MAC 550 for Donna Summer

Lighting Designer/Programmer Jonathan Goldstein is no stranger to the MAC 550. Having used them this past spring and winter on a preliminary Donna Summer tour, as well as on corporate shows and summer dates with the American pop icon, a Freedom of the Seas RCL cruise ship, and various one offs in New York, Jonathan is well acquainted with the full featured mid-sized moving head.

Jonathan chose 30 MAC 550 profile spots for pop diva Donna Summer’s 2005 “Rhythm of the Road” tour which kicked off this past June. Touring for the first time in six years, America’s “Queen of Disco” last toured beneath an all conventional rig. Now she is enjoying the benefits of an all moving light rig that also includes MAC 600 washlights.

Donna and Jonathan collaborate well on the lighting design. “Donna is into the lighting design,” Jonathan comments. “She comes with ideas and is sometimes even at the console saying ‘try this’. She wants the crowd brought into the show emotionally so I try to bring the audience in with the lights.”

Jonathan has light fixtures on several planes from floor to top and works with a three truss rig - down, mid and upstage – splitting the 30 MAC 550s between them with some placed on a stage deck. He states his need to “get the most out of the rig” which the 550’s allow him to do with an “excellent gobo selection” and “a feel and brightness that is great.”

“The lighting is very centered on Donna and I keep her separated from the band visually,” he states. “It’s a very moody show with different looks from song to song. She likes slow fades and wants Congo and deep magenta looks a lot, and with the 550 color wheels and CMY from the MAC 600 I can make her happy.” One special look Jonathan uses incorporates the MAC 550 animation system to backlight the star in a water effect while the MAC 600s wash the audience.

Donna herself has even stated that with the 550’s there are looks that she hasn’t seen before. “She is very happy,” Jonathan states. “The fixtures are also fast and she likes that. Her manager has been impressed by the brightness as well.” The Martin fixtures were supplied by Finelite Productions of Atlantic City.

“I run the show live and the timing is great. The lighting is really one with the music - synchronized to the beat – which makes the music even more powerful.”

The disco show has a 12 piece orchestra and band complete with a Liberace style diamond studded piano. The current tour, which picks up again this winter, is playing amphitheatres, major venues and casinos across America.

Tour Manager: Scott Schneider
Production Manager: David Beecham
Stage Manager: John Flannigan
Master Electrician: Brady "OK" McGowen
Lighting Designer: Jonathan Goldstein
Lighting Supplier: Finelite Productions – NJ
Video Designer: Mark "Mojo" Johnson