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Los Angeles, March 9,
2007
“Wicked,” the hit musical about the witches of Oz,
returned
to Los Angeles February 21 for an open run with three grandMAs and one
grandMA Light controlling lighting and video projections. A.C.T
Lighting is the North American distributor of the grandMA.
“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 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.
MA Lighting is
exclusively distributed by A.C.T Lighting.
A leading importer and distributor of lighting products, A.C.T
Lighting, Inc. strives to identify future trends and cutting-edge
products, and stock, sell and support their inventory. The company
provides superior customer service and value for money to all of its
clients.
For more information call 818-707-0884.
Copyright © ACT Lighting 2009. All rights reserved.
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