Lights and Sound: technically challenging show

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technically challenging show

Printed From: Community Theater Green Room
Category: Producing Theater
Forum Name: Lights and Sound
Forum Discription: Technical discussion
URL: http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=5041
Printed Date: 5/02/25 at 11:23pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 8.05 - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: technically challenging show

Posted By: Kim L.
Subject: technically challenging show
Date Posted: 4/16/11 at 7:46pm

I've been asking a lot about cyc lights so I am sorry to keep beating this horse. But I'm trying to figure this out with a show in a week and a half.

We rent a high school theatre that does not have an in-house theatre manager. There is someone who can be consulted for tech needs.

We are renting a cyc with the high hopes of having a little variety of color on the upstage wall. We have 11 single-cell Broad Cyc 6571 fixtures.

When we asked about having four colors as a wash on the cyc, we were told that it is technically challenging. We asked for red, powder blue, steel blue and a neutral like amber.

We have access to some par cans from church, which the consultant said we would need to add to the 11 fixtures for the wash. And we were told that we would need to purchase more gels, which are expensive and it would be time consuming to get this all up and going.

I think I may have asked for too much for this show. But, i want to run it by someone on this list to know for sure. Last year, I rented another high school theatre and they had the capacity to flip a switch to get two colors on their cyc. I must have gotten spoiled.

Can you help me sort through this?

Should I reduce the number of colors I am asking for?

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Kim

Replies:

Posted By: Majicwrench
Date Posted: 4/16/11 at 8:32pm

Wish I could help, but am really inexperienced with lights cycs etc. I will say that the show, in most cases, will be wonderful without a lot of fancy lighting, and if it is stressing you out, less is more.

Good luck and I will be watching this thread. Someday I am gonna learn more about lighting....

Keith

Posted By: didj1028
Date Posted: 4/17/11 at 4:28pm

i think it depends a lot on how much coverage you want on your cyc. if you can live with it being less perfectly washed across (for example hot just in the center area and fading to the edges) I think you could pull off what you want with what you have. depends a lot on available circuits/ light board channels. with 11 cyc lights you can split 3-3-3-2 and use the 2 for your least important color. I'd only go the route of adding PARs if you really need them.

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Geoff Ehrendreich
Waterloo Community Playhouse
Waterloo IA

Posted By: Kim L.
Date Posted: 4/17/11 at 6:33pm

Thank you for the advice. If this were your show and your fixtures (11 single cell fixtures), what would you put in the fixtures? I have a guillotine scene that is one of the most important in the show. I wanted a nice red wash for this scene (blood). I also have a boat in a storm scene, a few indoor ballroom scenes, and a sailing on the open seas scene.

Thanks!!

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Kim

Posted By: didj1028
Date Posted: 4/18/11 at 12:55pm

here's how i'd play it: 3 fixtures red, this seems like an important moment for you; 3 fixtures in a dark blue (use for storm and open seas), 3 fixtures amber (ballroom scene and lighten up the blue for non-stormy scenes), and 2 fixtures in a purple or pink maybe to add some variety to your multiple ballroom scenes or in another blue or aqua to add to your storm scene. I'd try to focus my red on the center of the cyc primarily, the blue and amber a little more spread out, and the fourth color (2 fixtures) out to the edges more to fill in and be blendy.

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Geoff Ehrendreich
Waterloo Community Playhouse
Waterloo IA

Posted By: Kim L.
Date Posted: 4/18/11 at 5:20pm

Oh my goodness. Thank you! I'm going to send his to my director.

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Kim