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In this episode of LIGHT TALK, the Lumen Brothers discuss everything from David Byrne to "The Book of Mormon Podcast". Join Brackley, Steve, and David, as they pontificate about: Snoot and Rudy; Brackley's view on the Sphere; The LDI Portfolio Review; Beverly Emmons, Wendall Harrington, and The Talking Heads' new "Stop Making Sense" restoration release; Working with co-designers; Getting over your hatred of working in the theatre; The "Distinctive Color Picker"; and The greatest gobo of all time. Nothing is Taboo, Nothing is Sacred, and Very Little Makes Sense.
In this episode of LIGHT TALK, The Lumen Brothers (and SISTAH!) interview Broadway Veteran and Legend of Light, Beverly Emmons. Join Beverly, Ellen, Stan, David, and Steve, as they pontificate about: The influence of the great pioneers of stage lighting design; Working with Jules Fisher; The challenges of gender in the theatre profession; Designing for Merce Cunningam, Martha Graham, and Robert Wilson; Commercial Theatre; Changes in Broadway over the years; and The "Tik Tok Zeitgeist". Nothing is Taboo, Nothing is Sacred, and Very Little Makes Sense.
Madison Cario hosts this episode on the relationship between lighting design and dance, featuring some of the 20th century's most prominent designers—Tom Skelton, Beverly Emmons, Jennifer Tipton, and Mark Stanley. Now the CEO of San Francisco's Minnesota Street Project, Cario draws upon their beginnings in lighting design to illuminate different perspectives on design, collaboration, and building a world on stage.
You'll need two hands to count the number of Tony noms this week's guest has garnered, it's Beverly Emmons! Cory and Beverly cover her vast and varied career and her collaborations with such luminaries as Martha Graham, Jules Fisher, Merce Cunningham and Kenny Leone. She recounts becoming an LD by way of dance school, her longstanding relationship with USA 829 and her involvement in the union exam, how the idea for The Lighting Archive came about, and what is was like following in the footsteps of Jean Rosenthal, Peggy Clark, and Tharon Musser. She also shares her thoughts on lighting research, hand drafting, pre-visualation tools, balancing work and family and a whole host of other topics. And hear her describe an incredibly bizarre and fascinating design process proposed by Robert Rauschenberg for a dance by Merce Cunningham in which she created a randomized cue structure out of mostly existing worklights, hall lights, grid lights and flashlights that could never be the same from performance to performance. Pretty soon you'll be yelling to turn the worklights ON!
The design panel - lighting designer Beverly Emmons, costume designer Ann Hould-Ward, and scenic designers David Schulder and Tony Walton - and co-moderater lighting designer Jules Fisher talk about where they studied their craft, how the props can overlap with costuming, how lighting design has evolved, the Ridiculous Theatrical Company's production of "Movieland", and a demonstration of Gary Beach's costume from "Beauty and the Beast".
The design panel -- lighting designer Beverly Emmons, costume designer Ann Hould-Ward (Tony Award for Beauty and the Beast), and scenic designers David Schulder and Tony Walton (Tony Award winner for, among others, Pippin, the original House of Blue Leaves and 1992’s revival of Guys and Dolls) -- and co-moderater lighting designer Jules Fisher (seven-time Tony Award winner for, among others, Pippin, Chicago, Dancin’ and Jelly’s Last Jam) -- talk about where they studied their craft, how the props can overlap with costuming, how lighting design has evolved, the Ridiculous Theatrical Company's production of Movieland, and a demonstration of Gary Beach's costume from Beauty and the Beast.
The design team of "The Heiress" -- scenic designer John Lee Beatty, lightning designer Beverly Emmons, costume designer Jane Greenwood, director Gerald Gutierrez and actor Cherry Jones -- discuss the interwoven details of their production, from natural period lighting for the enclosed sets, to background colors complementing the costumes, and the advantages of collaborating on previous works. Mask/puppet designer Ralph Lee demonstrates the large puppets worn by actors in "Heart Of The Earth: A Popul Vuh Story".
The design team of The Heiress -- scenic designer John Lee Beatty (1980 Tony Award winner for Best Scenic Design for Talley’s Folley), lightning designer Beverly Emmons, costume designer Jane Greenwood, two-time Tony-winning director Gerald Gutierrez (in 1995 for The Heiress and in 1996 for A Delicate Balance) and actor Cherry Jones (Tony Award winner for her performances in Doubt and The Heiress) -- discuss the interwoven details of their production, from natural period lighting for the enclosed sets, to background colors complementing the costumes, and the advantages of collaborating on previous works. Mask/puppet designer Ralph Lee demonstrates the large puppets worn by actors in Heart Of The Earth: A Popul Vuh Story.
The panel -- Tony Award winning lighting designer Beverly Emmons for "Amadeus", "Passion" and "The Heiress"; costume designer Danny Gates ("When Pigs Fly"); 1997 Tony Award winners for Best Scenic Design for "Jekyll and Hyde" James Noone and director/designer Robin Phillips; puppeteer Basil Twist ("Peter and Wendy"); director Mark Waldrop ("When Pigs Fly"); and producer/playwright Liza Lorwin ("Peter and Wendy") -- talk about how designers work with directors, producers and writers; directing in addition to designing; creating pop-up sets; working with the late Howard Crabtree on "When Pigs Fly", with a detailed demonstration of costumes; "Jekyll and Hyde"'s movable plexiglass towers, backdrops, and lighting with new Varilights technology; and the unanswerable question of "what makes good design?"
The panel -- lighting designer Beverly Emmons; costume designer Danny Gates (When Pigs Fly); 1997 Tony Award winners for Best Scenic Design for Jekyll and Hyde James Noone and director/designer Robin Phillips; puppeteer Basil Twist (Peter and Wendy); director Mark Waldrop (When Pigs Fly); and producer/playwright Liza Lorwin (Peter and Wendy) -- talk about how designers work with directors, producers and writers; directing in addition to designing; creating pop-up sets; working with the late Howard Crabtree on When Pigs Fly, with a detailed demonstration of costumes; Jekyll and Hyde's movable plexiglass towers, backdrops, and lighting with new Varilights technology; and the unanswerable question of "what makes good design?"
Costume designer Suzy Benzinger ("Movin' Out"), lighting designer Beverly Emmons ("Jekyll and Hyde"), scenic designer Adrianne Lobel ("A Year With Frog and Toad"), sound designer David Meschter ("Medea"), lighting designer Rui Rita ("Enchanted April") and scenic designer David Rockwell ("Hairspray") talk about the practicalities of design - including how to approach a new design job, the similarities of low-budget showcases and big budget Broadway productions, ways to build a collaborative relationship with a director and the many sources of inspiration in the world around us.
Costume designer Suzy Benzinger ("Movin' Out"), lighting designer Beverly Emmons ("Jekyll and Hyde"), scenic designer Adrianne Lobel ("A Year With Frog and Toad"), sound designer David Meschter ("Medea"), lighting designer Rui Rita ("Enchanted April") and scenic designer David Rockwell ("Hairspray") talk about the practicalities of design - including how to approach a new design job, the similarities of low-budget showcases and big budget Broadway productions, ways to build a collaborative relationship with a director and the many sources of inspiration in the world around us.