Light Cue 23

A problem that had eluded me on the opera plot solved itself almost as soon as I opened the file this morning. It’s nice when that happens. I often find it better to “sleep on” a problem rather than torturing myself over it. This is why I find it useful to work on multiple projects at the same time. As soon as one hits a snag I can switch to another, either dealing with a different iteration of the same problem or something else entirely. Usually this causes the original problem to get solved. The answer is almost always there, you just have to relax into it at times. Wait patiently and it will come out of hiding.

Last night at Thanksgiving dinner there were various cries of “Wow three days off work!” or “Oh darn I have to go to work tomorrow, but at least I can come in late.” And then there was me, “I’ve got to get to work as soon as we get home.” I must say I am very glad I do not have a ‘boss’ who makes me show up in a regimented schedule. Sure during technical rehearsals I need to be at the theatre at certain prescribed times, but so much of the work is done on my own time and in my own schedule it is great. Even if this means working late on a day others consider a holiday.

It’s time to get back to the dance plot once this little break is over. It should be simple enough. I have all the basic ideas worked out. I just need to put them on the rep-plot and be done with it. There are so many variations on the concept of the repertory light plot and each one demands its own approach.

The basic idea behind the repertory light plot is that there is a set basic position and color for the lights in a theatre. Depending upon the venue you can make various changes to some or all of the lights. For Nutcracker I use almost the whole rep plot as drawn and only make a few minor changes to the position of the lights, but then I refocus them all to make them specific to the show and of course the color is all our own. For the dance piece in Williamstown I am making a few color changes and then the plot has a series of dedicated “specials” that can be refocused for each piece. Everything else remains in it’s “rep focus” and color. Theater festival plots vary from a total fixed focus to allowing you to do anything with the light so long as it remains hung in the same location.

There is a specific craft that goes into utilizing repertory plots. The SF Opera has a kind of hybrid system. There is a very extensive rep plot but any light can be focused however the designer wishes, with a few exceptions. On top of that a large number of lights can be added for more specific needs. It was a great experience in my two seasons there as the lighting assistant watching how different designers negotiated that system.

The bid for Becoming Adele should be going out on Monday. The show looks to be simple enough. It’s a lovely little play. A good heartwarming tale for the ‘Holiday Season.’

I have not mentioned here Operation Ajax that I am lighting for The Butane Group. This is a great piece of political theatre dealing with the US backed coup in Iran in 1953. The Eisenhower Administration, that wonderful group of people who systematically overthrew numerous Democratically elected governments in favor of repressive authoritarian regimes. You know, the guys who set in motion a series of events that led to radical hostility and animosity towards the United States from the Middle East, South America and more. Wonderful people.

I have not worked with The Butane Group before, although I was approached to light a show of theirs several years ago, I had a conflict. I seem to remember I was working in San Francisco at the time. Anyhow, they do some interesting work. I saw a workshop of a piece in progress a few months ago that I really enjoyed. If you want to get a sense of their work they have an audio piece available here.

I guess February is the month of political theatre as I am also working on a production of Mad Forest. And November, the month of only using rap lyrics in my subject headings, is nearly over.