Lighting Designer Brad Schmicker illuminated each of Romeo and Juliet’s 24 scenes using a combination of state-of-the-art technology and decades of experience.
When Schmicker first looked at the script for Romeo and Juliet, he examined it closely for ideas that relate to light such as time of day and placement of characters. Next, he consulted with Director Sarah Rudolph to determine her creative vision and coordinated his work with Set Designer Greg Griese. Finally, Schmicker applied his own “emotional sense” to the design by adjusting the color, texture, and direction of lights.
Romeo and Juliet presented new design challenges for Schmicker. The design of the opening scene was not done using realistic elements that appear elsewhere in Romeo and Juliet. Instead, it relied on a “stylized” approach. “[Rudolph] used the opening scene as a way to introduce the audience to the characters and to explain how the stage is set,” said Schmicker. Special attention was also given to the death scene in the Capulet’s tomb. “The idea was to let the emotion and the starkness of the tragedy come through,” said Schmicker.
New equipment enabled Schmicker to more easily create his desired look on stage. He now has a choice of lighting instruments that allow for easy changes to color, size, shape, and texture of the beam. “Intelligent” lights, a technology that Schmicker is still learning, allow the light beam to move in all directions. While older lighting fixtures used colored acetate sheets to change color, new fixtures which utilize light-emitting diodes (LEDs) can change color instantly and are far more energy efficient.
“We have in this space the right equipment for the job,” said Schmicker. In the past, it had been necessary to improvise where cables and equipment were lacking. Having the right equipment has not only saved crew members time, it has also improved safety, according to Schmicker. For example, the old theatre had once used Rheostat dimmers, mechanically operated using bulky levers. To achieve a blackout, broom handles were used to simultaneously pull all levers down. “Sometimes the dimmers would arc, forming a large spark with hazardous voltages,” said Schmicker. “I didn’t feel comfortable asking a student to risk electrocution for the sake of a show.” Electronic lighting boards can carry out dimming using sophisticated programming and simple key presses. 180 dimmer circuits in the new theatre allow for unparalleled flexibility and eliminate the need to “repatch” lighting instruments during the show. “[In the old theatre], some instruments were so old and beaten up that you could turn them on but not much was coming out,” said Schmicker. “I was very disappointed with the condition of the theatre when we first arrived in 1991. High schools had better equipment than we did.” Over time, Technical Director Kris Berge built up the equipment to a much improved state.
The new theatre offers a greater choice of lighting positions. In the previous space, lighting instruments which hung above the audience were too low. “The first time I walked into [the old theatre], I turned to Rudolph and said that we would only be able to do plays with sunrises and sunsets because not much else was available,” said Schmicker. The new theatre provides the appropriate 45-degree angle for front-of-house lighting.
“When you are designing in a brand new theatre space, it’s always a learning process,” said Schmicker. In addition to learning its operation, the new lighting control board required Schmicker’s crew to handle paperwork differently. Changes to the design were made as crew members learned how the equipment could best be used on stage. Much of the potential of the new lighting technology has yet to be fully put to use.
Working on a full-scale production required that Schmicker work effectively with other crew members. For example, his lighting designs must fit with the artistic visions of the set and costume designers. Poor lighting selections can make other elements in the show look different from what their designers intended. “Rudolph has always helped people to understand the collaborative efforts in the show,” said Schmicker. The support of student volunteers has been invaluable to Schmicker during the design process. “They are the kind of students that are interested in learning everything. When you ask them to pick up a hammer or climb somewhere, they don’t ask questions.”