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Lighting
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Equipment List
Note: This list is being made from memory and old paperwork almost 5 years after the tour, so I'm sure there are errors!
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Item
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1
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Compulite Animator 48 Plus Lighting Console running 3 universes
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1
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Vari*Lite Mini-Artisan 2
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3
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48 x 2.4k LMI L86 Touring Racks; 36-circuit Pyle and 12-circuit Socpex connectors
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3
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12-circuit Relay Non-Dim Units built into each dimmer rack
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4
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12-circuit Relay Non-Dim Units built into each truss distro box
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9
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Vari*Lite ACS Rack (1 on ground, 8 in truss)
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24
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Tomcat 10' x 30" Box Truss, Black
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8
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Tomcat 30" Lighting Outriggers, Black
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15
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Tomcat 10' x 20.5" Box Truss, Black
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2
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Tomcat 5' x 20.5" Box Truss, Black
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22
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Vari*Lite VL2C Moving Light
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32
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Vari*Lite VL4 Moving Light
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18
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Clay Paky Golden Scan 3/Stage Scan Hybrid (Custom Prototype)
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16
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High-End Studio Color M
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294
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ETC Source 4 PAR
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6
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8-Way DWE Mole
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6
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Wybron Scroller - 8-Way Size
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238
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PAR 36 (around perimieter of ice)
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16
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Diversitronics 3000-W DMX Strobe
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16
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Flourescent UV Light
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2
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Lycian 1290 2000W Followspot
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1
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Alumifax Mister System; Pipes around ice perimieter
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8
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15A Barrel Fan
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7
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Confetti Hopper
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2
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DF-50 Hazer
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2
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F-100 Fogger
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10
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Compressed-Air Water Cannons
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Lighting Designer: LeRoy Bennett
Animator Programmer: Troy Eckermann
Vari*Lite Programmer: Unknown
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More Lighting and Rigging Info
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The rig for the show consists of four main lighting trusses, each 60' wide, running side to side across the ice floor. These are spaced generally 40' apart, but are fully flexible to shorter distances depending on the size of the ice floor. The grid usually trims at 40'. On the end of each beam is an outrigger which holds two Studio Colors, a Golden Scan, a confetti hopper, a large barrel fan, and a speaker. Each main lighting truss (in 6 sections of truss) holds 72 Source 4 PARs for ice wash, 4 3000W strobes, 4 flourescent UV lights, and 12 moving lights.
Running along the center from upstage to downstage is a center-spine truss, along which runs the cable pick and all the distribution for the grid. Also hanging on this center-spine are 10 VL2Cs and 2 Golden Scans. Near each beam, a box hanging on the center-spine provides power for the moving lights and motors with custom-built relay boxes and two Vari*Lite ACS Racks
Around the edge of the ice are what we call "headers." These are simply footlights in a decorative housing, meant to look like the set. Ours are shaped and painted as logs to go with the tree theme of the show. Each header contains six PAR 36 units. A few also contain compressed-air water cannons which serve as waves during the storm scene (and scare the hell out of any audience sitting near them!).
Also on the grid are seven cofetti cannons used to blow leaves all over the audience at the end of the show. The barrel fans on the truss are used to blow these leaves far out into the house.
Finally, the set contains a few more VL2s used to light pieces in the set, or two stream out onto the ice like sun beams.
In my opinion, this show had some of the best lighting looks I have seen.
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The Set
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The set for the show is fairly basic in appearance, but has some really neat things associated with it.
For the most part, it is a proscenium area built from standard truss. It is about 70', maybe 18' deep, and probably 35' tall. In the front are five large roll-drops which side to side cover the width of the ice. Each is painted with indian-mural-type paintings and symbols. Each one can start at the ice, and roll all the way up to the top in seconds revealing the open area behind.
Just behind the roll drops are a series of sliders, controlled electronically. The sliders are in two sets (divided at center) and can either open from side to side, or toward the middle of each set. Each slider can also pivot on it's center point, giving a variety of looks. Each slider is covered in transparent scrim and non-see-thru trees allowing for lighting effects behind the trees to be seen. If I remember correctly, each side of the sliders is painted differently, allowing for two-different scenic elements.
At the upstage of the set are three large sliding cycs. For the most part, these stay closed to allow for a full backdrop cyc, but they could open to allow scenic pieces on and off the ice.
Even though taken care of by the lighting department, there were some more items which were technically set pieces. In the truss were 6 large roll drops which were painted murals like the ones on the set, each resembling things sacred to the Indians (water, fire, air, etc). These came out of the truss for the opening scene. There was also a Kabuki-drop sail which dropped out of the truss and blew in the wind for the storm scene. At the enf of the scene, it fell to the ice and was dragged off by skaters.
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Props
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Every Disney on Ice show is filled with huge props, many of which move around the ice by use of motors, being driven like a car from inside. Pocahontas contained some very unique props:
- A 3-section sailing ship, each section about 8' x 8' x 20'. The center section is driven from the inside and rocks back and forth on pneumatic power. The other two sections are pushed by skaters.
- A 20' tall talking willow tree. It's face is fully animatronic, with the eyes blinking and the mouth moving to the audio track. The tree is driven from the inside.
- A large rock/cliff/waterfall which is as big as a medium-sized U-Haul truck and is driven like one. This one has a working waterfall in it. During the finale of the show, it turns into a rock which extends up 8' or so while Pocahontas stands on it, leaves falling around her.
- 3 motorized canoes which are steered by the skaters' feet as they pretend to paddle (these also came in handy for races between shows by bored crew members)
- 3 separate rock and tree islands, about the length and width of a car and about 20' tall. One has trees which fall down pneumatically as the skaters pretend to saw them down.
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Audio
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Sound for the ice shows is kept pretty simple. All music and vocals are pre-recorded on either digital tape or hard-drives, so the whole show is controlled from a small mixing board, usually just 12-channels. The front of house is set up in two large racks, each two rack spaces wide by about 20 spaces high. In these racks are endless arrays of playback, equalization, delay, and storage equipment.
The audio system is comprised completely of Meyer Sound speaker cabinets. There are up to 44 cabinets used, depending on the size of the arena. Since the show is in the round, there is a speaker on the end of each lighting beam (for the middle seats), and two clusters over the ice (for the lower seats, and for subwoofers). If the arena is big enough, more speakers are hung out in the house to provide sound to the upper seats.
Amplication is provided by two more huge racks backstage. I cannot remember the make or model of the amps, but they contained 8 channels each of amplification, and there were 7 of those. Each is also controlled by a processor to get just the right levels to each one.
In order to get the show sounding the same all around the house, the sound department uses a Meyer SIM computer and numerous microphones set up all around the arena. Each microphone can report back to the computer what it hears, and the sound guy can make adjustments accordingly until each mic is reporting the same thing.
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