Need Urgent help for calamity jane

[MKE]

HI

Im currently about to do lighting for my schools anual production. The musical chosen this year was Calamity Jane. The problem is i really dont know what to do. I am use to doing dance shows a variaty shows, but this is a western musical.

Im asking for any ideas you might have or you may have done this musical before.

Any comments are greatly appreciated

Cheers
Michael

[zac850]

Hey,
Could you give us a little background on the play? What time period is it set in? What is the basic tempo of the show? What is the tempo of the songs? Will this be a flash and trash musical with lots of pretty cues during the song (example, Wicked), or is this going to be a more straight musical that will be lit for time of day and feeling on stage (something like 1776).

I would suggest first just sitting down and going over the basic washes that rarely change play to play. Draft you front of house warm and front of house cool wash. Then move on to over the stage. Draw in some pipe ends, maybe put a top wash in if you have enough fixtures (I don't know how many lights you have). Chuck in a backwash. Sit with your swatch book and decide what feels right for your show. If its a western, I would say lots of amber, but, as I said before, I don't know the show or the mood. Once you have something on paper, it is usually easier to figure out what needs to be done. Looking at an empty sheet of paper just overwhelms me.

As i said above, what is your inventory? What is the basic idea and mood of the show?


Good luck,
Zac

[MidStateTheatre]

I agree, there is a lot to be researched here, even before you start to begin to think about drafting anything on paper. Meeting with the other designers and directors will be needed, to find the correct interpertation of the show.

[zac850]

My post was made assuming that you have watched one or two run thru's, talked with the director about what (s)he was looking for, and all that.

If you haven't yet, do that first.

[CHScrew]

Try to get a video of the production. A video of the actual play would be better than an movie, but both would work. Watch that to get some tips on lighting. Also, ask the director. I'm sure he/she has a good backgroung of the musical and they will usualy give you an Idea of what they want it to look like.

[zac850]

Originally Posted by CHScrew

Try to get a video of the production. A video of the actual play would be better than an movie, but both would work. Watch that to get some tips on lighting. Also, ask the director. I'm sure he/she has a good backgroung of the musical and they will usualy give you an Idea of what they want it to look like.

Unless the show is in a week and you have no clue at all what to do, I would suggest staying away from watching a video tape of a prior performance. If you watch the show, you will end up just copying the lighting plot, and, well, where is the creativity there?

While it can help if you are really lost for ideas, I would always suggest trying to design it yourself first, without watching the play, the movie, or anything else like that.

[MKE]

Ok. Calamity jane is a western musical set int the 1870's and the set that is being built is a saloon.

The music is your typical western ye ha type. I havent sat down and watched a full run through but i have been working around when they have been rehershing

I am use to doing dance shows on my own. When i do the musicals the director says what she wants where and when (shes very good with the design, we usally just do what she wants and it looks quite good). But this year she has taken a years leave and i am left to do all the work.

I have quite a big stage to light about 20 meters by 16 meters with a 2 meter hight balcony at the rear of the set.

I have 42 pars, 18 1.2k fresnels, 3 2k fresnels, 2 1k pc's, 8 multi pars, 4 650w fresnels, several profile spots (all 650w)

I am hiring 4 mac 500's and 4 james thomas pixelpar 90's (got them for a REALLY good price, i know they dont go with the play but hey)

The play is in about 2 and a half weeks

I have used all the fresnels to give me a full stage was in a cool wash and a warm wash.

P.S The play is in our old hall (dam). We just got a new theatre built and we were about to start building the set. But two days before that we had a little fire in there (dam stupid electrician screwed up) so yeah

[Hughesie]

looks like you have a Calamity, there jane

[Eboy87]

Originally Posted by Hughesie89

looks like you have a Calamity, there jane

Hahaha, nice

[zac850]

Ok, since its western I would put a fair bit of amber. Have a strong R02 wash (or maybe even R03, which is just a warmer amber then R02), and a fair bit of amber backlight (my current show is using R17, which is a nice warm amber color). Also, of course, pick your favorite cool color for your cool wash. I personally like to use G830 from the front, and a strong blue from the back (G841, something simmilar) for your cool.

I don't know what you normally use for your front light wash, how many leko's do you have? Enough for 2 FOH washes?

I'm not sure what a good pipe end color would be for you. I usually like to use a light blue/almost white color, G870 or G872, but I am thinking you may want a medium amber because this is a western show. I don't have my swatch book on me, so I can't give you sugestions on what color would be good.

Figure out where the specials need to be. Watch a run thru and fill in the stage with specials.

I hope this helps.
Zac