Comments on: Getting Lit Up with “Tommy”

By: Diane

Diane — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 16:40:08 +0000

Kevin and the most of the cast did the talkback after the show preview Sunday. It was great to hear the actors talk about the fear of the water and how cold it was. There were several guys in black that wiped the stage down during the show, when the audience attention was directed elsewhere. The band was saying how safe it was because most of the music was on a great wireless system.

By: Jerome Weeks

Jerome Weeks — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 18:42:54 +0000

Oh, sorry. I should have been clearer. I’m aware of the stage differences between smoke and haze (and, for that matter, dry ice fog). My question should have been: What difference does it make warning audience members about smoke and/or haze? In other words, if you say, there’s smoke used in this production, I think 99 percent of the theatergoers will not say, wait a minute, that’s actually haze. Or vice versa.

By: BC Keller

BC Keller — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 18:30:07 +0000

Smoke tends to dissipate faster. Where haze lingers. I believe smoke also has a larger particle size. So for theater, haze will show the shafts of light wonderfully, where smoke is better to obscure something. So one is more atmospheric (haze) and the other is more special effect (smoke).

I confess, those effects are more of a Lighting & Scenic Departments thing, so my knowledge, as Sound Supervisor, is not as specific as it could be. But, for purposes of this discussion, and your question, I think it gets you in the ballpark. Hope that helps.

By: Jerome Weeks

Jerome Weeks — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 17:16:09 +0000

OK. So how do you distinguish “smoke” from “haze”?

By: Jacob Cigainero

Jacob Cigainero — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 16:46:17 +0000

As a courtesy to our audience members, Dallas Theater Center posts a production’s theatrical elements in the lobby so that patrons are aware of what to expect in the performance, and so they can fully enjoy the show without becoming unnecessarily alarmed. For example, an audience member who hears a gunshot may think a real act of violence is occurring, or someone may think the theatrical haze onstage could be smoke from a fire. Being informed of these elements minimizes unwarranted concerns and maximizes patrons’ experience at Dallas Theater Center.

By: Jerome Weeks

Jerome Weeks — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 20:37:45 +0000

Ha. Good one. Forgot about that line. So it was a drug warning?

By: Chris (in oso closo)

Chris (in oso closo) — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 06:43:25 +0000

Also confused about the “haze”. You got me. I suppose there is that lyric “a vague haze of delirium seeps in his mind…” …?

By: Jerome Weeks

Jerome Weeks — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 21:23:19 +0000

Hey, thanks much! As I wrote: “I have to assume that, of course, all of this has been carefully checked and re-checked beforehand.” But considering one’s instinctive response to seeing water and electrical equipment, it’s worth hearing about what was considered and the precautions taken.

So, folks: You can watch “The Who’s Tommy” at the DTC without flinching.

Now: Could someone tell me why it was necessary to warn patrons in the lobby about the”haze” in the production? I’ve seen warnings about a show’s use of [obscene] language, nudity, simulated sex acts, fire, gunfire, smoke, cigarette smoke, flashing lights, sirens and loud noises but haze was a first.

By: BC Keller, DTC Sound Supervisor

BC Keller, DTC Sound Supervisor — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 20:33:39 +0000

With theater, you are working within boundaries; everything is choreographed and rehearsed (unlike a rain storm at a concert). The design and production teams of DTC’s The Who’s Tommy thoroughly discussed logistics of staging a band with the key design element of water, i.e. keeping them out of it, and what we would do if they were to go into it, etc. Some of the solutions we considered were rubber mats, towel rugs to dry the feet, and baggies over the foot pedals.

When choreographing the production, we took every possible measure into consideration to ensure the safety of our cast, crew and Oso Closo.

By: Jerome Weeks

Jerome Weeks — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 15:17:49 +0000

Thanks much for the clarifications. I stand corrected. I saw that the body mikes and hand-held mikes were wireless and therefore battery powered. But I didn’t know how much of a threat that would offer. I suppose it would be like shorting out a flashlight. But I also wondered about their shorting out — and affecting the sound.

I also noticed that no one playing an electric guitar actually got into the water. I point this out in response to your statement about dropping a wired mike or an electric guitar into the water being dangerous only if there is a short: It may be a small risk, but short-circuits are precisely what killed Les Harvey of Stone the Crows and Keith Relf of the Yardbirds.

Back in the day when I was a rock critic for the Houston Post, I saw Bryan Adams perform in an outdoor amphitheater and a rainstorm whipped in. He and the band, who were on wireless mikes but wired-up guitars, pulled back under the overhang and continued to play (the rain started halfway through the show — I suspect that, contractually, they couldn’t quit and, oh, tell people to get to safety and we’ll refund your tickets). It was a typical Houston afternoon rain, torrential but short. Roadies were mopping up what they could with towels, but when something caused a loud squeal in the speakers, you could see Adams and other band members flinch and jump back.

Rock bands and theaters use an awful lot of voltage; add water, and being cautious, it would seem, is generally being sensible.