Setting the Mood with Lighting

Since it is a "bare stage" unit set for this show, lots of the scene changes will be dictated by lighting. I have three basic color washes: magenta, deep blue and deep amber. As a stark contrast to this, I have no-color "white light" coming up through the stage floor, as well as from the four followspots.

Since the set was comparatively inexpensive this year, I was able to spring for some new sheets of gel. The crew helped cut them up into pieces to fit into the lights. Here, Moises opens the package of new sheets of gel.


I spent a great deal of time hanging and focusing 150 lights for the show. Then I programmed them into the computer dimmer board, below. On the stage you can see an old mannequin that I used as a "focus dummy". (Click photos to enlarge).


Notice how the different colors of gel can change our perception of the color of the scaffolding? Even though I covered the pipes in blue gaff tape, you can see the pipes change from red and black, to yellow, and then to brown in the next 3 photos.