Jeff Croiter Pt 2: How to make lighting and influence people

Focusing Newsies

Jeff Croiter is back on the show! This time, we discussed the musical Bandstand – Jeff explained what he did, why and how he did it, and how his design supported the show’s messages and concepts. He also went into great detail on his design for Freestyle Love Supreme, including the show’s structure, how the programming and playback worked, and how he cued a show that could go seemingly anywhere on any day.

Jeff also spoke about some of his other projects, as well as his thoughts on things he hopes for in the business going forward, including what we need for effective color control on moving lights, LED units, and other color changing fixtures.

Visit Jeff’s site for more photos and more info. Thanks for downloading and listening!

Bandstand

Freestyle Love Supreme

Jeff Croiter Pt 1: making magic with light

Jeff Croiter has had quite a career thus far. While best known for his Broadway lighting designs, his work on theater, dance, and opera has been seen from coast to coast in the United States as well as internationally and on broadcast television. He has been recognized with Tony, Hewes Design, and Suzi Bass awards and nominations for Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, Lortel, Ovation, Irne, and Audelco awards. This past Spring, Jeff joined us for an in-depth discussion of some of his best-known projects.

In this episode, we spoke at length about his work on the beloved Peter And The Starcatcher, incuding the process he used, how the relationships he’d previously formed helped him, and how the show came together. Jeff outlined how he delivered a stunning design for Starz’s Flesh and Bone miniseries, where he lit a dance performance to be captured on film as well as handling lighting for scenes around the theater. We also discussed his work with Penn And Teller, and how he manages the Las Vegas show from New York.

Jeff will be back to discuss more of his work on the next episode. In the meantime, visit his website to see photos of his work on these and other shows. Thanks for downloading and listening!

Peter And The Starcatcher

Flesh ANd Bone: Dakini

Jeff McCrum Pt 2: Theater renovation, construction, and improvement

Jeff McCrum of Fisher Dachs Associates is back with us for more discussion about how new venues are built, how old venues are renovated, and what theatrical consultants do.

We discussed some of his key projects as a theatrical consultant: renovation of the St. Louis Municipal Opera Theatre aka The Muny, the construction of a new venue for BlueBarn Theatre in Omaha, and his work on the Tribute In Light at the World Trade Center.

We also discussed the software used in his end of the business, how the theatrical consulting process works, and how the desire for a beautiful space can conflict with the utility needs of artists that will use it – as well as how those situations can be resolved.

Thanks for downloading and listening!

interior of the new bluebarn theatre

the St. Louis Municipal Opera Theatre

some of the space cannons used on tribute in light

Jeff McCrum Pt 1: how to make a venue from scratch

How does a new venue go from concept to completion? Who asks the key questions and makes the decisions that the venue’s utility hinges on? When a lighting position has no realistic way to access it or the houselights don’t dim, what happened during that venue’s design process? Jeff McCrum of Fisher Dachs Associates is here to answer those questions, and many more.

Jeff handles Stage Lighting Systems Design at FDA, and has extensive experience as a theatrical consultant, architectural lighting designer, project manager, and theatrical lighting designer. Before working at FDA, he worked with architectural lighting firm Fisher Marantz Stone on projects like JFK’s jetBlue Terminal 5, which we discussed in depth on this episode. We also discussed the theatrical consulting process, his work on the Helen Hayes theater renovation, and his career leading up to FMS.

We will discuss some of Jeff’s other major projects on the next episode, including his work on the MUNY in St. Louis and the BlueBarn theater in Omaha. Thanks for downloading and listening!

Elizabeth Harper Pt 2: on being inspired, and inspiring others

We are back for more with LA-based theatrical lighting designer Elizabeth Harper! This time we got to get into the details of her work on the world premiere of Kemp Powers’ Little Black Shadows at South Coast Rep, and the West Coast run of Sarah Jones’ Sell / Buy / Date at the Geffen Playhouse. We discussed what she’s done to teach her lighting design students at the University of Southern California remotely during the pandemic, and how the situation helped both her and her students see the most essential elements required to make their statements with light. We also discussed her work on the finale of HBO’s Silicon Valley, which included lighting a theatrical corporate event for camera.

You can visit Elizabeth’s home on the web at eharperdesign.com/ to see more info on many of the shows she’s lit. We also discussed her interest in Catholic mysticism and how it applies to storytelling and theater; you can learn more about her research and publications on the subject at All The Saints You Should Know.

Thanks for downloading and listening!

Little Black Shadows at South Coast Rep

Sell / Buy / Date at the Geffen Playhouse

Elizabeth Harper Pt. 1: in Los Angeles, the play's the thing

Elizabeth Harper chooses to do great work that she can be proud of, to focus on important new plays, and do it all in L.A. Her love for art and for the creation of vital theater has fueled a career the speaks for itself, including numerous world premieres including Julia Cho’s Office Hour and Michael Mitnick’s Mysterious Circumstances, along with new works by Eliza Clark, Lucy Alibar, Kemp Powers, Kimber Lee, Shelia Callaghan, Gregory Moss, Jeffrey Hatcher and The 1491s. She has also worked with artists from Billy Porter to Teller and Kristen Chenoweth to Alfred Molina.

We discussed her introduction to theater and how she learned it could be a way to make money, when she discovered it could be a career, and finally found out just how deep the rabbit hole could go. She broke down her work on several key productions: Office Hour, which required the lighting to be completely real, including balancing realistic interior and exterior sources; Quack, which had what appeared to be a unit set, but actually changed several times throughout the show to reinforce the action of the play and what was happening to the characters, and Mysterious Circumstances, a stunning adventure thriller with noir and detective flourishes. Elizabeth also laid out the LA theater scene for us, how it works, and who the companies to watch are.

We’ll be back with her next time to discuss shows she’s helped move to the west coast, her work on TV and film, and more. Thanks for listening!

Office Hour at South Coast Repertory

Quack at the Kirk Douglas Theater

Mysterious circumstances at the geffen playhouse

Bill Berner Pt. 2: the serious business of lighting comedy

Bill is back on the show with even more information about how he creates lighting for television, how the TV business works, and the protocols he works under on set during the pandemic. His nearly 40 years of experience on camera, first as a lighting designer and then as a director of photography, gives him insight into and informed opinions about nearly every aspect of the job.

After a multi-camera show finishes shooting, the DP’s job isn’t done until they have worked with the colorist to shade, adjust, recolor, and in some cases reframe shots. Bill walked us through the process, and gave us some of the documents he provided to the colorist on his latest project, Netflix’s The Crew, to illustrate his notes.

We discussed the safety protocols that The Crew – and any other project shooting under SAG-AFTRA rules – is required to follow, how they affected the workflow, and what people entering a set under these conditions need to know. Bill told us about his work on Disney’s Girl Meets World, and explained how he created two beautiful outdoor scenes (a night rooftop party and a night campfire scene) indoors on a stage with a live audience. He also told us about working in corporate theater, including the challenges he faced lighting stages as rear projection video screens became major scenic elements.

Thanks for downloading and listening!

The Crew Color Notes – click for PDF

Girl Meets World

Girl Meets World

Bill Berner Pt. 1: 40 years behind the camera

There are few people who know more about lighting for television than Bill Berner. Over the course of a nearly 40 year career, he’s lit countless series and episodes of celebrated television, and picked up six Daytime Emmy Awards and 11 nominations. He shares a nomination for Sesame Street and a win for Between The Lions with previous podcast guest Mitchell Bogard and his credits span from corporate theater to TV Funhouse to a slate of Disney sitcoms.

Today, Bill is a Director of Photography working almost exclusively on multi-camera sitcoms. His latest project is The Crew on Netflix, which released its first season the same day this episode was posted. We discussed the show in-depth, with Bill explaining his approach, his fixture and grip choices, the schedule by week and by season, and how he deploys his team. We also discussed his early career and how that led to him forming Berner & Brill Lighting Design with Steve Brill, why he departed the company, why he chose to transition from an LD role to a DP role, and the continuum of job titles and responsibilities he’s held.

Come back next time for the second half of the interview! Thanks for downloading and listening!

The Crew Garage set

the crew bar set

lufthansa promo

Susan Rose Pt. 2: Cruise ships, installations, and programming, oh my!

The Squintress has returned, and we are thrilled to have her back on the podcast!

This time, we discussed her extensive experience handling lighting on cruise ships, including how shows are set up and what the wide range of entertainment types and venues on these ships requires.

We talked about her work on the Disney Spectacle Of Dancing Lights, how she pushed the Wholehog II system to the absolute limit while programming it, and the solutions she used to solve problems on that and other installations.

We also discussed her philosophies on show structure, desk layout, and education, and even got to talk about her TV show In My Shoes, which she hosts with Ronda Smalling!

You can lean more about Susan at her website, and watch her Lighting Workshop 101 Martin Learning Session. Thanks for downloading and listening!

Performance on the Celebrity Equinox

Disney Spectacle Of Dancing Lights

Jason Badger Pt 2: Lighting Everywhere Else

Jason Badger is back on the show! We talked about the curtain shows he’s created at the El Capitan Theater, how DMX based fountain control works, his work on major events and television, and what inspired him to get so deeply under the hood on lighting control software.

We also continued our discussion about lighting for theme parks, this time discussing area development in detail, with examples from Galaxy’s Edge and Cars Land. We wrapped up by discussing how World Of Color at California Adventure works, a massively complicated project that included fountains with their own built-in lights and integration with the surrounding rides and attractions.

Thanks for downloading and listening!

XBOX E3 Press Event

pandora – the world of avatar

Jason Badger Pt 1: Lighting the Happiest Place On Earth

Many lighting designers have been tasked with lighting a corporate campus, but it’s rare for that campus to include rides, attractions, and theatrical performances that range from brand-new technological marvels to beloved, decades-old experiences. After 25 years of work in theme parks, Jason Badger has become a master of this craft – as well as a Principal Show Lighting Designer for WED Imagineering.

He told us about his work on Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge and Tron Lightcycle Power Run as well as a few other key attractions. He also provided detailed information on how the preproduction and tech process for attractions works, as well as the kinds of control systems and networks they require.

It hasn’t all been mouse ears for Jason, though; while he focuses on theme parks and corporate theater now, he’s worked in almost every part of the business as a programmer or lighting designer, from theater to opera to television to special events to single and multicamera shoots. We’ll discuss more of the work he’s done in those areas, as well as his work with environments and fountains, on the next episode.

Thanks for downloading and listening!

star wars galaxy’s edge

World of Color at California Adventure

Susan Rose Pt. 1: The One and Only Squintress

Nashville is the place to go when you want to become a country music star, but when Susan Rose got there, she found her life’s work waiting for her. She knows how to take advantage of an opportunity – not only did she become a professional musician, she had the opportunity to learn to program the original Wholehog. That experience quickly led her to programming on tours, becoming a designer in her own right, and expanding into corporate events, cruise ships, and amusement park spectaculars.

Susan’s expertise on Wholehog and Wholehog II resulted in her becoming a trainer and creating the well-loved Whole Hog II Quick Reference guide, and led her to a long-time position working with the great Jeff Ravitz as the touring lighting director for Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band. We had a chance to discuss that show, her design for the evening lighting of the Wildwood Tree in Wildwood Grove at Dollywood, as well as Country Tonight, a revue she recently designed in her home base of Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.

Visit Susan’s website Susan Rose Music, and come back for Part 2 of our interview with Susan on the next episode!

Country Tonight 2020

Hank Hilliams Jr. Tour

Mike Grabowski: a Philly street magician lights Times Square’s biggest night

Mike Grabowski is on the show by listener request! He’s a Senior Lighting Designer at LDG, a member of Local USA 829, and has lit innumerable projects for broadcast over the course of his 15 year career. We discussed several of those projects, including the intricacies of his work on Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest.

Mike was MTV’s Broadcast Lighting Consultant when they did a major overhaul of their Times Square studio, and we discussed that project in detail. We also discussed some of the unusual techniques he used on History’s Forged in Fire and AMC’s Comic Book Men. In addition, Mike revealed how exposure to street performance and busking in his home of Philadelphia connected him with the world of theater and production, and how working as a draftsperson introduced him to parts of the business beyond theater.

Visit his website MTG Designs for more information. As always, thanks for downloading and listening!

MTV Push with performance by Ava Max

MTV Beach House

Eddie Kramer: He knows more about electrics than you

Is six circuit multicable code compliant? Why do LED fixtures put load on neutral? What did old-time producers dislike even more than organized labor? Eddie Kramer knows the answers. He’s a member of the electrics crew at Radio City Music Hall, a senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, an ETCP Certified Entertainment Electrician, and your host’s Local One brother.

Eddie is from the Lower East Side, and got his start in high school. He worked at The Theatre at the Riverside Church, Club Xenon, and the tiny underground theater that would one day become The Roundabout before finding his home at Radio City. Along the way, he became a member of the ESTA Technical Standards Program, where as a part of several working groups, he’s had input into many of the technical standards that affect our business. Visit the ESTA TSP portal to learn more.

Thanks for downloading and listening!

OK, Now What?

It’s the 50th episode of Casting Light, and we’re doing something different this time. With our business in flux and many people looking for some guidance, we’ve put together an incredible panel to answer the question, “OK, now what?” Reinvention, keeping abreast of industry changes, continuing education, knowing how to nurture relationships, and financial planning all play a part regardless of the state of the business, and our guests discuss all these topics and more on this episode.

We’ve got Laura Frank, a top-flight lighting programmer who became a screens producer when she saw how digital lighting was going to affect the industry, ultimately building her own framework and systems to manage all aspects of media; Brad Schiller, who was one of the people who defined what the job of programmer was before moving on to develop consoles, manage products, and represent lighting manufacturers; David Leonard, who had a full career as a theater educator before assisting the great design team of Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer and then becoming a high-end real estate agent; and Marty Postma, who worked as a lighting designer and lighting director for music venues and on national and international concert tours for decades before becoming a sales manager for Robe Lighting.

Be sure to check out Brad’s newly released book, “Living the Lighting Life: A Guide to a Career in Entertainment Lighting” in which he delves even deeper into many of the topics we discuss on the show.

Thanks for sticking with us through 50 episodes!

Hillary Knox: lighting director, programmer, and problem solver on stage and in studio

Multitalented and multi-genre, Hillary Knox has found himself involved in fascinating projects throughout his career. Growing up in Nashville, he thought he would be a musician – but he soon discovered that the lighting department was where he fit. He cut his teeth working at Opryland before attending Carnegie Mellon University. During his last semester, he interned with the great design team of Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer, and he’s been on the move ever since.

Hillary was an early adopter and user of the Wholehog II, and that formed the base he built his career on. After a stint at The Obie Company, he made his Broadway debut programming lighting for LD Nigel Levings on Baz Lurhman’s 2002 revival of La Boheme. He was then tapped to program media and projections on Wicked for projection designer Elaine J. McCarthy, an ambitious project in every way. We talked about some fascinating fashion projects he’s been involved with, and the precision and patience required to focus and balance a runway using moving lights.

Today, you’ll find him programming lighting on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, part of a team that includes lighting designer/lighting director Michael Scricca and programmer Constantine Leonardos. Hillary told us how the show worked and what typical daily operations before mid-March, as well as how studio operations have had to adjust to our current situation, from COVID-19 testing twice week to fully socially distanced positions in the studio.

Thanks for listening!

Tony Bonilla Part 2: on building structures, building a team, and building your career

Tony Bonilla is back on the podcast! We had so much to discuss during our interview, we had to separate it into two parts. This time, we’re talking about a massive project that Tony and his company BNW Rigging worked on at The Shed in Hudson Yards, how lighting and rigging can work together wore effectively, and what lighting practitioners should know about rigging.

We discussed what elements designers might want to leave up to the production rigger to specify, the expansion of OSHA certification, and why ETCP certification is such a good idea for rigging and lighting practitioners. Tony gave us a list of rigging training providers he feels are worth the time and money for those who want to learn more, including Tomcat U, a program both he and your host have attended. He also had a lot of thoughts on the industry shutdown, including his thoughts on the resilience of artists and craftspeople and the demand for what they provide.

Check out BNW on Instagram and on Facebook, and listen to the first part of our interview if you haven’t yet. Thanks for downloading and listening!

Tony Bonilla Part 1: An artist becomes a rigger, a rigger becomes an entrepreneur

Fifteen years ago, Tony Bonilla was already an experienced rigger, having toured with theatrical productions and rigged special events. Seeing some gaps in what was being provided in the business, he decided to create his own company: BNW Rigging. At the time, it was intended to be a D/B/A for his own work and an organization through which he could conduct training. Now, BNW is a multimillion-dollar company, one which has distinguished itself with the design, installation, and operation of massive and unique rigs, as well as the administration of rigging at some of the largest and most unusual event venues in the New York area.

Without people like Tony, and companies like BNW, we could never get our lighting systems off the ground. There is both an art and craft to the kind of rigging that Tony specializes in, and in part one of our interview with him, we were able to discuss his artistic roots in sculpture, how he transitioned into theater, and how and why he created BNW. We also dug into one of his most impressive installations to date: a wedding chapel built out of truss on Aspen Mountain, inspired by the Thorncrown Chapel in Eureka Springs.

Join us for Part 2 of the discussion next time. We’ll have more lighting-specific information, information for other entrepreneurs, and an in-depth discussion about another massive project.

Cha See: designing new, vital, non-traditional plays, and helping others in need

Photo by Ntokozo Fuzunina Kunene

Coming off a run of standout work, including designing lighting for Aleshea Harris’ What To Send Up When It Goes Down, Donja R. Love’s one in two, and Sarah Einspanier’s House Plant, Cha See joined us to discuss some of her productions in depth – and talk about how the pandemic has affected us all.

We discussed the See Lighting Foundation, a project she and colleague Kimie Nishikawa created to help support immigrant theater artists impacted by Covid-19. We also had a chance to discuss the issues facing artists like these: visa holders restricted to working in a single field that is now shut down, and unable to risk applying for unemployment.

Cha’s story starts in the Philippines; she knew she wanted to be a lighting designer, but couldn’t find the education she needed there. Driven by a desire to learn and to create, she emigrated to the United States and earned an MFA from NYU Tisch School of the Arts. Today, she’s based in New York, and designs for theater, opera, dance, environmental performance and on-site installations.

Visit Cha’s site at seelightingdesign.com and her Instagram at instagram.com/seethruuu/. As always, thanks for listening!

What To Send Up When It Goes Down, photo by Ahron Foster

one in two, photo by Monique Carboni

House Plant, photo by Maria Baranova

Christopher Robinson: lighting for revolutionary productions

Our guest Christopher Robinson has a lot going on, or at least did until the business shut down this past March. His position as the associate production electrician on Hamilton has taken him all over the country, he is Leslie Odom Jr’s lighting designer, he creates lighting for music videos and live musical performances, and runs his own gear business: Revolutionary Lighting.

Christopher got a lot farther by working a lot harder – his hustle and drive pushed him to succeed as a designer, programmer, head, and electrician in his native Miami, and it helped him find his way onto Broadway only two months after relocating to New York. We discussed how he got into the business, how he learned so quickly, and what jobs he held in NY before accepting his position on Hamilton. We got to talk about how the installation productions work vs. the touring productions, the transfer to Broadway, and the Puerto Rico benefit. We also discussed his shows at the Kennedy Center and Bowery Ballroom with Leslie Odom Jr, and I Walk With You, the music video he lit during the pandemic shutdown.

Thanks for downloading and listening!

Leslie Odom Jr. at the Bowery Ballroom