When Chris Ackerland was going on stage to do his presentation to the BLMC, it was joked that his lecture will be on the topic of “Lighting Designer As A Human Being.” That term got me thinking, and I realized that a feel for what sort of people work in the Broadway Design industry is one of the most valuable things that I had a chance to learn at the Master Classes. Some of the designers who spoke managed to give very academic lectures. Some, however, went off on personal and socially descriptive tangents. I feel that the most open speakers this year were Chris Ackerland, Brian MacDevitt, and Kevin Adams

Chris seemed to have a very organic approach to his design ethic. He spoke about several shows on which he worked recently: Light in the Piazza, Talk Radio, and 110 in the Shade. In all of these projects, the collaborative relationships in the pre-production and tech periods of the show seemed to be very important to him. Chris seemed like a very easygoing person for whom the relationships and communication between everyone on the production and creative team is very important. He acknowledges his good shows (Piazza) and some bad shows (In My Life) freely. He seems to have a great attention to detail and be mostly concerned about the overall cohesive look of the production. I came out thinking that Chris is someone who I would like to work with or assist.

Brian MacDevitt began the lecture about visual inspiration for lighting design by telling us a little bit about his personal history. He said that he was not very academically oriented in high school and had to undergo many obstacles in order to get his bachelor‘s degree at Purchase College, where he came back to teach. I got the feeling that, because it had been so difficult for him to get into school, he developed a great attachment to the academic process of theatre. Thus in terms of design–and the images which he showed, which were all brilliant examples of lighting depicted in art–Brian‘s approach to doing a show is also very academic. By that, I mean that he would go out, find the appropriate piece of research that resembled his conceptual idea, and then go about recreating it. This is an approach which is very challenging and meticulous, but the one question that I did not get to ask him is whether he would ever use an image that does not have lighting in it as a piece of research, not for its, informative value but purely as an evocative tool–something to communicate the general mood that is the goal of the design.

Kevin Adams, who came in to speak about his design for Spring Awakening, our show for the Lighting Master Classes this year, came off as the most impressive personality to me. He was the first Broadway designer whom I have heard speaking who presented himself as a visual artist primarily. Kevin began his lecture by talking about how installation artist such as Bruce Nauman and Dan Flavin–who worked with fluorescent light and neon tubes to create their pieces in the late sixties and seventies–served as an inspiration to him in his switch to becoming a lighting designer and abandoning his set design career born at Cal Arts. Kevin says that he approaches a show in primarily visual means and that he considers his job to be mainly creating beautiful images that work to advance the plot as well as aesthetic of the show. He makes bold choices in cueing (the movement of conventionals is just as drastic as that of intelligent lights), timing (his bumps don‘t just come at the ending and beginning of songs), color choices, and most of all, his use of practicals. Kevin showed us a lot of his portfolio and spoke to the fact that he is known for his implementation of lighting fixtures such as light bulbs, fluorescent tubes, neon, LEDs, and practical fixtures in elegant and sculptural installation like combinations. These installations serve the lighting rig, the set design, and the dramatic action all in one. Collaboration is important to him, as well, since he has the scenic designer lay out his fixture installations in projects such as Spring Awakening or the back wall of Passing Strange.

All in all, this year‘s class has been a great experience. I feel that I have acquired a lot of technical and theoretical knowledge about design, but I also feel that I have gotten to know some of the people in the illusive design community of Broadway. It was great to see these designers as people and think about how their personalities are reflected in the look of the shows that I have seen them collaborate on. Broadway or not, in terms of arts and aesthetics, it is still just as much about who you are as it is about whom and what you know.

Vadim Ledvin, student

NYU

The BLMC was definitely an interesting and educational experience. It was great hearing what all the speakers had to say about their design aesthetics. I found the projections portion refreshing, especially the dichotomy between Wendall and Willie and how they approached their respective fields of projections. The products showcase was helpful; it was great to see all the different new products. I was always of the opinion that the more you know about your tools the better you can use them. Overall, I’d say the events this year were spectacular, and I look forward to the classes again next year.

- Shawn Duan

Student, NYU

To be completely cliché: this has been an experience of a lifetime. Its totally one of those things where you learn so much at one time, you just can’t take it in all at once. I am sure I will be designing a show a year from now and remember some random technique that was spoken about and carry it through into my design. Jules Fisher is short in stature, but when I met him face to face, he towered over me. I actually felt weird trying to pick these peoples’ brains. I mean, what do you say to someone who obviously knows that they are amazing at what they do? I guess after trying to speak with people, I turned into more of a silent observer. Peggy’s speech on sculpting time and rhythm was such a great session. I am so glad that I am not the only lighting designer that sings to their stage manager. It was such a relief to hear her speak about here approach because I think that we would agree a lot on how the lighting moves through time. People tell me when they see me watching a tech from the house it is like I am watching a football game. I feel like it is a lot like that with her. Kevin Adams has the best style. It goes with out saying that Spring Awakening was ROCKIN!

Over all its was phenomenal!

On to the next show armed with a new arsenal of ideas.

- John Horan

Lighting and set designer and 2007 USITT Rising Star Award Winner

Greetings all from NYC. I love New York in June, but May ain’t bad either.

I digress.

As usual the BLMC is a great event to be a part of - interaction with students, professionals, and other manufacturers - it is a great place to learn, and of course, to promote our products.

It’s nice to be able see what the competition is doing, what people want to see from us in the future, and where the lighting industry is headed…

If you are missing this, you are missing out - come by next year - we’ll be here - and so should you!

~George Masek, product manager, Vari-Lite

George Masek gets his blog on.

I’ve been a fan of Broadway theatre since I was too young to enjoy it properly. Even so, as a Los Angeles native, I had never been able to see Broadway shows much, and certainly never been able to really seep myself into the Broadway community. Last night’s Live Design Honors for Hal Prince, however, felt very much like a backstage pass to Broadway’s past and present. The thoughts and quips of such legends as Richard Pilbrow and Eugene Lee brought me into the Broadway process and inspired in me a new respect for the work of hundreds of creative individuals on and off Broadway every day.

- Ryan Hindinger, lighting designer