing you hear while watching action on stage.
SFX for Young Frankenstein SFX is a program that my company d e vel op e d w it h years of experience through prior versions and collaborations with designers from local community theatres to Tony Award winners. We programmed around all the inherent issues of the Microsoft Audio Engine, providing our own audio engine for full matrix control. It’s a program that I trust every day with my designs and one I’ve watched others design with and run complex shows. There are other fine applications in the world of audio playback, and if you have a favorite, stick with it. SFX is the program I’m sticking with, as I know all the ingredients that went into making it work, plus all the native issues that had to be programmed around to ensure flawless playback. SFX wrote the book on audio playback and is a tool allowing designers to focus on their art. Carlton Guc is a sound designer and founder of the lighting/sound software company, Stage Research.
2016 MARCH \\\ 107
TECH ///
WH AT ’S TRENDING
TOM HAYES Multiplay
Little Colonel Players, a local community theatre in Pewee Valley, KY, a suburb of Louisville, asked me to suggest a replacement CD player for its audio cue playback. They said that they burn audio cues to a CD, each as a separate track, and play back the track during the show. When a cue gets added, deleted, or changed, they burn a new CD. When asked why they did not use a computer to play back audio files, they said
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Windows Media Player takes too long to start playing after given the “go” command. Like many community theatres, their audio system consists of a consumer amplifier and speakers and a well-meaning but amateur crew. Knowing this little theatre could not afford to get a playback package like SFX, an Internet search found a free program called Multiplay. There is no limit on how many cues can be playing at the same time. In the hypothetical show above, there is a telephone ring cue set to trigger when “T” is pressed on the keyboard. Because there is no “next
cue” link associated with the telephone cue, the normal cue sequence will not advance when the T key is pressed. This is a nice feature to employ when you have recurring cues in the course of the show. The cue will play without interrupting any other playback or causing the cue sequence to advance or change. This would have uses in sports venues where you have the periodic “Charge!” music. Each cue can simply be mapped to a particular key on the keyboard.
Multiplay The community theatre would have been happy if Multiplay only played cues on time. However, they were more impressed with the additional features, such as setting relative volume and panning. They typically have one person running both lights and sound in a tiny booth at the rear of the 100-seat house. By making the playback volume part of the cue and setting it during rehearsal, for the most part, they can run the sound cues by simply pressing the space bar. They are running Multiplay on an old XP machine. It also runs on newer hardware up to, and including, Windows 10. Tom Hayes is a retired audio engineer, with a background in performing arts, systems engineering, and software development. He has worked at Krannert Center for the Performing Arts—University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, Ancha Electronics, Rolling Meadows, IL, and Innovative Electronic Designs, Louisville.
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TECH ///
WH AT ’S TRENDING
RICHARD INGRAHAM CSC from CTR Electronics
I have been using a program called CSC from CTR Electronics for audio playback in many of my sound designs of late. I have always enjoyed trying out new ways of working and new tools as part of the process of designing sound for theatre, and that was my initial attraction to trying out CSC on a show. But in doing so, I realized there were features I had given up when using SFX from Stage Research 110
or QLab from Figure 53, features that were somewhat standard in the days of u s i ng op e n re e l s , C D s , MiniDiscs, hard disc players, and other audio players that I started out with years ago. Unlike SFX and QLab, CSC requires that you assign each audio file to a player (the free and LE version has eight players, and the full version has 32 players). This might seem like extra steps to some, but it also allows for some unique features. For one, CSC gives you a mixer interface to control in realtime the levels of each player. The mixer also has mute and solo controls
just like a typical mixing console. This makes level setting very simple when working with large channel count audio cues like background ambiances or backing tracks for musical theatre. Being able to mute or solo individual elements in realtime within a complex mix of audio is something I hadn’t been able to do since I used Richmond Sound Design’s AudioBox as my primary audio playback tool. CSC also allows you to hook up a MIDI control surface to manipulate this mixer, so not only can you have MIDI control for transport functions like go, next, prev, etc., but you can fully operate the mixer in realtime. Nothing beats grabbing real faders in my book for setting levels. Visit his website
CSC
Once you have adjusted the audio levels to your liking, you can save those levels into an existing cue or create a new cue with fade commands to those levels. One function we’ve lost in many of the popular audio playback applications is the ability for a skilled sound operator to adjust levels easily to match the day-today variations in theatre performances. The control surface support could be used for that purpose as well. The other major feature CSC has that I have found lacking in most other similar products is a timeline editor for audio cue construction. Most sound designers are familiar with the timeline display from their audio editors, so why do we not have that same interface in our playback software? Well, CSC does, and it allows you to see full waveform displays of your audio files and manipulate the start and end points of the audio file assigned to each player. You can also adjust the audio file’s posi-
tion within the timeline. This can speed up programming of multichannel audio playback cues a great deal over strictly text-based time displays. Of course, no product is perfect. One limitation I would like to see CTR Electronics overcome is that all the outputs to your audio interface are handled as stereo pairs. It means that when you play back a stereo audio file, the left channel of that file will always end up playing out of the even outputs on the interface, and the right channel will play out of the odd numbered outputs. I have used CSC on recent sound designs for Two Gentlemen Of Verona at the Cleveland Play House and Death And The Maiden at Mamaí Theatre Company, just to name a couple. Richard B. Ingraham is an audiovisual systems designer for Westlake Reed Leskosky and freelance sound designer based in Cleveland, OH. 2016 MARCH \\\ 111
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PHIL KREISEL Show Cue System
I have tried three different playback software programs for Windows over the past 10 years and have settled into a regular use of Show Cue System (SCS). This program replaces the need for multiple playback units, such as multiple CD players, that were common in theatres before the evolution of digital playback software. Here are the basics of SCS. All of the music and sound effects are in a specific folder on the computer, which also 112
has your SCS shortcut. The SCS program remembers the last show that was created and goes to that as its default. There are two main components to the program. The first is the Editor, where your sound cues and playlists are created and put in the order in which you want the sounds played back during the show. The second component is the playback mode, which is used when the show is being run. Both of these components can be accessed with the menu layout, shown in figure 1. SCS enables playback of different types of audio files (WAV, MP3, or WMA). Sound effects can
include things like thunder, telephone rings, door slams, pieces of recorded music; the list is endless. The program lists all of the sounds that have been created in the program. Each theatre project has its own customized layout and clearly shows the cue sequence of the show. The opening cue is at the start of the program and is laid out in a top-to-bottom sequence. Using the program is easily done, as the layout of the program is similar to other Windows programs, such as Microsoft Office. When you are running the playback component of the program, use your mouse and click on the green “go” button (the top left corner in figure 1) for each sound cue that is manually played.
An example of the different sounds associated with the playback component of this program is shown in figure 2. The show was Boeing Boeing, which had a combination of sound effects and music to help create the setting and actions in the play. It can be seen from left to right that the cues are listed by number. Each cue can have a description. The type of cue, most often an audio file, but sometimes an SFR cue (a stop, fade out, loop release command) is listed, such as Q5, where clicking this cue will fade out preshow music (the time of the fade can be set in the editor mode; I’ll often have a three-second fade). The “state” cell indicates what cue(s) have been played already and which are ready to be executed. In figure 2, we’re waiting to run Q6 (highlighted in blue). The activation cell indicates whether it’s
a manual cue that is done by clicking the go button or if it’s executed automatically. Every sound that is used in a show, including the playlist feature, can be modified with the editor component of the program for such things as fade in, fade out, level playback setting (how loud or quiet the sound will be), panning, looping a sound, and so on. Each sound effect can have a different playback level, which is adjusted in the Editor component. Master menu layout for Show Cue System (Version 11.0)
Cue layout for Show Cue System playback mode
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What is seen when the “Editor” option is clicked What happens in the Editor component of this program? In figure 3, the sound that is shown is Q11. Most of the time, I’ll control the activation of a cue manually, but there are times, like for this cue, when it’s more convenient to have a cue “auto start” after the end of a previous cue, which was some music that closed the previous scene and runs in conjunction with lights fade/lights up. The full length of the sound effect is 47.595 seconds, but the actual running time for this cue is based on the action in the show. When the actor on stage picks up the telephone receiver, the sound operator manually clicks the go button to activate Q12, which instantly stops the sound of the telephone ringing. One of the nice features of SCS is establishing a playlist, which allows for continuous music for atmosphere during a preshow or intermission. You can include as many audio files as you want and play them either sequentially or randomly. Another useful option is a hibernation effect, which I use during preshow. Here, preshow music fades out and is paused, with an auto follow sequence where a “welcome message/turn off cell phones” is played. At the end of the announcement, the hibernation effect is lifted, and preshow music resumes right where it left off. This is just the tip of the iceberg of the Show Cue System program. It’s a wonderful way to play back sounds and have control over how and when they’re played. Phil Kreisel is an independent sound designer who freelances for different local Edmonton, Canada theatre companies (primarily Walterdale Playhouse).
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JEREMY LEE Figure 53 QLab
The year is 1995. I’ve landed my first job at a professional theatre, and it’s my job to wrangle a couple of reel-to-reel decks (with autostop, thank you very much!), a few cassette decks, and a DAT deck. Our home studio-quality Tascam mixer has level markings that go from 0 to 10. Mixing a show is an acrobatic feat. If you have notes on cues, you go back to the studio until 3 or 4 am after tech, and get it done. 116
A lot has changed in 20 years. We went through a lot of phases as theatrical sound designers: instant replay, S6000 samplers, MiniDisc, and SFX. In 2006, a new player came on the scene called QLab. In the 10 years since I used a pre-release version in rehearsals for a major Broadway musical, it has completely taken over the theatrical playback market in the United States. QLab has bubbled to the top of the market because it broke all of the rules. It was not trying to be a replacement for stereo playback devices or a DAW. It was designed as the perfect symbiosis between the left brain of the engineer
and the right brain of the designer. It can work linearly if you want it to. If you dig deep, you can make it as flexible as you can imagine. There’s even a special type of cue that will play a random sound if you’d like it to. It speaks not only audio, but MIDI, OSC, and AppleScript, and in version 2 (incredibly enhanced in QLab 3), sophisticated video playback and manipulation tools have been added, as well. As a designer, I find that I no longer build specific cues that much anymore for atmospheric or presentational shows. I tend to create a huge palette of sounds for a show that are assembled in QLab, rather than in my DAW. If I write music for a show, I rarely do a stereo mix but bounce stems so that it’s far more flexible in tech.
For a recent touring show at the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, this is what my file organization looked like: See image 1. Instead of building cues and simply dropping them into QLab, I create them out of this palette. Here is how the tracks are laid out for an original music cue: See image 2. At the start of tech, all of these tracks were a part of the opening sound cue for the show (minus the mix track). During tech, the director asked to hear the cue without the Cloud Chambers sound in it, and all I had to do was disable that single audio file. No muss, no fuss. Here is a typical series of sound cues using this method of creating
cues: See image 3. It starts with a specific moment in the play and starts a tonal underscore in Q60 (the long tones are looped in QLab). Another tone is added in Q65; an accent is played, which dips the long tones in Q70, and then Q75 starts the transition into scene 2, using highly manipulated (via loops and other edits in QLab) tracks from the opening sequence, which also fades out the long tones. Using this method of creating cues in QLab allows me to work exceptionally quickly in tech without editing in the DAW, bouncing new files, etc.
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QLab 3 now has the ability to add and automate plugins to cues, and use vari-speed effects. This lets me use it as a paintbrush for sound in a way that was inconceivable when we were using reel-to-reel decks. When you add immediate email-based tech support, free basic functionality for simple shows (think: high school and community theatre), and an amazingly helpful user base, you get a winner. Jeremy Lee is an assistant professor of sound design at the University of Cincinnati, College— Conservatory of Music. Before joining the faculty at CCM, he was an adjunct at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts.
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Introducing designdb.online LOG INTO A NEW, FREE APP FOR SOUND DESIGNERS /// M A T T D A L E
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INTRODUCING DESIGNDB.ONLINE
ver the past several months, I’ve developed a new, dynamic web application called designdb. online to help implement system designs. It’s built with modern web technology and provides a fast workflow that generates shop paperwork, cable labels, and equipment lists simultaneously. The app, currently in its beta phase and offered free of charge, is targeted at theatre sound, and under constant development with the collaborative input of theatre sound designers worldwide. Working at Masque Sound, I have seen nearly every method for documenting and building large sound systems, but none of them was web-based or offered clean workflows. Current solutions for system implementation range from pen and paper (or bar napkin) to complex 120
integrated databases with CAD software. Working as the shop production engineer for shows and installations, I found that a free and easy way to document, export, and print system paperwork did not exist; every show required FileMaker Pro, Vectorworks, a custom piece of desktop software, or had no solution at all. I had limited experience with many of these solutions, and they all had different workflows, which made getting my job done that much harder. With designdb. online, I aim to create a free solution to consolidate the many extant solutions’ strengths and offer an easy point of entry for future designers. Web application technology allows for fast, agile development, custom user interfaces, and APIs to other software and systems. Web browsers, where designdb. online lives, are free, ubiquitous, and untethered from any single operating system. For these reasons, among many others, I chose to develop a standard relational database web application using the Python programming language. Web applications cannot easily connect to CAD software or integrate with external devices like consoles, so designdb.online does not aim to replace the complex software solutions that already exist, but fills a niche between the existing solution extremes.
Currently, designdb.online offers a basic set of features. All data presentation is built around tables, which are sortable by the column headers with multiple column selects possible. This allows for fast interpretation of data instead of cumbersome report generators. A custom report generator allows for more detailed and specific information not available in the tables. Most form fields offer “typeahead� autocompletion, which presents suggestions in a dropdown list based on the letters you type into the field. This speeds up data entry tremendously. The system is account-based, and all projects are saved to your account, which allows easy access to old projects, or even cloning old projects to a new project. This user account system is expandable, which will allow parallel team collaboration instead of the normal serial workflow where the show crew needs to wait for the designer to completely finish the documentation before work can begin.
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designdb.online generates shop paperwork, cable labels, and equipment lists.
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Work inside designdb.online begins by defining the locations inside the venue. Each location can have sublocations, which are subsets inside a location. For example, front of house is considered a location, while the FOH console is considered a sublocation inside front of house. Each cable that is created for the project will generally have an origin and a destination, excluding spares or “what-ifs.” The origin and destination for a cable can be either a location or a sublocation. This system allows for easy bundle (aka loom) creation by selecting cables with the same origin location and destination location and offers error spotting when creating bundles. If any of the cables require breakouts (aka tails), the breakout manager allows for fast and easy labeling of the breakout channels. After the system is created and ready for shop prep, exporting the list is simple, and if Masque Sound is providing the system, inventory IDs are supplied for easy entry into Masque’s inventory system. Once in the shop, bundle sheets, cable labels, and breakout labels can be printed quickly and easily.
EACH CABLE THAT IS CREATED FOR THE PROJECT WILL GENERALLY HAVE AN ORIGIN AND A DESTINATION, EXCLUDING SPARES OR “WHAT-IFS.” 2016 MARCH \\\ 123
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Breakout manager
Bundle manager
Cable breakout
Location manager
Most software solutions offer printable labels, and designdb.online is no exception. Some applications create a PDF of information, which prints reliably but adds an extra step to the process. I spent the time to make the labels print right from the web browser without converting to PDF in order to speed up the workflow. Once the browser print settings are configured, it becomes very fast. Currently, designdb. online supports the Avery 5160 and 5167 size address labels with fixed templates. While designdb.online is still in its infancy, features are continually being added. Equipment management is the next feature to be installed. It will provide a similar feature set that the cable manager provides with “typeahead” autocomplete, location/sublocation assignment, and equipment list exporting as well as printable labels. Another feature, the patch manager, will enable easy virtual patching with multiple methods of creating patch points, including a patch matrix. The patch data will optionally be presented on the printed labels and offer error correction. The final feature under development will provide a way for show crew to digitally confirm equipment gathering, labeling, and bundle completion. This will allow the designer and assistant to view the shop build status in realtime. Sign up to try it out at http://www. designdb.online/, and stop using Gaff tape and Sharpies to implement your designs. Matt Dale is the production coordinator at Masque Sound in East Rutherford, NJ. He works as an A2 for Broadway and broadcast.
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THE 58TH ANNUAL GRAMMY AWARDS
/// BY M A RI A N S A NDBERG A ND ELLEN L A MPER T-GRE AU X
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he 58th Annual Grammy Awards were held last month at Los Angeles’ Staples Center with production design by Brian J. Stonestreet and lighting design by Robert Dickinson and Jon Kusner of Full Flood. The duo of LDs has developed a shorthand after all the years they have worked together. “He has an overview of things, while the rest of us pick up all the details,” explains Kusner. “It’s not a clean divide on this show, especially given the pace at which it all happens. That’s how Full Flood works so well; we have an experienced crew of people who fill all the slots.” PRG supplied the lighting, with VER providing video gear for the show.
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“There is no real beginning to the design process for the Grammys,” admits lighting designer Jon Kusner of Full Flood, pointing out that the trio including him, production designer Brian J. Stonestreet, and lighting designer Robert Dickinson, frequently work together. “We follow each other around to many of the awards shows we design,” he says. “In recent years, more acts show up with their own creative directors, who have an idea of what they want. If the producers are in agreement, we see how those ideas fit into the Grammy set and how much available air space there is, as there is a limit to the size of what can roll on and off or hang.”
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THE LDs START WITH A BASIC LIGHTING PLOT THAT THEY HOPE CAN PROVIDE MANY DIFFERENT LOOKS FROM A SINGLE RIG. “WE ADD WHAT WE CAN WHEN IT SEEMS APPROPRIATE FOR A GIVEN ACT. IF NOT, WE SHUFFLE OUR FLOOR PACKAGE OF GEAR TO HOPEFULLY GIVE EVERYONE A GOOD SPECIFIC LOOK,” SAYS KUSNER. “WE HAD A RANGE OF LOOKS THIS YEAR, FROM A SIMPLE LOOK FOR ADELE, WHO USED A SINGLE 20KW MOLE-RICHARDSON FIXTURE, COMPARED TO LADY GAGA, WHERE THERE WAS EVERYTHING FROM A ROBOTIC KEYBOARD, TRACKING FACIAL PROJECTION, AND PROJECTION TO MIMIC A 3D ENVIRONMENT.”
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When the live show in Los Angeles cut away to the Richard Rogers Theatre in NYC for the opening number from Hamilton, “the live audience watched several screens in the room,” notes Kusner. “Production was thrilled that the live audience was cheering at the screen at the Staples Center. We dimmed the stage and went to a video down look, so the focus was on the screens in the room.”
The lighting rig relied heavily on moving lights from Philips Vari-Lite, including 112 VL5s, 10 VL5 Arcs, 92 VL3000 Spots, 76 VL3500 Spots, 50 VL3500 Wash units, 14 VL3500 Wash FX fixtures, and eight VL3015s. The lighting system also included 123 Clay Paky Sharpy fixtures and 77 TMB Solaris Flares, as well as 16 PRG Best Boy 4000 Spots and eight Bad Boy fixtures. PRG supplied the lighting.
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The biggest difference in this year’s lighting rig was the use of PRG’s new Best Boy Ground Control Spots. “They were a giant success,” says Kusner. “We used six of them with the Best Boy fixtures. The operators were under the stage in a curtained-off room, so they wouldn’t be bothered, as everybody wanted to peek at them. The operators were thrilled. This is one of the cleverest things that came along in the industry this year.”
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Overview Plot
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Twelve Philips Strand Lighting Orion units and various length Mini Strips provided cyc lighting.
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PHOTOS: KEVORK DJANSEZIAN, GETTY IMAGES FOR NARAS
GLP impression X4 L fixtures built into the set backed a performance by Sam Hunt and Carrie Underwood. Hunt used an Audio-Technica 5000 Series wireless microphone system with AEW-T5400a microphone/transmitter for his vocal.
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Additional lighting came from 80 Philips Color Kinetics ColorBlast TRX units, 52 Harman Martin Professional VDO Sceptron 10 fixtures of various lengths, and 16 ARRI Fresnel units. Followspots included 11 various Lycian units and eight Strong followspots. Conventionals included more than 100 ETC Source Four ellipsoidals—10°, 14°, 26°, and 56°—as well as various PAR units.
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The real challenge is lighting 20 acts in a very short amount of time and giving each its own identity. Kusner tips his hat to the show’s three programmers: Andy O’Reilly and Ryan Tanker (both on PRG V676 consoles) and Patrick Boozer (ETC Eos console). “They have to sit down and continue to change the music aesthetics for three and a half hours. Their job is ever-happening,” he says. “They are busy from the minute the show starts, reacting to the live circumstances. It is amazing the amount of music they are interpreting over the course of the show.” Mike Berger and Noah Mitz served as lighting directors, with Madigan Stehly as assistant lighting director.
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Kendrick Lamar’s performance used 15 additional TMB Solaris Flares, six Wildfire VioStorm 10° fixtures, and six 4' Blacklight Fluoro Tubes.
GLP impression X4 Bar 20s were also used on the B-stage for various performances, including for Tori Kelly and James Bay.
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Little Big Town performed with added fixtures as well: 13 Cineo Lighting 12’’ Matchstix, 1 8 Harman Martin Professional VDO Sceptron 10s, and 12 TMB Solaris Flares.
PHOTOS: KEVORK DJANSEZIAN, GETTY IMAGES FOR NARAS
Hollywood Vampires’ performance added 20 Harman Martin Professional Atomic 3000 Strobes and six Philips Vari-Lite VL4000 BeamWash fixtures.
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Chris Stapleton had 16 Showtec Sunstrip Active DMX units added for his performance.
The production’s gaffer was Robby Lindsay, and Alen Sisul, the best boy. PRG techs included Jason Trowbridge, Geoff Smith, Ben Lewis, Erin Anderson, Melanie Daley, and Thomas Furginson.
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M3 (Music Mix Mobile), a New Jersey/ California-based remote facilities company, used Waves MultiRack SoundGrid® plugins with a Lawo console for the production’s audio system.
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save the dates!
october 17-23, 2016 • exhibits: october 21-23, 2016 • las vegas
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