WHO am i working with?!?
(I'm writing this as I'm 2 cocktails to the wind and several hours of laughing hysterically at stories told by my current Lighting designer and his assistant - if I don't make sense, please forgive me)
I'm currently working with Jeff Davis as Lighting Designer, and his assistant Brian, on Night of the Iguana on the Mainstage at BTF. This is the same Jeff Davis that is quoted in the book "The Speed of Light", an oral history of theatrical lighting control. This connection I did not make until tonight when he mentioned the book and related the tale of playing Pong on the video monitor against the Light Board Op during tech in the 80's. Oh, it was so much more funnier to hear it in person than in the book. I'll have to have him sign the story.
Night of the Iguana has Linda Hamilton on stage (of Terminator fame). She is very personable and is happy to say hello to everyone. She loves that we share the same name and gives me a happy smile every time we pass each other (at least once a day so far). And I enjoy her performance in the show. (pic to come)
The experience of putting this show up on stage has been one to teach me to trust my instincts. Our Set Designer, Carl Sprague , (AKA "Vague Sprague" because of his indecisiveness) designed this great set based on a "Mexican Hotel" but he was not good on the final details such as specific size, placement, color, feel (Sprague: "It's a Mexican Hotel. Just think Mexican Hotel." - like we've been to this same hotel with scrim walls, veranda with hammock, and palm trees invading everywhere). None of the theater or groundplan drawings match at all. So going into this changeover, I realized that the set install would knock a fair number of the lighting units that we will have spent all night putting up the night before. So I trust my instinct and force my assistant to only work half of the overnight call, then come back and babysit the carpenters all the next day and be there when lights have to move so someone is keeping track of what's being changed. I also trust instinct to problem solve as well as problem avoid around a set that's certainly not in the same place as the drawings
My Lighting Designer (and his assistant) love how I run a crew and get a huge amount of work done. The assistant loves my anal retentiveness of getting the paperwork right and maintaining the show. Both of them love how I play a very active part in the problem-solving process. So often, in the progression of the show, I have come up with solutions that turn out to be exactly what they need. I have to acknowledge that I look so well because I have such a dedicated and great crew who are willing to bust butt.
I am extremely proud of this show, and the afterglow of praise from this designer is one I'll enjoy for quite a while. :)
I'm currently working with Jeff Davis as Lighting Designer, and his assistant Brian, on Night of the Iguana on the Mainstage at BTF. This is the same Jeff Davis that is quoted in the book "The Speed of Light", an oral history of theatrical lighting control. This connection I did not make until tonight when he mentioned the book and related the tale of playing Pong on the video monitor against the Light Board Op during tech in the 80's. Oh, it was so much more funnier to hear it in person than in the book. I'll have to have him sign the story.
Night of the Iguana has Linda Hamilton on stage (of Terminator fame). She is very personable and is happy to say hello to everyone. She loves that we share the same name and gives me a happy smile every time we pass each other (at least once a day so far). And I enjoy her performance in the show. (pic to come)
The experience of putting this show up on stage has been one to teach me to trust my instincts. Our Set Designer, Carl Sprague , (AKA "Vague Sprague" because of his indecisiveness) designed this great set based on a "Mexican Hotel" but he was not good on the final details such as specific size, placement, color, feel (Sprague: "It's a Mexican Hotel. Just think Mexican Hotel." - like we've been to this same hotel with scrim walls, veranda with hammock, and palm trees invading everywhere). None of the theater or groundplan drawings match at all. So going into this changeover, I realized that the set install would knock a fair number of the lighting units that we will have spent all night putting up the night before. So I trust my instinct and force my assistant to only work half of the overnight call, then come back and babysit the carpenters all the next day and be there when lights have to move so someone is keeping track of what's being changed. I also trust instinct to problem solve as well as problem avoid around a set that's certainly not in the same place as the drawings
My Lighting Designer (and his assistant) love how I run a crew and get a huge amount of work done. The assistant loves my anal retentiveness of getting the paperwork right and maintaining the show. Both of them love how I play a very active part in the problem-solving process. So often, in the progression of the show, I have come up with solutions that turn out to be exactly what they need. I have to acknowledge that I look so well because I have such a dedicated and great crew who are willing to bust butt.
I am extremely proud of this show, and the afterglow of praise from this designer is one I'll enjoy for quite a while. :)
posted by Resident Squint at 1:59 AM
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