NEW YORK—Scharff Weisberg, Inc. had a busy season on and off Broadway supplying three productions—33 Variations, Impressionism and Distracted—with comprehensive video system packages designed to be user-friendly and adaptable to the needs of very different shows. SWI supplied each of the shows with a diverse assortment of projection technologies, as well as SWI’s media playback package consisting of Dataton Watchout Production and Display PC’s coupled with Medialon Manager PRO show control systems. Cueing of the entire video system was triggered by the main lighting console via Midi Show Control commands.
“The capabilities of contemporary video playback and display technology allow for very unique solutions to relatively complicated situations,” notes Scharff Weisberg’s Director of Technology Lars Pedersen. “The trend towards smaller and lighter projectors (without compromising luminosity), along with the inherent geometry correction and warping features found in nearly all of the current playback systems, permit the designer to place the projectors in somewhat atypical, nonconforming positions relative to the screen surface. Using a variety of projectors from various manufacturers including Christie Digital, Barco, and Panasonic, we were able to overcome the placement, space, and noise concerns associated with each of the three shows. We then used the image correction capabilities within the playback system to compensate for the extreme off-axis projector/screen relationships.”
Project Managers Tom Donoghue and Patrick Denny handled the normally unheralded tasks and logistics of assembling, testing and installing the packages in the three theatres. SWI provided on-site training of the systems for all three shows as well as the customary 24/7 support.
Nominated for a Tony Award for Best Play, Moises Kaufman’s 33 Variations stars Jane Fonda as a Beethoven specialist newly-diagnosed with ALS. The play crosses continents and centuries—Beethoven himself makes an appearance—as the musicologist uses the composer’s Diabelli Variations as a springboard for what one critic called “rich but playful ideas.” The Projection Designer for 33 Variations was Jeff Sugg.
Impressionism, starring Jeremy Irons and Joan Allen, tells the story of an international photojournalist and a New York art gallery owner who help repair each other’s lives. The new play by Michael Jacobs ended its Broadway limited engagement run on May 10. Elaine McCarthy was the Projection Designer for Impressionism.
The Roundabout Theatre Company’s Off-Broadway production of Lisa Loomer’s Distracted starred Cynthia Nixon. The fast and funny look at parenting in the age of the Internet and rampant ADD recently ended a successful limited engagement run. The Projection Designer for Distracted was Tal Yarden.
Scharff Weisberg operates in a co-ownership agreement with Video Applications to maintain a strong presence in the presentation and staging markets on both coasts.
For more information on Scharff Weisberg, please visit www.scharffweisberg.com.
For more information on Video Applications, visit www.videoapps.com.
