The Tinder Box

The Tinderbox from A Tale of Two Cities is a character in and of itself. Set designer Kacey Udy came to me with his vision of a Slated Ramp that we could light from the inside. We immediately began collaborating on how we could make this work. I took this idea and developed it into a character for the story. Using the element of color & effects The Ramp became known as the Tinder box, as it appears to be burning from the inside from time to time, It follows the over arching journey of the story’s protagonist. It takes 28 Chauvet Baton Quads equalling 336 individually controlled pixels and just under 3 DMX universes to make this scenic element shine.

Scenic design by Kacey Udy, Lighting Design by Jaron Kent Hermansen, Production Electrician work by Danna Barney & Michael Gray. Photo by Gage Peterson 

.

MDQ at HCT

“Jaron Hermansen's exciting lighting design nearly single-handedly does the job of filling the space, as each musical number elevates the purposefully drab record studio to a fantasy concert sequence.”

-BWW

This show was originally set to play in the @halecentretheatre proscenium space. This last spring, we had the show ready to go for its May open date. The set was drafted and ready for construction. The light plot completed and I was on to the cueing process. Then COVID-19 swept the nation and everything was put on hold. We received some good news though, this show, even though postponed, would still open. However, the show would open in the Center Stage Space at The Hale. This meant we would be in the round and that it was time to go back to the drawing boards.

In the re-design Set Designer @jenntaylor8 and I decided to have fully exposed lights on our beautiful new lighting truss. We needed some efficient and effective units to rock out with. Naturally I went with @chauvet_pro. Utilizing the SlimPar Pro H on our outer ring to give that “flash and trash” feel of a we all love to see in a rock concert. This also gave me some dynamic color range, and responsive effects. Doing this show in the round also meant we needed to have 360 degrees of awesome, so I loaded the inner truss with Batten Quads for effects and audience blinders. Then topped it off with R1 fx-B’s to get some individual pixel and pan/tilt control. Combining this with the plexiglass floors under lit by Batten Quads and Rogue Spots tucked away in the corners, we had one fantastical rock concert! When that truss starts moving, and the lights start spinning there is no way you can keep yourself from dancing.

U.S. Premiere of Baz Lurman's Strictly Ballroom!

Last week I opened the U.S. Premiere of Strictly Ballroom at Hale Center Theater in Salt Lake UT! Previouslyt eh production Played in Austria, and then on the West End in London. There it was Produced by the same company, Global Creatures, that produced Moulin Rouge and King Kong on broadway. Here in the U.S. the Hale Center Theater caught wind of such a great production and decided they would like to produce the premiere. Working directly with Baz and the foundation we put on a spectacle!

What a great venue to work at! The production team was astounding, very collaborative, and visionary! You can find out what Broadway World thought of the show below, but as far as what they thought of the lighting, well here it is:

“The incredible lighting design by Jaron Hermansen elevates the experience to an even higher level. The use of intensely saturated colors along with artistic timing, a strong sense of story, and pure entertainment value is Broadway caliber.”

-BroadwayWorld

Thanks Broadway World! Such kind words and review! To all of you be sure to check out the full review! The full production deserves all the praises! If you find yourself in Utah be sure to get tickets! it plays till April 11th!

See you at the theater!

Don’t Live your life in Fear