Thoroughly Modern Lighting

New York has always been an extraordinary place - now even more so. As we have witnessed over the past year, and as the short lived post 9/11 lull in theater attendance proved, its citizens have always been a resilient lot. In fact, Broadway’s top productions wasted no time in securing the latest in lighting technology, gearing up for a string of rock musicals, original shows and contemporary classics.

One of theater’s biggest surprises, Thoroughly Modern Mille, based on the semi-successful film about a Kansas girl’s move to New York to become “modern”, has turned out to be one of 2002’s biggest Broadway shows. Winner of six Tony Awards, this new stage production at the Marquis Theater on Broadway is a vivid trip back to the Jazz Age.

If you like color in your Broadway show, see Mille. Lighting designer Donald Holder uses 23 MAC 2000 profiles and a host of other lighting to paint the various scenic elements of the show in a generous helping of reds, violets, blues and greens, from the opening scene to the final curtain.

In Holder’s words the scenery needed a “celebratory” voice, which required a lot from the lighting. Because much of the scenery is shiny with metal and aluminum surfaces, he felt it important to add an element of warmth, detail and color to the space. He found the MAC 2000 to be ideal tool in achieving this aim.