Running through August 31, 2024 at The Pershing Square Signature Theatre (Irene Diamond Stage) Ain't Done Bad is a dance-theatre experience set to the music of Country star Orville Peck. Since its critically acclaimed premiere at the Orlando International Fringe Festival in 2021, Ain't Done Bad has been seen in an extended workshop in Orlando and in select cities in North Carolina. This engaging story of coming out and growing up was lit by LD Philip Lupo, who shares his plot, gear list, and thoughts about the lighting.
"Having designed this show multiple times—in different iterations—down in Central Florida, we aimed to mirror as much of the original plot as possible to preserve the essence of the design, which the creative team had been very pleased with. The basic systems included wide FOH washes, top light profiles, top light washes, dance tower profiles, and offstage tail-downs. We originally spec’d Encores for FOH and Diablo S LEDs for the dance towers, but given our timeline, we ended up with a full Viper rig for all the profiles. Despite the availability of more advanced technology, the Vipers still got the job done. The rest of the “conventional” rig consisted of ETC Lustr2s for the stage tail-downs and dance towers, and Ovation Reve E3s for FOH" says Lupo.
"The large wooden slatted back wall provided us with a lot of creative opportunities—both the front and back were lit with GLP Impression FR10s, and the entire structure was strung with RGB LED pixel globes. Another notable scenic element was the persistent use of mirrors throughout the production. There were four flown mirror panels and five rolling panels, which, apart from a handful of chairs and a table, were the only scenic pieces in the production. With such a minimal scenic plot, the director (and lead) Jakob Karr and I agreed from the beginning that this was one of those productions where lighting would become another character on stage with the dancers—one that would help tell the story of a young boy’s coming of age as he learns to love himself and those around him," the LD explains.
"Despite having a full LED rig with a wide range of color options, many of the color choices were intentionally restrained, playing with warm and cool tones to track the main character’s progression. This allowed the moments when we did add color with back wall washes and pixel bulbs to really pop and highlight the emotional peaks and valleys of the story. The most challenging aspect was the timeline. This show had to be prepped while we were also in prep and tech for "From Here" in the Griffin. Without the incredible work of our PEs Trevor Kirschenheiter and Isaac Anderson, as well as our programmer Wylder Cooper, this show wouldn’t have reached the design quality it did. From a design standpoint, it forced me to focus on layering in cues and looks—starting with big gestures and then refining them to the essentials that told the story. Thankfully, the simplicity the show adopts in its final form is part of its strength," adds Lupo.
"Coming up from Orlando, the producing company Renaissance Theatre dove into opening two productions at the Signature Theatre over three weeks—both of which I served as the scenic and lighting designer for ("From Here" and "Ain’t Done Bad"). Due to the tight timeline and equipment availability, "Ain’t Done Bad" ended up with the following gear list," Lupo notes.
Gear List:
(16) GLP Impression X4
(14) GLP Impression FR10 Bar
(32) Martin Mac Viper Performance
(30) ETC Source 4 LED Lustr2
(18) Chauvet Ovation Reve E3
(6) TMB Solaris Half Batten
(1) Martin Jem Glaciator Low Fogger
(2) Ultratec Radiance Hazer
(1) ETC Ti, Programming Console
(1) ETC Ion XE 12K, Primary Console
(1) ETC Nomad Puck 512, SM Monitor
(1) ETC Nomad Puck 6K, Backup Console
(5) Pathway Via12 Network Switch
(4) Obsidian EN12 DMX Gateway
(2) Pathway Opto Splitter 8-way
Ain't Done Bad Lighting Team:
Lighting/Scenic Design: Philip Lupo
Lighting Programmer: Wylder Cooper
Assistant Lighting Design: Trey Middleton
Production Electricians: Trevor Kirschenheiter, Isaac Anderson
Additional drafting by: Colleen Doherty, Isaac Anderson
Electrics Crew: Chloe Dittloff, Sarah Woods, Harrison Freni, Ethan Feil, Jack Creegan, Erin Bulman, Vincent Randazzo, Parker Damm, DJ Fralin, Miller Koppang
Lighting Equipment provided by PRG, with many thanks to Josh, Ronnie, Rich, and Frank