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grandMA Charms LA with Wicked
Wicked, the hit musical about the witches of Oz, returned to Los Angeles on February 21st for an open run with three grandMAs and one grandMA light controlling lighting and video projections. Wicked previously played in LA during the summer of 2005; the new production, featuring some new staging, calls The Pantages Theater home.
The four grandMAs are networked together for the musical. The main console is utilized by Warren Flynn, associate lighting designer and programmer for automated lights. A second grandMA is used by video programmer Hillary Knox to program projections; another is dedicated to focusing and work calls. The grandMA light is a slave for conventional lights.
“We work in worlds mostly, which saves a lot of aggravation; we’re not stepping on each other’s toes,” says Flynn whose grandMA controls six Martin 3k Atomic Strobes and 36 Vari*Lite 2k spots, 26 2k washes and 21 3k spots. “We have three separate cue lists; the conventional cue list triggers moving lights and moving lights trigger projection.
“With the grandMAs we can work independently, and we can go offline,” he continues. “If I want to work on something and don’t want anyone to trigger my list I turn on a macro and it moves my sequence over. Hillary has the same capability.”
The grandMA for the show’s video system controls two High End Systems’ Catalyst media servers which feed a pair of Barco projectors with Catalyst mirror heads that allow video to be projected anywhere on stage. “Ninety percent of the jobs I do use the grandMA,” notes Hillary Knox. “Of everything out there, it’s the most complete solution in terms of stability and features. I’ve tried the majority of new consoles and feel most comfortable with the grandMA. It’s the most dependable: It has never let me down.”
Although the grandMAs are on a single network, “any of us could be on any of the systems. I can help out on lighting from my console, for example,” he points out. “That’s really handy, being able to work from my own console. I can look at what the LD is looking at without having to get up and peer over someone else’s shoulder.” Flynn also gives kudos to the grandMA. “I love it. It does everything you want it to do and more. I’ve never run into a stumbling block. And if I should have a question, I just phone or email Joe (A.C.T Lighting’s Joe Cabrera), and I’m back online and running within minutes.”
Kenneth Posner is the lighting designer for the show and Elaine McCarthy is the projection designer. The grandMAs for ‘Wicked’ are supplied by PRG and the Barco projectors by Scharff Weisberg. "It is great to work with the team again, Warren, Ken, Elaine and Hillary. They are true pros and their insights have helped us make the grandMA more 'theatre-oriented'. Warren was the very first programmer/associate designer to use the grandMA on Broadway for 'Thoroughly Modern Millie’," comments A.C.T Lighting president and CEO, Bob Gordon.
photo: Joan Marcus
12th March 2007
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