A white picket fence serves as backdrop for the drummer. The two guitarists perform in front of a white two-car garage door, and a mailbox on a post beckons for bills close to centerstage. “Welcome to Suburbia, USA,” says Production and Lighting Designer Seth Jackson. He and Nathan Alves of The Darkroom Creative shared a slice of suburban set life from country artist Walker Hayes’ Glad You’re Here Tour 2022. “If you were wondering what the garage door, mailbox and fence were all about — that came from Walker,” Jackson says. “He describes himself as a simple, suburban, BBQ on the driveway, country boy. We even pull out the projector and show a movie on the garage door for the neighbors.” Lighting Director Dom Hickman and Video Director Jordon Karow carry out the design on the road with the show.
Morse Designs Woolworth’s Shiners
The old Woolworth store in Nashville — site of the legendary lunch counter sit-ins during the country’s segregation years— has been repurposed as the Woolworth Theatre. Peter Morse was asked to design lighting for the permanent installation for the club and theatre, as well as the original show, Shiners, which recently opened its residency there. The lighting designer says the show features aerialists, acrobats, contortionists, some Cirque du Soleil ex-pats and other Vegas performers, each displaying their talent. The comedy storyline follows through a fictional family reunion of moonshiners, and stars country artist Chuck Wicks with a mix of live and track music. As the venue was a former retail store, there were many challenges considering the height and depth of the room. “We found unique ways to make the show work,” Morse explains. “The room is redesigned to look like a version of a huge indoor still. We even have a video wall in the back.”
Napoleon and Tabitha Dumo are the creative producers, directors and choreographers of the show, with whom Morse worked on Dancing with the Stars, TLC, Derek Hough, and other tours. A few friends were brought in for lighting programming help, including David “Fuji” Convertino, Han Henze and Jake Shemon, with Mark ‘Biz” Burke handling video content and programming, and Kley Tarcitano as set/production designer.
“It’s a fun show, it’s unique,” Morse says. “It’s been sold out since it opened two weeks ago.” For upcoming schedules, visit www.woolworththeatre.com
Pen’s Expansion Plan
AJ Pen, set and lighting designer for My Chemical Romance’s reunion tour, collaborated directly with the artists on the design. As touring LD, he ran the console for most of the shows. By the last two performances of the U.S. leg, however, he taught his assistant to run the very hands-on show as he stepped back. With more than 25 years in the industry, Pen seeks to distance himself from the console and tour bus to focus his skills on design and collaboration. “Penlight has grown,” he says about his design firm. His colleague, Jeff Farrow, is now being joined by three or four lighting directors that Pen can put on shows, offering clients more than 50 years of experience. “I have spent too many months with just one band at a time and now I want to break that cycle. I want to move to the front end, get the rehearsals done and move on. I am open to opportunities.” For the Josh Groban shows at Radio City Music Hall earlier this year, Pen had two operators running the consoles so that he could focus on directing the lighting. “I love collaborating and would like to do more of that,” he says. Find out more at www.penlight.ca
Positive About Yes
Donald Weeks is feeling positive about being back in his eleventh year with Yes as lighting designer/director. Their 50th Anniversary Tour celebrates the release of the prog rock band’s 1972 album, Close to the Edge, which the band performs in its entirety. “I just returned from the Japan tour. It went quite well —the band is sounding good,” says Weeks. “We put on a nice show for the fans. Standing ovations every night.” Rehearsals for the U.S. leg took place in Lititz, PA where the band put on a special dress rehearsal performance Oct. 6 for friends and family at Michael “Mickey” Tait’s special event space, Mickey’s Black Box. Tait, who was tour manager, sound engineer and lighting designer for the band starting in the 1970s, introduced them in an emotional speech, saying, “I was there when the magic was created.” He credited Yes for launching his lifelong career, gave a short history of his time with them, and says the band has considered Lititz their U.S. base for rehearsals for the past 45 years. “Yes music will last forever,” Tait told the audience. To view Tait’s introduction, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgDYBpRg4H4
Share your holiday show news with PLSN Co-Editor Debi Moen at [email protected]
