[user]CBR372[/user] just brought a traveling production of "Charlie Brown" into my space for the week. It was a great performance and he did a great job with the tech. He brought in a set of Colorblaze 72's mounted on booms upstage pointing toward the audience, as well as 5 Mac250's (two of which were also horizontally mounted toward the audience on upstage booms). He asked my opinion of his design work and this brought up an interesting philosophical discussion which I thought would be great to have here. His design choice was to go with standard theatrical conventions for the spoken word parts of the show and then switch to a very rock and roll style for the musical numbers. There were several times that one of the Mac 250's would ballyhoo through the audience or the LED's were used for an audience blinder effect. I want to clarify that this was a design choice and an attempt to create a different form of art. I'm not saying he did a bad job lighting the show or even criticizing his choice. As an audience member I'm really not sure how I feel about mixing in R & R lighting. It's new, different, and not something I'm used to as an audience member... that doesn't mean it's bad or good... just different.
So, stepping back from this particular show and speaking in general theory now... How do you feel about mixing lighting conventions? When do you mix R&R into your designs? Is it only okay when doing something like Tommy? Or is it okay with any upbeat modern show. How do you feel about having LED's/movers on stage in full audience view? As lighting technology changes should we allow it change the conventions of lighting a show as well? How do you feel about migrating new technology into the traditions of theater performance? I'm wondering if some of our old school designers will feel differently about it than our newer younger ones.
So, stepping back from this particular show and speaking in general theory now... How do you feel about mixing lighting conventions? When do you mix R&R into your designs? Is it only okay when doing something like Tommy? Or is it okay with any upbeat modern show. How do you feel about having LED's/movers on stage in full audience view? As lighting technology changes should we allow it change the conventions of lighting a show as well? How do you feel about migrating new technology into the traditions of theater performance? I'm wondering if some of our old school designers will feel differently about it than our newer younger ones.
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