A Chorus Line mirrors

[dbaxter]

The set for A Chorus Line is pretty simple, usually. But I thought I'd share what we did to add a little spice. I used lazy susan bearings on the bottom of the panels and a chain drive system up top. The motor is what's used to pull tarps over the top of dump trucks - lots of torque! Individual panel gears were just squeezed between washers so they could slip if there was a problem rotating.

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[kicknargel]

Nice. I like the clutch idea. Did you use limit switches, or just manually hit marks?

 

[dbaxter]

The stage manager used a bump button on the lighting computer to trigger a relay that turned the motor on and off. Another button did a relay that reversed the motor in case she overshot. Limit switches would have been good, but she got really good at timing it. I don't think she ever reversed. The clutch did give us a bit of an issue in that the panels were so bloody heavy they liked to keep going and we would have to do a little realign at intermission. If you watch closely you'll see them overshoot a bit and come back. Had several chain tensioners to absorb that slack. But I didn't want to give up on the safety thing.

 

[JohnD]

I have to wonder if for a future show there will be an upstage wall of motorized periaktoi turning in sync.

 

[dbaxter]

You're giving my designers ideas!

 

[icewolf08]

I have to wonder if for a future show there will be an upstage wall of motorized periaktoi turning in sync.

That would be the traditional way "A Chorus Line" is designed (and how it was on Broadway), with periaktoi. One side is the mirrors, the second side is black, and the third side is the finale art-deco background.

As for motorized, synchronized periaktoi, we may have just built some for that band that destroys-large-orange-gourds.

 

[derekleffew]

As for motorized, synchronized periaktoi, we may have just built some for that band that destroys-large-orange-gourds.

Gallagher has revolving mirrors now???

 

[icewolf08]

Gallagher has revolving mirrors now???

One side is a funky "cutout" mirror, one side is moving LED bars, and the third side is video wall.