Tag: A Christmas Carol (2006)

A Christmas Carol

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Tech for Bermuda Avenue Triangle

Greg Fitzgerald, who is directing Bermuda Avenue Triangle at Kudzu Playhouse, has asked me to be Light & Sound Tech for the play. Although I would always rather be ON stage as opposed to BACK stage, I accepted the position.

This will be my second time a tech. The first time was A Christmas Carol at Kudzu. There were over 120 sound and light changes. Bermuda Avenue Triangle should be easy.

Bermuda Avenue Triangle
By Renee Taylor & Joseph Bologna

This outrageous comedy concerns the adventures of a Jewish widow and an Irish widow whose successful daughters move them to Las Vegas, where they share a retirement village condo. On an excursion, they are saved from a mugger by a charming if not quite sober gambler who is short on cash. They allow him to curl up on the living room floor and he manages to sweet-talk his way in both ladies’ beds. Each situation if rife with outrageous, excessive comedy.

Show Times:
August 31, 2007 – 8:00 PM
September 1, 2007 – 8:00 PM
September 2, 2007 – 2:30 PM

September 7, 2007 – 8:00 PM
September 8, 2007 – 8:00 PM
September 9, 2007 – 2:30 PM

September 14, 2007 – 8:00 PM
September 15, 2007 – 8:00 PM
September 16, 2007 – 2:30 PM

September 21, 2007 – 8:00 PM
September 22, 2007 – 8:00 PM
September 23, 2007 – 2:30 PM

September 28, 2007 – 8:00 PM
September 29, 2007 – 8:00 PM

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A Christmas Carol follow-up

It was very interesting, instructive and, I suppose, fun doing light and sound for the 2006 run of A Christmas Carol at Kudzu Playhouse.

There were lots and sound and light changes. And now for the combinations: Simultaneous light and sound, simultaneous sound with actor (each ghost had a sound for pointing), simultaneous light with actor actions, and several of the more difficult light and sound followed immediate by another sound (I had two Mini disk players), and a few fade sound, queue and play another sound.

As long as I took my time and paid attention I had no problem, but with 120+ changes I never had a perfect night. My hope was to be as transparent to the audience as possible. As long as the audience did not notice, everything was cool. For the most part I was.

On the final night (of any play), Wally and Jeannie hand out a package with a letter, cast photo, VIP passes, etc. In the letter to the Cast and Crew of A Christmas Carol, there was high praise for me: A big thanks goes to Jay for such a great job as our tech. He came in as a novice and finished as a true professional.

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Me as Technician during A Christmas Carol

So I have been running light and sound for A Christmas Carol at Kudzu since the beginning of December. Now we are down to the final week (seven shows in six days). This past weekend, I finally felt really comfortable doing this. (I still prefer to be onstage instead of backstage.)

There are well over 120 light and sound changes during the show. And there are many simultaneous light and sound changes. I stay very busy during the entire show.

Of course I have it a lot easier than most with modern technology. I don’t have a 24 channel light board that I constantly have to adjust. My lights are programmed on a computer and all I have to do is hit a single button to go to the next light change. It?s nice.

The sound is on a Sony MDS (MiniDisc system recorder/player) and all the sound is more or less in order that I need to play them. There are times when I need to jump back to earlier tacks. Actually I have 3 disks on two decks. The second MDS has some sound affects for each of the spirits and two voiceovers. The second deck is fun. It will not stop and queue up the next sound track. It is in loop mode, so I have to stop the sound or else it will repeat. I have had that happen several times until I get better.

Now for the sounds I do have to adjust the volume on a sound board. I have had it too high at times and sometimes after fading out music, I forgot to turn the volume backup when I started the next bit of music. A lot of the music is for songs.

There have been lots of fun times when I mess up. Even with the modern technology it is not easy. Timing is a lot of it.

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A Christmas Carol at Kudzu Playhouse

I am in a new play… sort of. Actually I am Sound and Light Technician for the play. Well most of the run. I am on vacation for the first few shows.

I would always prefer to be on stage instead of back stage, but I was not interested in doing a Christmas time play.

But Kudzu asked if I would do the sound and light after having done it for acts II and III during And Then There Were None.

Visit Kudzu Playhouse for show times.