Cirque du Soleil’s “Michael Jackson ONE” Gets Assist from Auerbach Pollock Friedlander

Room Configuration

The Michael Jackson ONE by Cirque du Soleil production required a room design that was simple so as not to compete with the video elements envisioned for the show.  The walls in the audience chamber feature projection screens that envelop patrons and blur the line between the performance and spectator.

• Extensive technical catwalks and a front of house grid over the seating area support the lighting and technical systems required in the front of house area.
• The control suite is configured to fulfill the extensive requirements of automation, lighting, projection, stage management and audio controls.  The control suite contains a total of 702 square feet of booth space split into two rooms, 266 square feet for three projection rooms and 70 linear feet of glass that overlooks the entire performance space.
• The 9,120 square foot stage is able to accommodate spectacular scenic elements.
• A 1200 lb. video wall made up of eight 35’ x 5’ panels is flown in for the show.
• The 64 foot wide proscenium opening allows expansive views of the stage.

Building Infrastructure

Successful integration of theatrical systems required extensive design and coordination of building infrastructure to accommodate the latest technology.  With the Cirque du Soleil theatre project team, Auerbach Pollock Friedlander developed criteria and coordinated the theatrical systems infrastructure within the building to achieve independent and reliable operation.

• All spaces, including rehearsal spaces, technical offices, training rooms, dressing rooms, costume maintenance, green rooms and the technical grid, are interconnected with sound, video and communication systems from the stage area.
• The structural support systems were developed in conjunction with Englekirk Structural Engineering for the extensive automated rigging system and included two “winch farms” supporting the control of up to 59 individually controlled motorized winches.  In addition, automated trolleys with individual winches are suspended above the audience area.  These trolleys and winches are used to gracefully move performers and scenic elements over the audience.

Three high speed fiber optic data and communications networks were installed in the new space.  These completely independent systems are set up to ensure that the automation, lighting and audio-video systems can function separately and synchronized with one another.  Each system is provided with a minimum RAID-1 hard drive array to help ensure complete system redundancy.

Stage Machinery

The equipment conceived by Cirque du Soleil designers creates some of the most visually striking effects ever seen in a live performance.  Auerbach Pollock Friedlander developed an infrastructure of sophisticated stage machinery to the exacting specifications of the production.

• 3 stage lifts are included with a total surface area of 624 square feet.  Each can travel at 1 ft/sec.
• There are five poplifts each of which can accelerate a performer to speeds that allow the performer to pop 5’-0” above the stage floor.  These same lifts can later be used to bring performers and props to the stage in a much less dynamic fashion.

Rigging and Automation

The theatre has been designed and equipped with the latest in theatrical automation and the movement of all mechanical elements is controlled by a series of control consoles which are located within visual contact of the moving elements.

• Four motorized overhead trolleys are integrated with wireless control travel at a speed of 10 ft/sec for transporting scenery and performers.  These trolleys are fitted with vertical hoists as well allowing performers or scenery to be moved vertically and horizontally.  There are a total of 4 vertical hoists, five drive assemblies
• A six panel motorized LED screen traverses upstage of the scenery allowing the extensive projections of the production to be blended into the action.  These six separate projection surfaces are deployed and retracted as the production subtly shifts the audience’s visual perceptions of the music from projected image to the scenic images and the performers.
• 10 motorized lighting trusses properly position the extensive theatrical lighting inventory to the proper elevation and position to light the performers and scenic elements.
• 44 motorized multi line winches are used for moving scenic elements.
• The control console can be plugged into any one of 20 Control Point/E-Stop locations and there are an additional 15 E-Stop locations throughout the stage area.

Audio-Video Systems

Auerbach Pollock Friedlander designed the extensive sound, video and production communication systems for the space in close collaboration with Cirque du Soleil’s audio staff and freelance production sound designer, Jonathan Deans.

• Up to 26 production fixed-focus and remote-controllable color video cameras may be routed through modulated video system for monitoring of performers, musicians and critical backstage systems.
• A fiber and CAT-6 backbone provides interconnectivity for current systems and future expansion.
• Over 250 device panels and wall plates are fed from an extensive analog and digital wiring infrastructure using both copper and fiber-optic cabling.

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STATISTICAL INFORMATION

Client

MGM Resorts International

Auerbach Pollock Friedlander Start Date

2011

World Premiere

June 29, 2013

DESIGN TEAM

Theatre Consultant

Audio-Video Consultant

Architect

Acoustics Consultant

Structural Engineer

MEP Engineer

Life Safety

Auerbach Pollock Friedlander

Auerbach Pollock Friedlander

Troy Moser Architecture Studio

Jaffe Holden Acoustics

Englekirk Structural Engineers

JBA Consulting Engineers

JBA Consulting Engineers

THEATER SYSTEMS SUBCONTRACTORS

Automation Controls, Winches

Tracks and Trolleys

Stage Lifts

Audio-Video

Theater Lighting Contractors

Stage Technologies

Stage Technologies

Handling Specialties

Solotech

PRG

CIRQUE DU SOLEIL CREATIVE TEAM

Creative Guide

CEO, Creative Content

Writer and Director

Director of Creation

Associate Director

Musical Director

Set Designer and Props Designer

Costume Designer

Projections Designer

Lighting Designer

Acrobatic Equipment and Rigging Designer

Make-up Designer

Dramaturge

Characters’ Guide

Illustrator

Guy Laliberté

Jean-François Bouchard

Jamie King

Welby Altidor

Carla Kama

Kevin Antunes

François Séguin

Zaldy Goco

Jimmy Lakatos

David Finn

Pierre Masse

Nathalie Gagné

Brian Drader

Manon Beaudoin

Henry Fong

EQUIPMENT LIST – PERFORMANCE RIGGING AND AUTOMATION SYSTEMS, MAJOR COMPONENTS

Automation System (by Stage Technologies)

Control Desks

• 3 – Nomad Control consoles by Stage Technologies
• 1- Solo hand held controllers

Maxis ID Motor Control System

• Over 100 Axes of movement control
• Motor Control Cabinets:  (7 total)
  • MCC- ULT1 – Hoists on Grid
  • MCC – CWA1 – Counterweight Assist
  • MCC – CWA2 – Counterweight Assist
  • MCC – CWA3 – Counterweight Assist and Acrobatic Winches
  • MCC-ACRO F1 – Front of House Tracks and Trolleys
  • MCC-Lift 1 – Stage Lift
  • MCC-Lift 2 – Stage lift
  • MCC-Pop 1 – POP lift
  • MCC-Pop 2 – POP lift
  • MCC-Pop 3 – POP lift
  • Network Control Cabinets: Stage Technologies  (3 total)
  • Distributed control points

Winches, Track and Trolleys (Major Components Grid Winches by Stage Technologies)

• Winches and hoists
  • 36- Big Tow BT2-200
  • 6 – Big Tow BT2-290 (typical capacity 600 lbs)
  • 2 – Big Tow BT2-300 (typical capacity 2000 lbs)
  • 4 – Big Tow BT2-390 (typical capacity 2000 lbs)
  • Front of House Trolley System
    • 4 – Units with 4 performer flying winches
      • Horizontal speed  10 ft/sec

Stage Lifts, (Major Components by Handling Specialties and Stage Technologies)

• 1 – Stage Center lift
  • Lift size 13’x 16’
  • Lift Speed 1’ – 0” sec
  • Lift vertical travel  20’ – 8”
  • Lift Capacity: 10,400 lbs
  • 1 – Stage Right Lift
    • Lift size 13’x 16’
    • Lift Speed 1’ – 0” sec
    • Lift vertical travel  20’ – 8”
    • Lift Capacity: 10,400 lbs.
    • 1 – Stage Left Lift
      • Lift size 13’x 16’
      • Lift Speed 1’ – 0” sec
      • Lift vertical travel  20’ – 8”
      • Lift Capacity: 10,400 lbs.
      • 5 – POP Lifts (by Stage Technologies)
        • Lift size 4’- 0”x4’ -0”
        • Lift vertical travel  11’ – 0”
        • Lift Speed 1’ – 0” sec or 29’-0” sec
        • Lift Capacity: 800 lbs. (normal mode)
        • POP capacity:  250 lbs.

EQUIPMENT LIST – SHOWROOM LIGHTING

9 – ETC Full Sensor AF dimmer racks with CEM+

2 – ETC Half Sensor AF dimmer racks with CEM+

9 – ETC SmartSwitch 48 relay Panels

9 – ILC refurbished 48 relay panels

4 – Lighting Control Network Racks

2 – Cisco Catalyst 3750G 48-Port Ethernet Switch w/POE

8 – DELL 3548P 48-Port Ethernet Switch w/POE

1 – Paradigm Architectural Processor

82 – Ethernet Taps

20 – 2-Port ET

6 – 4-Port ET

3 – 6-port ET

115 – Dimmed/Switched Circuit Distribution Devises

MA2 Lighting Consoles, Lighting Fixtures, accessories, specifications and criteria developed for production design by Cirque du Soleil.

Production Video System:

• JVC ESI-P700 cameras with pan, tilt, zoom control by Eagle Systems
• Panasonic  PL727-5DN fixed cameras
• Panasonic WV- CP310 monochrome cameras (IR)
• Cantronic Systems CSI-IR 100m60 IR illuminators
• Blonder-Tongue modulators, amplifiers, combiners and taps
• Marshall V-R151P rack mounted video monitors

Production Intercom and Backstage Paging Headend System

• Clear-Com Eclipse Median 80 digital mainframe
• Clear-Com V-series control stations, V24LDX4 and V12LDX4
• Clear-Com RCS-2700 8-channel analog switching matrix with PS-702 power supplies
• Clear-Com RS-602 beltpacks, KB-702 Loudspeaker stations
• Beyer Dynamic DT-280 headsets
• Telex BTR-800 wireless base stations and TR-800 beltpacks.
• Sennheiser SR-2050-XP wireless in-ear and IFB transmitters with EK2000 receivers