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Working in Pairs

Nook Schoenfeld, Editor, PLSN

Working in Pairs

Not too many days go by when we all wish we could clone ourselves, to take some of the workload off our shoulders. We wish we had a partner that we could turn to in order to help sort through the mess on your desk, before you lose your sanity and a certain job altogether. Partnerships reinforce ideas within some companies. Like-minded people who can work, act and discuss business with clients in the same manner as ourselves are an important commodity. Just take a look at the current Presidential race.

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Ehrlich Brothers

Ehrlich Brothers Turn to WIcreations for Automation Assist with Frankfurt Stadium Show

FRANKFURT – When the Ehrlich Brothers needed a bit of special production magic to move a giant set of scenic doors smoothly and horizontally on and offstage to top and tail the two acts for their impressive 2016 performance at the Commerzbank Stadium in Frankfurt, Germany, their production turned to Belgian automation specialist WIcreations.  “Magic – The Unique Stadium Show” is the first time that the magician duo has ever played a soccer stadium, and it also signaled the end of a sold-out 120-date arena tour by the Ehrlich brothers in spectacular style.

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Hog 4

Sydney’s Whitlam Theatre Upgrades with Hog 4 Consoles

SYDNEY – The Revesby Workers’ Club in southwest Sydney is a regular stop for premiere touring acts. Its concert venue, the Whitlam Theatre, seats 750 in ‘dinner mode’ and 1,400 in theatre mode. The theatre is known for its big PA and excellent audio facilities, but, until recently, its lighting systems were struggling to keep up with the demands of modern touring acts. Revesby has changed all that with the purchase of High End System’s Hog 4 console plus a Playback Wing 4, bringing their venue back in line with the best in Australia.

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Ehrlich Brothers

Big Ehrlich Brothers Stadium Show Rig Includes Robe Fixtures

[caption id="attachment_271082" align="alignnone" width="800"]Ehrlich Brothers[/caption]

FRANKFURT – Taking the genre of illusionism into a completely new dimension, brothers Chris and Andreas Ehrlich – who had already played to over half a million people on their “Magic – Experience Dreams” arena tour put on a special performance, “Magic – A Unique Stadium Show” at the Commerzbank Arena in Frankfurt. Designing all visual departments and co-ordinating the OB and camera technology – for this spectacle was the team from Cologne based visual design and creative practice mo2, led by Manfred “Ollie” Olma.

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Most of the pies were fake, but a few were real. The Waitress photo by Joan Marcus.

The Pie’s the Limit

Scott Pask’s Scenic Design for The Waitress

The Tony Award-nominated musical Waitress, adapted from the film by the late actor/writer-director Adrienne Shelly, combines splashy sets and breezy music with serious themes of repression, enlightenment, and female empowerment. Jessie Mueller plays Jenna, a diner waitress who possesses a passion for making pies with exotic names that reflect real-life themes and ideas — such as Marshmallow Mermaid Pie, I Hate My Husband Pie, and Kick In The Pants Pie — but she is under the thumb of her controlling and verbally abusive boyfriend Earl. Once she learns of a pie-making contest with a nice monetary prize and also begins an affair with a handsome doctor, she begins to feel a sense of liberation that she has been craving.

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Peter Gabriel, Sting and their longtime LDs, Rob Sinclair and Danny Nolan, all collaborated on the 2016 'Rock Paper Scissors' tour. Photo by Todd Kaplan

Peter Gabriel & Sting “Rock Paper Scissors” Tour

Two British Artists (and LDs) Meld Ideas to Create One Unique Show

This summer, two talented English legends joined forces (and bands) to unite on stage for one big show. Proclaiming the tour as Rock Paper Scissors made a lot of sense, as each artist played and sang on the other’s songs as band members effortlessly formed different ensembles to play a multitude of both artists’ hits. What made this production even more interesting was the collaboration of two popular English lighting designers, Rob Sinclair and Danny Nolan, who looked after their respective artists’ looks. They melded ideas, then networked two different lighting consoles together to run a dynamic looking show for a six week run of dates in America.

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Angus MacPhail, longtime LD for The Cure, spec'ed a wide array of fixtures for the band's latest tour. Photo by Steve Jennings

The Cure

Longtime LD Angus MacPhail on the Band’s Latest Trek

The Cure performed another of their marathon more-than-three-hour concert performances to a packed amphitheater of devoted fans, performing both hits and rarities in their ever-evolving set list. There’s no denying the bands influence and originality in a career spanning 40 years. Bringing even more mood and impact to vocalist Robert Smith and the band is lighting designer and director Angus MacPhail, who talked to us about his long association with the band.

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Robe Patt Lights on stands add to the visuals. Photo by Steve Jennings

Cage the Elephant 2016 Tour

Lighting designers Eric Cathcart and Michael Grant have been busy lately piecing together three different bands — Cage The Elephant, The Arcs and Silversun Pickups. They’ve managed to work out the scheduling to alternate LD duties from one to the other… timing has been on their side. PLSN spoke with Cathcart and Grant about the Cage The Elephant tour.

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'Cathedral of Light' was static, yet compelling. Photos courtesy Mandylights.

Vivid Sydney 2016

Vivid Sydney is a 23-day festival of light, music and ideas that takes place in Australia’s largest city. Now in its eighth year, Vivid began as Smart Light Sydney festival with a focus on energy efficiency by lighting designer Mary-Anne Kyriakou and headlined by musical artist Brian Eno. It is now called the world’s largest outdoor “art gallery,” with the 2016 event drawing more than two million visitors outdoors to downtown Sydney during May and June, the coolest (and darkest) time of the year in Australia.

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Sebastian Maniscalco lit by Bob Peterson at the Beacon Theatre.

Getting Personal with Comedy

Lighting for Comedy Specials Reflects the Star’s Distinctive Style

When Gabriel Iglesias sold out two nights in the Chicago area’s Allstate Arena May 20-21 for the filming of a Netflix special, lighting designer Robert Peterson knew he had a major challenge on his hands.

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