In need of advice for setting up a small limited asset community theatre run of Godspell, set entirely inside a subway car. Here's what we have to work with (should make most of you feel lucky, I think)-
250 seats. Stage is 28' wide by about 17' deep. No fly space at all. Roof deck is only 11.5 feet above stage level, which is 2.5 feet above house floor.
The one FOH position is pipe 10' in front of stage and the pipe is about 8' above stage, making for a shallow angle. Pipe runs full length of stage, but we can't use middle 5'-6' due to School's projector which has to remain concurrently. I recall a predecessor once using floor standing booms a couple rows into house at side walls (instead of the pipe), so that might be another possibility, but we lose a few seats.
On stage there is one pipe 3' US from main curtain at 10 feet above stage. There is also a parallel I-beam about 4 feet US from that, that we have clamped on to in past.
Further limitations: All equipment is rental, typically we end up with old Altman 360's at FOH and rusty fresnels on stage, all 500W. No permanent dimmers. Power is limited to 6, maybe 7 if lucky, 20A circuits, each with 4-channel dimmer pack. Basically have to figure about max. 24 instruments total, plus maybe a couple practicals. Max. number on FOH pipe is about 15. Leaves about 8 on stage.
So far, being new at this, for prior shows I have used rudimentary McCandless method with 2 @ approx. 45 degrees L-R for 3 DS areas, and same for 2 US areas. Safe pale pink/blue/amber/lav colors. This typically left 2-4 FOH for specials. On stage fresnels were used to help US, pick up dark spots on scenery and a fill or two if any left over.
I have not been able to think about different color washes, top/back/high side lighting at all, due to lack of instruments and experience.. It seems I need all or most of the lights just to get basic coverage for visibility. But I am now trying to step out a bit further if possible...
Director for this show envisions "pools of light" here and there, as opposed to general full area coverage.
So I would like to branch out at least a little from Stanley, and see if there is a way to do some color washing for the different moods, given the above restrictions. After reading alot here at CB, I have taken a small first step into "Gafftaper Land", and just picked up 5 four-year old, but supposedly never-used Apollo Smart Colors with power supply on e-bay, which, assuming they work, I would like to incorporate into this show and for example, use for the "red" scenes. (Aside- Any place to get used scroller cables?).
From what I have read here and in books, it seems the common ways to accomplish this color wash/tone, etc. is with top, back and esp. high sides. Do I have enough lights to work with, and then enough head room, to do this effectively, or not?
Alternatively, would it be feasible or better to use say about 5 straight-in pale FOH lights and have my scroller color washes coming in from the ends of FOH pipe or perhaps side booms? Or do those colors get washed out and rendered useless by the pale straight-ins??
In short, given the limited positions, etc., can I somehow make effective use of the 5 scrollers, and if so, where/how best to use them?? I'd prefer not to put them back up on e-bay...
Thanks, I look forward to your ideas!
250 seats. Stage is 28' wide by about 17' deep. No fly space at all. Roof deck is only 11.5 feet above stage level, which is 2.5 feet above house floor.
The one FOH position is pipe 10' in front of stage and the pipe is about 8' above stage, making for a shallow angle. Pipe runs full length of stage, but we can't use middle 5'-6' due to School's projector which has to remain concurrently. I recall a predecessor once using floor standing booms a couple rows into house at side walls (instead of the pipe), so that might be another possibility, but we lose a few seats.
On stage there is one pipe 3' US from main curtain at 10 feet above stage. There is also a parallel I-beam about 4 feet US from that, that we have clamped on to in past.
Further limitations: All equipment is rental, typically we end up with old Altman 360's at FOH and rusty fresnels on stage, all 500W. No permanent dimmers. Power is limited to 6, maybe 7 if lucky, 20A circuits, each with 4-channel dimmer pack. Basically have to figure about max. 24 instruments total, plus maybe a couple practicals. Max. number on FOH pipe is about 15. Leaves about 8 on stage.
So far, being new at this, for prior shows I have used rudimentary McCandless method with 2 @ approx. 45 degrees L-R for 3 DS areas, and same for 2 US areas. Safe pale pink/blue/amber/lav colors. This typically left 2-4 FOH for specials. On stage fresnels were used to help US, pick up dark spots on scenery and a fill or two if any left over.
I have not been able to think about different color washes, top/back/high side lighting at all, due to lack of instruments and experience.. It seems I need all or most of the lights just to get basic coverage for visibility. But I am now trying to step out a bit further if possible...
Director for this show envisions "pools of light" here and there, as opposed to general full area coverage.
So I would like to branch out at least a little from Stanley, and see if there is a way to do some color washing for the different moods, given the above restrictions. After reading alot here at CB, I have taken a small first step into "Gafftaper Land", and just picked up 5 four-year old, but supposedly never-used Apollo Smart Colors with power supply on e-bay, which, assuming they work, I would like to incorporate into this show and for example, use for the "red" scenes. (Aside- Any place to get used scroller cables?).
From what I have read here and in books, it seems the common ways to accomplish this color wash/tone, etc. is with top, back and esp. high sides. Do I have enough lights to work with, and then enough head room, to do this effectively, or not?
Alternatively, would it be feasible or better to use say about 5 straight-in pale FOH lights and have my scroller color washes coming in from the ends of FOH pipe or perhaps side booms? Or do those colors get washed out and rendered useless by the pale straight-ins??
In short, given the limited positions, etc., can I somehow make effective use of the 5 scrollers, and if so, where/how best to use them?? I'd prefer not to put them back up on e-bay...
Thanks, I look forward to your ideas!