Stephen Roy s Table of Contents Black & White On-Site Requirements Stage Setup Ideal Performance Space Set-up Other Practical Considerations Load In Show Control Stage Lighting Lighting Concept Lighting Focus Video Projection Audio Properties Wardrobe Arrival 2 3 3 4 4 4 5 5 6 7 8 8 8 9 A Mental Mystery Show Technical Requirements
On-Site Requirements For this show to operate efficiently, a few onsite items are required. Please take note as to provide the following list of items to be available to the show at the time of arrival: 6 - banquet style, open-back or similar chairs (Black or White chair covers preferred on chairs if seating is colored in any fashion, but not required) 3-6 foot tables, two on the primary stage side for prop tables, and one on which ever side of the lighting/sound control is located, unless the lighting control booth is used 1 - in-house screen & projector set up with VGA cable available back stage or in control booth 1 - DMX controlled dimmer lighting system (conventional) 1 - in-house sound amplification system (see audio requirements section) 3 - additional straight mic stands (black) with large mic clip for handheld wireless mic set back stage 1 - Suitable size dry erase board, with eraser and black dry erase markers (Smaller sizes may be suitable in smaller venues, contact performer for details) 1 - Dressing room/area with lighted makeup mirror. 1 - staircase for direct audience access from the stage (center stage or 1 each stage left & stage right), as needed. Please notify the performer ASAP if any of these items cannot be provided on site to allow time for additional arrangements to be made.
Stage Setup Ideal Performance Space Set-up The stage space is approximately planned for a simple 30 x 20 stage. Any colored main drape should be flown out or removed, if possible, as it won t be used. A black traveler or set of legs should be in it s place downstage with a fixed opening of 20-0, if possible. Also a full-length boarder on the pipe immediately downstage. This opening shall be considered our Plaster line and all measurements will be from here. At approximately 3-0 is the first stage electric. A next set of legs is 6-0 upstage with a fixed opening of 18-0. Also a full-length boarder on the pipe immediately downstage. At approximately 9-0 is the second electric. An all-black back drop and projection screen shall be at 12-0 It is noted rear projection is preferable, if available. Otherwise, the light plot plans for a projector hung center pipe on the first electric and the screen sized accordingly. Black backdrop can be a combination traveler, border, dress kit, etc. to size/mask the screen as required. Show is designed for a minimum standard 7.5 x 10 Daylite type fast-fold type screen. However, in-house experience/advise is always welcome as to what s best for the venue and audience. Upstage Black Backdrop & Projection Screen @ 12-0 2nd Electric @ 9-0 Boarder Legs @ 6-0 with 18-0 opening Boarder 1st Electric @ 3-0 Legs @ 0-0 with 18-0 opening Boarder Downstage
It is important to have a cross-over upstage of the black-backdrop (without crossing between a rear projection image, if utilitzed), as the performer and support staff will enter and exit the stage on both sides and need to cross over unimpeded. If the above is not able to be provided in exacting detail, then please contact the performer or show management, as other configurations are acceptable with some modification to the show programming and design. Other Practical Considerations This show is intended to be a participatory event with the performer crossing into the audience and audience members regularly coming on stage. As a result, a method of direct egress is required, either by a set of steps down stage center, or on steps both ends of the apron. Either is fine for our purposes. Load In Set up for this show is minimal. Other than a simple stage drapery set with projection, the lighting, audio and video are the only other considerations for house personnel to deal with prior to load in. Contact performer directly with questions. Load in should take less than a few hours, depending on whether the stage & lighting plots are pre-hung prior to show day. Lighting focus should take less than an hour to complete. Add an hour to prep the show props and we are ready. On a normal show day with a 7pm show and pre-hung light/stage plot, a 1pm load in is more than adequate, leaving plenty of time to deal with any issues which should arise during the day. If lighting and stage soft goods need hanging, a 9am call time may be needed and appropriate support staff may be required. Show Control Once load in is complete and the show is set, the scenery doesn t change. There are no fly cues, so rail crew is not required. All light, audio, and projection cues are automated by the show-provided control console/computer. All interfaces are industry standard sound feeds and DMX lighting control. The show is intended to easily interface with the in-house amplifier/speaker system and DMX dimmer racks/lighting electrical system.
Stage Lighting Stage lighting for this show is very basic and utilizes a standard 6 stage-area lighting, McCandles Theory light plot. Each area has front light in a warm/cool combination of Roscolux 304/62, a single downlight (& slightly back) of Roscolux 60, and were available, side lighting of Roscolux 67/96 from stage left and Roscolux 55/67 from stage right. Upstage (Screen) 5 4 6 2 1 3 Downstage Lighting Concept The basic theory behind the design is simple and as follows: Each numbered area of the stage is front lit with two colors, each roughly 45º each side of center at roughly 45º elevation from the area being lit. Also, a pair of back/down lights from just upstage of the area is required, as in the diagram to the right. Each of the six areas is lit in this fashion. Roscolux 62 R88 R55 1 Downstage Area focus for each area Roscolux 304
Where available, the side lighting adds a lot to the plot by adding dimension to the otherwise all black stage, but is not required. Contact performer for details. It is important to note there are also two (2) specials required from the FOH, one each focused downstage left and right (front hung with Roscolux 60). Please provide lighting fixture inventory/circuit schedule prior to load in. If there is an existing house plot, please provide that also, as we may be able to integrate our light plot to minimize hang time. In addition, there are houselights cues built into the show. If the house lights are able to be controlled by the DMX output of our light board, then we just need the dimmer/circuit numbers to make that happen. If they are operated independently of the DMX dimmer system, then we may need to hang additional lighting to light the walkways in the house, as audience members will be coming on stage to assist with the show. If your house lighting is a separate system, then we would prefer to include extra lighting to be used as a substitution for the facilities house lights, if possible. If your venue s lighting is done with moving lights or LED fixtures, please contact the performer for lighting to discuss lighting needs. Lighting Focus If a prefocus can be performed ahead of time, it may save time on show day. The focus for each area is to be slightly soft (without losing intensity of the fixture) to adequately blend between areas with no voids or shadows. In areas 2, 1, & 3, be sure the top of the front lights don t spill onto the video screen. Also, shutter cut off the proscenium arch and down stage to the edge of the apron. Areas 5, 4, & 6 focuses about 10 feet upstage from the plaster line. With those areas, simply shutter cut to off the proscenium and let spill on the screen, as those lights won t be used during moments with video projection. The two downstage specials (extreme stage right & left) should be very softly focused from the edge of the proscenium onto stage, splitting the stage and the apron, and let spill onto the house floor and front of apron. If they spill much upstage, a top cut to the first leg (or slightly upstage of plaster line) is needed to focus attention on the edge of the stage (See diagram on next page). In venues with a full complement of conventional lighting inventory, we can provide and IDEAL light plot for the show, including break-ups and side lighting. It contains individual hang positions with blank spaces for circuiting. If it is possible to pre-hang the show, then this can be useful for circuiting. We are happy to have this info in advance to pre-patch our light board prior to arrival.
Specials Focus Upstage 5 4 6 2 1 3 SR Focus Area Downstage SL Focus Area Video Projection Black & White show centers around a projection screen upstage center in the backdrop, as noted. The screen can be either front or rear projection, depending on the venue. The video and audio cues are run with QLab on a MacBook, which tours with the show. The interface is standard VGA output. The projector can be hung center on the first electric if needed, however, our experience is that most houses already have a viable permanent solution for video projection and it is our desire to interface with that set up. If no video is available, please let the performer or show management know as soon as possible, so other arrangements can be made prior to load-in. Again, we defer to house experience and advice for this solution.
Audio The show travels with it s own sound mixing console and wireless microphones. We output audio signal to a single XLR cable, allowing us to plug into your house amplifier rack or sound console input for easy house integration. In some situations, weight is a consideration for travel and we may opt to defer to using a house audio console and house wireless handhelds where available. Our lighting, audio & video are all together and that can be either back stage or in your control booth, depending on where the VGA drop is. We output DMX on a 3-pin connection which we adapt to 5 pin, allowing us to send DMX & audio through a snake to a control booth as needed, giving us flexibility in the location of video, lighting, and audio control. A standard 20 amp A/C outlet or extension cord will be needed at this location to plug in our power strip & equipment. If you have three microphone stands available with mic clips for wireless hand-held, that is a big help to us, but not a requirement. Properties Props for this show are minimal. The two afore mentioned 6-foot tables (on primary stage side) are sufficient for set up back stage. All are hand props used by the performer and there is no scenery for this show. Additional table may be needed for the production table with laptop & sound board on the control side of the stage if those interfaces are available, otherwise our gear will go in the house control booth, as required. Please advise if the venue has a whiteboard and/or easels or flip charts for the show to utilize on stage rather than bringing our with us to minimize freighting unnecessary gear. Wardrobe Performer wears a simple tuxedo. Assistants dress in black & white street clothes. There are no wardrobe changes during the show. No additional wardrobe services are required. An appropriate dressing room(s) with makeup mirror will be sufficient, no laundry services are needed. As we have both male and females with the show, two dressing rooms are nice to offer privacy for our performers, but not required.
Arrival On show day, we will arrive at an agreed upon time with the venue for load in. We would like someone on site to give us a tour of the facility and show us where the dressing rooms are, where we will set up, where we will plug in our gear and determine the flow of the attending audience. With all the different venues we play, it can be confusing for the cast as to where to go. If you can post these directional signs from the stage to the dressing rooms, it can be helpful for us to focus on the show, and not on where we are going. It will be greatly appreciated.
Black & White Dressing Rms
Black & White Dressing Rms
Black & White Stage
Black & White Stage
Black & White Dressing Room Mr. Roy
Black & White Dressing Room Show