QUestion & answer By Carla Carlton | ccarlton@bellarmine.edu What does a lighting designer do? I start by looking at video, if the ballet has been done before, or sit in rehears- als to get ideas of the look of the piece and cue placement. I talk to the stager and choreographer about how they want the ballet to look and make suggestions on the direction I think we should go. Then I start the paperwork. In the end, lighting is a visual experience, but to get there it is all about numbers. I start with drafting a plot, a plan view of the stage drawn to scale. I draw all the scenery and I then add the lighting units and specify placement and type, chan- nel and color. There is another set of paperwork that is used to patch the individual lights into the light board and then the lights are focused to a specific place onstage specified by me. From What productions have meant the most Talk a little more about that tour there we go to levels of intensity. When to you, and why? with Mikhail Baryshnikov, which you like the look, it is recorded on the Alun Jones (former artistic director) and included stops in Dallas and Houston. light board with a cue number and a I worked together for 25 years and we did What was he like to work with? count for how long it takes to happen. so many works together that turned out Baryshnikov, as most people know, Numbers. And I hated math. well. When you work with someone for a danced with the Louisville Ballet in while, you develop a library of references 1978 and 1979. I think we are still What is the biggest challenge in your from prior collaborations to build from. the only regional company he has line of work? One of my favorites with Alun was Three performed with in the sense that he Time. Being in the theatre is expensive, Pieces in the Shape of a Pear, which we danced with our company and not as a and time is not always available. Light- performed on the Baryshnikov tour. His solo guest artist or with other dancers ing is always the last thing you do. Carmina Burana was very impressive and he brought with him. It really put us When you load a show into the theatre wonderful to light, as was Lucy, which on the map. He was just amazing to it takes time to hang and build scenery, won an Emmy for KET’s documentary watch. It was like gravity was sus- lay floors, hang lights, circuit them and on it. Bruce Marks’ Lark Ascending we pended when he jumped – an incred- focus them. There can be months of did on tour everywhere and it’s a favor- ible artist and athlete. He was also a preparation for a show, but it boils ite. Other favorites are Balanchine’s pleasure to work with, very kind and down to those few precious days in the Serenade; Tudor’s Echoing of Trumpets, quiet, actually. He had a good sense theatre to fully realize what has been, which I also did for American Ballet of humor. A brief example: I’m until then, an idea in your head and a lot Theatre, and Choo San Goh’s Birds of backstage calling the show at Memo- of paperwork. In just a few hours, after Paradise, which I lit with him. When rial (Auditorium) and (Director of the show has been loaded in and before Bruce Simpson came on board as artistic Operations) Mike Harris is standing the dancers come onstage, I sit with the director in 2002, he brought many next to me. It’s during bows and choreographer and we cue the show. talented choreographers and designers Baryshnikov is getting ready to go for us to work with on new projects. onstage. He comes up to us and says, visit www.bellarmine.edu/ Val Canaparoli’s Seasons and Adam “Let’s get this turkey over with and magazine/michaelford For Hougland’s Cold Virtues are among my go have a beer.” Of course it is much more From michael Ford favorites with them. funnier with that Russian accent. winter 2013 23
WINTER2013_BELLARMINE MAG
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