Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: GREASE

Author

Message

Aimee
Celebrity

Joined: 8/31/04
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 156

Topic: GREASE
Posted: 8/23/08 at 1:45pm

In February we finally put on our first production in our new auditorium (hurray!) Then in May we did our first musical.Both were adequate. I felt too rushed in the design process of our musical, am I am trying to avoid that now.

This fall we are doing Grease. We have a few lines out there for the car. I have some ideas running around in my head, but here is my "problem"

We have no batons for drops, we do not have a cyc, only a black traveler curtain upstage, and though we did get new lighting fixtures, we did not get nearly enough to get very creative at all. Only the bare minimum of lights. The old fixtures are unsuable as the wiring is all too old and needs to be replaced (and no money to do it!)

I am trying to come up with ideas on how to change the look from say outside Burger palace, to the interior of the bedroom, or the cafeteria. Yet still be able to give a good wash for the huge dance numbers.

Our stage is 50'wide and about 24' of usable space down stage to up. Height...variable, but around 24' as well.

I do plan on using alot of layers with platforms to help distinguish areas, but I am concerned it will look very blah anyway.

Ideas or thoughts?

Aimee

IP Logged

Mr. Lowell
Celebrity

Joined: 1/30/07
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 269

Posted: 8/23/08 at 5:19pm

Hi Aimee, I am doing Grease this season too. In February. Actually it's the"Grease Jr." version with 7th and 8th graders.

I have been looking at the Greased Lightning cars that are available on this forum for rent. Although building a car from scratch would be cool.

(The main difference between our productions is that I do have fly battens, so I'll be using several drops in my design).

So do you have lots of wing space? I was wondering if you could build some wagons and roll on your bedroom and Burger units from the wings.

For DHSM last year, I created the "cafeteria" in front of an upstage black traveler, as you mentioned. But I borrowed some school cafeteria tables that quickly fold up onto wheels...and roll on and off stage. They were a simple and effective way to set the scene. Here is a pic of that scene: http://www.lowell.to/DesignDHSM/DHSM05.jpg

I recently saw a production with a simple turntable center stage that was maybe 10 or 12 feet wide. On one side of the wall they had the "house interior scene", and then they would rotate it to reveal a diner booth for the "Burger Palace scene".

By the way, what are your show dates and location?

Congrats on a new auditorium. - Dana

Mr. Lowell,
Lighting/Set Designer & Tech Director,
for the Linda Sloan Theatre,
in the Davison Center for the Arts,
at Greensboro Day School

IP Logged

actorgeek
Walk-On
Walk-On

Joined: 1/27/08
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 0

Posted: 8/24/08 at 9:05am

I'm not a lighting designer at all, though I've done a little bit of set design. By using lots of platforms wouldn't it take more lights to light the individual platforms vs. using just the stage floor. It's seems as though you could do more with your supply of lights.

Just a thought. - Matt

IP Logged

Aimee
Celebrity

Joined: 8/31/04
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 156

Posted: 8/24/08 at 10:57am

Mostly we'll end up with 3 layers, that don't move, so lighting it should not be a problem. Either way I am still going to have to "light ' the bedroom and the cafeterai as well. I was just looking for some other ideas on how I can make them a bit different from each other with the very limited supply of instruments I have. We managed to use some gobos for the forest scene in Beauty and The beast, which the kids loved. I may just end up changing the gels out of some lights during the show.

I have used wagons in the past and that idea crossed my mind here too. I always have more trouble with musicals that plays for set design. I thought of building the car too, but we have no storage space and I certainly would not want to take it apart after. We are still trying to find storage for our Audrey from Little shop, so renting/borrowing is definatley what we'll do.

The show dates are November20-22 and we are in Northern Illinois (Wauconda High School)

Aimee

IP Logged

actorgeek
Walk-On
Walk-On

Joined: 1/27/08
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 0

Posted: 8/24/08 at 11:58am

Our CT just finished doing Urinetown in early June. They ended up not needing the cyc units to light the cyc because of the design of the set. They took 3 of the units and placed them across the front of the stage and built and "box" type covering around them which they painted to fit in with the set. This gave them 3 different color options (in their case, Amber, Blue, and Red) that they could mix and match.

Just thought if you could work something out like that it might not be a bad option.

IP Logged

JoeMc
Celebrity

Joined: 3/13/06
Location: Australia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 832

Posted: 8/25/08 at 12:16am

For Grease I used these;-http://www.ylighting.com/model801.html as 'Floats' [footlights] & side lighting from PS & the OP side.

i got on to a lighting Wholesaler & got a heap of light fixtures for a song. These fittings were Warranty Returns. The wholesaler had been credited by the Manufacturer, but the fittings are returned theses days. They generally pile up & are dumped, especially now most are produced in China. It is cheaper for the Manufacturers to replace the product, than mess about & pay for it's return.

You will be surprised what is actually dumped. But it is far too costly to actually canalise a fitting to repair another, so it goes in the rubbish heap.

From the Ute load I picked up this gave us enough lighting to do our first show & I'm still using most of the fittings in the theatre.

It took about 30 fittings to get 20 usable as footlights & a heap of spare parts to boot.

This was the same with QI floods & other light fittings, which are still used in the lighting rig. Not only for our Theatre but at least 3 others in the area. I need to go back & get some more, as a number of other venues also want some.

As suggested by actorgeek, footlight & ground row lighting can be very effective. As well as side & back lighting which can accomplished easily enough. Augmenting your FOH Profiles & Wash to designated zone light areas.

The first time I did grease, i had a fairly good budget. Using a central revolve, with a false stage. Using two trucks one each on PS & Op side. Which were winched on & off to line up with the revolve. This allowed a truck to be picked up on the revolve & turned 180. This was to revolve from the old car to the Grease Lightning one easily. But it took a lot of four letter words {work] to accomplish this.

So the next one I used a series of Rostra, which were moved by the cast, to represent the car & other scenes. In fact it worked better than the mechanised set & was less perspiration.

I realised with this show the KISS principle was better. Also to do the mise en scene in cartoon colours & allow the punters to use their imagination.

[western] Gondawandaland
"Hear the light & see the sound!
TOI TOI CHOOKAS
{may you always play to a full house!}

IP Logged

theatremonkey
Lead
Lead

Joined: 6/04/08
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 35

Posted: 12/28/08 at 4:33pm

When we did Grease we had one platform n the middle of the stage that had stairs going up to a longer platform (if you get what I'm saying). We rolled in "Rydell High Entrance", "Greased Lightning Car", and "Sandy's Bed and Night Table" in front of the platform so you can climb on op of the platform and stuff. It looked great an the audience loved it!

theatre monkey

IP Logged

Set Design and Construction
Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board :Producing Theater :Set Design and Construction

Author	Message
Aimee Celebrity Joined: 8/31/04 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 156	Topic: GREASE Posted: 8/23/08 at 1:45pm
	In February we finally put on our first production in our new auditorium (hurray!) Then in May we did our first musical.Both were adequate. I felt too rushed in the design process of our musical, am I am trying to avoid that now. This fall we are doing Grease. We have a few lines out there for the car. I have some ideas running around in my head, but here is my "problem" We have no batons for drops, we do not have a cyc, only a black traveler curtain upstage, and though we did get new lighting fixtures, we did not get nearly enough to get very creative at all. Only the bare minimum of lights. The old fixtures are unsuable as the wiring is all too old and needs to be replaced (and no money to do it!) I am trying to come up with ideas on how to change the look from say outside Burger palace, to the interior of the bedroom, or the cafeteria. Yet still be able to give a good wash for the huge dance numbers. Our stage is 50'wide and about 24' of usable space down stage to up. Height...variable, but around 24' as well. I do plan on using alot of layers with platforms to help distinguish areas, but I am concerned it will look very blah anyway. Ideas or thoughts?
	Aimee

	IP Logged

Mr. Lowell Celebrity Joined: 1/30/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 269	Posted: 8/23/08 at 5:19pm
	Hi Aimee, I am doing Grease this season too. In February. Actually it's the"Grease Jr." version with 7th and 8th graders. I have been looking at the Greased Lightning cars that are available on this forum for rent. Although building a car from scratch would be cool. (The main difference between our productions is that I do have fly battens, so I'll be using several drops in my design). So do you have lots of wing space? I was wondering if you could build some wagons and roll on your bedroom and Burger units from the wings. For DHSM last year, I created the "cafeteria" in front of an upstage black traveler, as you mentioned. But I borrowed some school cafeteria tables that quickly fold up onto wheels...and roll on and off stage. They were a simple and effective way to set the scene. Here is a pic of that scene: http://www.lowell.to/DesignDHSM/DHSM05.jpg I recently saw a production with a simple turntable center stage that was maybe 10 or 12 feet wide. On one side of the wall they had the "house interior scene", and then they would rotate it to reveal a diner booth for the "Burger Palace scene". By the way, what are your show dates and location? Congrats on a new auditorium. - Dana
	Mr. Lowell, Lighting/Set Designer & Tech Director, for the Linda Sloan Theatre, in the Davison Center for the Arts, at Greensboro Day School
	IP Logged

actorgeek Walk-On Joined: 1/27/08 Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Posted: 8/24/08 at 9:05am
	I'm not a lighting designer at all, though I've done a little bit of set design. By using lots of platforms wouldn't it take more lights to light the individual platforms vs. using just the stage floor. It's seems as though you could do more with your supply of lights. Just a thought. - Matt
	IP Logged

Aimee Celebrity Joined: 8/31/04 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 156	Posted: 8/24/08 at 10:57am
	Mostly we'll end up with 3 layers, that don't move, so lighting it should not be a problem. Either way I am still going to have to "light ' the bedroom and the cafeterai as well. I was just looking for some other ideas on how I can make them a bit different from each other with the very limited supply of instruments I have. We managed to use some gobos for the forest scene in Beauty and The beast, which the kids loved. I may just end up changing the gels out of some lights during the show. I have used wagons in the past and that idea crossed my mind here too. I always have more trouble with musicals that plays for set design. I thought of building the car too, but we have no storage space and I certainly would not want to take it apart after. We are still trying to find storage for our Audrey from Little shop, so renting/borrowing is definatley what we'll do. The show dates are November20-22 and we are in Northern Illinois (Wauconda High School)
	Aimee
	IP Logged

actorgeek Walk-On Joined: 1/27/08 Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Posted: 8/24/08 at 11:58am
	Our CT just finished doing Urinetown in early June. They ended up not needing the cyc units to light the cyc because of the design of the set. They took 3 of the units and placed them across the front of the stage and built and "box" type covering around them which they painted to fit in with the set. This gave them 3 different color options (in their case, Amber, Blue, and Red) that they could mix and match. Just thought if you could work something out like that it might not be a bad option.
	IP Logged

JoeMc Celebrity Joined: 3/13/06 Location: Australia Online Status: Offline Posts: 832	Posted: 8/25/08 at 12:16am
	For Grease I used these;-http://www.ylighting.com/model801.html as 'Floats' [footlights] & side lighting from PS & the OP side. i got on to a lighting Wholesaler & got a heap of light fixtures for a song. These fittings were Warranty Returns. The wholesaler had been credited by the Manufacturer, but the fittings are returned theses days. They generally pile up & are dumped, especially now most are produced in China. It is cheaper for the Manufacturers to replace the product, than mess about & pay for it's return. You will be surprised what is actually dumped. But it is far too costly to actually canalise a fitting to repair another, so it goes in the rubbish heap. From the Ute load I picked up this gave us enough lighting to do our first show & I'm still using most of the fittings in the theatre. It took about 30 fittings to get 20 usable as footlights & a heap of spare parts to boot. This was the same with QI floods & other light fittings, which are still used in the lighting rig. Not only for our Theatre but at least 3 others in the area. I need to go back & get some more, as a number of other venues also want some. As suggested by actorgeek, footlight & ground row lighting can be very effective. As well as side & back lighting which can accomplished easily enough. Augmenting your FOH Profiles & Wash to designated zone light areas. The first time I did grease, i had a fairly good budget. Using a central revolve, with a false stage. Using two trucks one each on PS & Op side. Which were winched on & off to line up with the revolve. This allowed a truck to be picked up on the revolve & turned 180. This was to revolve from the old car to the Grease Lightning one easily. But it took a lot of four letter words {work] to accomplish this. So the next one I used a series of Rostra, which were moved by the cast, to represent the car & other scenes. In fact it worked better than the mechanised set & was less perspiration. I realised with this show the KISS principle was better. Also to do the mise en scene in cartoon colours & allow the punters to use their imagination.
	[western] Gondawandaland "Hear the light & see the sound! TOI TOI CHOOKAS {may you always play to a full house!}
	IP Logged

theatremonkey Lead Joined: 6/04/08 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 35	Posted: 12/28/08 at 4:33pm
	When we did Grease we had one platform n the middle of the stage that had stairs going up to a longer platform (if you get what I'm saying). We rolled in "Rydell High Entrance", "Greased Lightning Car", and "Sandy's Bed and Night Table" in front of the platform so you can climb on op of the platform and stuff. It looked great an the audience loved it!
	theatre monkey
	IP Logged

Topic: GREASE( Topic Closed)