Why Is It So Hot Out!?!?!
Outdoor Theatre In July
more production images below
by Lucas Granholm
I have done many outdoor events in my tenure as a designer. However, these events were only one day affairs. Over the summer of 2021 I served as a Lighting Designer for Morningside Universities Summer Classic Series production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Like many of us in theatre, we looked to the great outdoors for venues during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Over the course of this short article I would like to share what I learned while working at an outdoor venue in the sweltering summer heat. While this is in no way a definitive list, and I am rather new to outdoor theatre, I felt compelled to put pencil to paper and unpack a few key points.
Many realizations came to mind when working at an outdoor space that was not set up for theatre. The biggest being TIME! Outdoor theatre is not a controlled environment. You must adapt to weather changes, cueing during the evening, setting up and striking equipment, and the dreaded “looky-loo”. While setting up this simple rig it became wildly evident that setting up a lighting rig outside takes far more time than an indoor space. This is due in part to running cable, finding power, and the often local resident asking what is occurring at the space.
As this production was set to open at the end of July 2021, the wildfires from Canada created a large amount of haze and impacted the natural sunlight during the performances. This in turn caused the lighting levels to be changed during performances to accommodate appropriate illumination. At this moment, it became clear to me that an LD or trusted assistant must be present for all outdoor performances if able as the weather severely impacts the lighting for the production.
When picking fixtures for this production I chose lighting instruments with high output and versatile control. As I had to strike and set up every night with a minimal crew, bang for buck was the name of the game. Furthermore, choosing fixtures that do not draw too much power.
Fixtures used for the production
ETC Vivids
Martin Rush MH6 Wash Fixtures
ETC source 4WRD LED Adapters
As the space was not well suited for lighting positions, I had to make due with “Shin Busters” and use of the architectural pillars as lighting positions. While it could have been worse, the fixtures used were able to accomplish natural lighting without over saturation. Front lights were accomplished through two lighting trees set at 45 degree angles from the stage. To limit power consumption I utilized ETC’s new Source 4WRD LED adapters. I was pleasantly pleased with the output of these fixtures and the minimal power consumption. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
When striking fixtures it is very important to keep everything labeled on the fixture, and on the cables. While this is a standard practice in theatre, when the heat index hits 110 degrees Fahrenheit… you’ll be surprised how much labeling goes out the window. This will tremendously speed up the setup process prior to GO. Keeping simple notation of the fixture will dramatically speed up set up and more time for troubleshooting NFG gear.
Make friends with facilities and get the sprinkler system turned off immediately! Nothing will end a tech faster than a nice little shower!
For this particular production the venue was surrounded by outdoor lighting. In order to turn these off, access to the breaker box was needed for each production to squelch the light spill. However, immediately after the bows, these lights must be turned on so the audience can safely leave.
