THEATRE

Copyright Lighting&Sound America May 2007 www.lightingandsoundamerica.com Even if you’re an avid student of Tudor history, you may not know the name Grace, or Grania O’Malley. Known as “the sea queen of Connemara,” this heiress of the Irish aristocracy lived an improbably eventful life in the 16th century, marrying twice, The Pirate Queen revives raising three children, doing battle with rival clans, engaging in piracy, and generally raising hell against the British government until, in a storied meeting with Elizabeth I, she made peace with the country the spectacular look and that occupied her home. Many books have been written about Grace, including one, Grania, She King of the Irish Seas, by Morgan Llywelyn, which has now been turned into a sound of the pop opera sword-flashing, bodice-ripping musical yarn by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michael Schönberg, the people who brought you Les Misèrables and Miss Saigon. By: David Barbour The Pirate Queen opened in April at New York’s Hilton Theatre, but, before arriving there, it endured rough waters in Chicago, generated by reviews that found the show’s book to be less than seaworthy. Most of them complained that the story lacked action and was sometimes confusing. Librettist- lyricist Richard Maltby, Jr., who had a hand in Miss Saigon, was brought onboard (John Dempsey also wrote many lyrics), as was musical stager Graciela Daniele, who worked with director Frank Galati to clarify and streamline the tangled narrative. As a result, a very different Pirate Queen opened in New York, with plenty of action and a storyline that will be crystal-clear to any audience member who pays the slightest attention. Most notably, in a season of musicals that either look forward (Grey Gardens, Spring Awakening) or backward (Curtains), The Pirate Queen is a return to the grand-scale tradition of the continental pop opera—the dominant wash buckler S style on Broadway in the ‘80s and a genre defined by big voices, big emotions, and big design ideas. In the latter category, certainly, The Pirate Queen does not disappoint. Eugene Lee’s setting grabs the show’s nautical theme and runs with it, surrounding

70 • May 2007 • Lighting&Sound America www.lightingandsoundamerica.com • May 2007 • 71 THEATRE

Much of the show’s design hinges on the Island,” the real setting of much of the related to the painting of ships from the painted to look like faux-marble; these contrast between scenes in Elizabeth’s court show’s action. “On my way back, I same period. At the NYCC, there’s areas are also filled with rigging, (left) and those in Ireland (opposite page). stopped in London to do more something like 1,400 ship models; barrels, lanterns, and other seafaring research on ships.” While there, he when you look at the older ones, paraphernalia. “The stage house of the seeing in it his chance to win the dropped in on the recreation of they’re painted in the colors as the Elizabethan theatre is supported by two ultimate political prize—a place in the Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, a major Globe. I was struck by that and by the large columns—they’re kind of like bed of the Virgin Queen. What tourist attraction in itself and also the obvious relation of theatre rigging to the masts,” says Lee. Above the happens next is a lusty round of venue for a an annual season of works ships of the period.” proscenium is a wooden “sky,” painted ballads, battles, and betrayals, by the Bard and his contemporaries. Thus the proscenium of The Pirate blue, with gold stars (many of which building to the big encounter in which “I’m a member of the New York Yacht Queen is a kind of Elizabethan theatre look like starfish) attached to it; this the two female antagonists strike a Club,” Lee adds, “and I noticed that the made up of pieces of sailing ships. At detail comes directly from the Globe, deal that brings a real, if troubled, painting in the Globe seemed very stage right and left are imposing masts, says Lee, as does the tiny house that is peace to their lands. place above the wooden blue sky In truth, The Pirate Queen was not deck. Many of stars are backlit, received with loud huzzahs from New creating a pleasing floating effect. The York’s opening-night press, and, for scenery for The Pirate Queen was built some time, Broadway observers have by F&D Scene Changes in Calgary, been convinced that audiences have Alberta, with scenic motion control moved on, preferring self-spoofing provided by PRG’s Stage Command musical comedies or youth-oriented System. The show’s abundant soft rock-outs. But for those who love this goods, including sails and the musical genre, there is story and elaborate draperies in Elizabeth’s court, ALL PHOTOS: JOAN MARCUS spectacle aplenty. are from Rose Brand. Having created the surround, Lee Reimagining the Globe the proscenium with pieces of sailing meeting takes place.) Nevertheless, the says, “I never get too involved in In musicals like Show Boat, Ragtime, ships and casting sails, rigging, and action is filled with the kind of incidents locations,” and it is true that many and Wicked, Eugene Lee has giant maps of Ireland across the stage. one finds usually only in romance settings, including a shipboard that is designed impressively architectural He also creates a couple of ornate court fiction. Grace is the daughter of a consists of a wooden deck, a sail, and settings that all but burst through the interiors for scenes featuring Elizabeth, Dubhdara, a clan leader and seafarer some rigging ropes, are notably spare. proscenium. He does it again with The as well as forbidding stone walls with who raids British ships. (One historical But the Globe Theatre concept also Pirate Queen, redefining the tiny windows, a ruined church and note: during the 16th century, the Irish creeps into the Elizabethan scenes; proscenium of the Hilton Theatre with nearby graveyard, and a tavern that aristocracy, which had been fairly one features an elaborately carved wall pieces of a period sailing ship, provides room for some lively step autonomous, was systematically painted in the manner of the Globe, creating a nautical frame that leaves dancing. Kenneth Posner’s lighting suppressed by the English.) Grace while another features a balcony on room onstage for big, but spare, looks paces the production through countless wants in on the pirate game, and when which Elizabeth can listen in on court that make strong impressions yet transitions and also provides a her father says no, she disguises herself intrigue. The two-level arrangement which allow for battle scenes and the constantly changing array of colorful as a boy and distinguishes herself in comes directly from Shakespeare’s show’s elaborate step-dancing sky looks, adding a splash of saturation battle against a marauding British theatre, says the designer. numbers. (The producers, Moya to the design’s historically limited color vessel, Indeed, many of the big scenic Doherty and John McColgan, are the palette. Jonathan Deans’ sound design Grace is in love with Tiernan, one of pieces are there to provide information people who brought you Riverdance.) provides clarity and volume under Dubhdara’s men; however, her father about the story rather than simply to But, even if Lee himself describes somewhat difficult circumstances; what marries her to Donal O’Flaherty, scion of sketch in a location. The show curtain his set for Wicked as “like tossing a other sound designer today is as another clan, to create peace between is a kind of lithographic view of the clock down the stairs,” The Pirate conversant with the art of amplification two warring families. As you might ocean from the deck of a ship. There Queen can’t be simply boiled down to for a through-composed musical? expect, Donal isn’t really husband are also two map drops that fly in, both a few sails and masts, even if Lee material, and the marriage goes south of them depicting Ireland—one from an himself is an ardent sailor, the owner Spinning the saga almost immediately, while Tiernan burns Irish viewpoint and another depicting it of vessels docked in various places The libretto of The Pirate Queen follows for Grace from afar. In the meantime, as a British possession. Several along the Eastern seaboard. Indeed, the arc of the real Grace O’Malley’s life, Elizabeth I, livid at the inroads Grace is different sails and flags fly in and out. the creative seed for the set came in although events are subject to making with her pirate raids, enlists the If each location is rendered with the the juxtaposition of two very different considerable compression. (Grace met help of Sir Richard Bingham in putting minimum of scenic elements, neither is ideas. with Elizabeth when both women were the rebels down. Bingham, as preening Lee, by his own admission, addicted to “In researching the show,” says pushing 70; here, Grace is the mother a villain who ever stepped onto a strict historical detail. For example, the Lee, the producers, “sent us to Clare of a seven year-old when the fateful Broadway stage, takes the assignment, shipboard scenes often find Grace at

72 • May 2007 • Lighting&Sound America www.lightingandsoundamerica.com • May 2007 • 73 THEATRE

stories, one that has to be condensed Irish scenes “have a purer quality to controlled by a Virtuoso console, acoustics are tricky, to say the least. In into two-and-a-half hours, it becomes them. There are bolder angles, to programmed by Tim Rogers in Chicago addition, the show is through- about how you engage the audience accommodate where the sun should be and David Arch in New York, for the composed, with some important plot and keep the momentum going until in each scene.” Speaking of the vividly moving lights, with the conventional information transmitted during large the climax of the play. The job of the colored sky looks, he says, “In units and special effects handled by an choral numbers. Finally, the show’s lighting was to delineate the two worlds Chicago, I didn’t use as much color, but ETC Obsession. In spite of the work dynamic range is enormous, going from of Queen Elizabeth and the British in New York I really decided to go for it. involved, Posner looks back on it as a the sound of single pipe to the roar of Empire with the world of Grace and There’s so much color in Marty positive experience. “I was glad to be in battle, and the thunder of a dozen and Ireland. In Eugene’s set, you have the Pakledinaz's costume palette; I’m just the room with Frank Galati, Graciela a half oars being beaten on the stage elements of those two worlds riffing off those colors. It took a lot of Daniele, and my design colleagues,” he deck. Most of these changes happen in integrated in an abstract way. It’s the time to get a variety of looks.” (There says. “They really inspired me.” a matter of seconds. job of the lighting to separate them are star drops as well, including one As a result, Deans made a number out.” that outlines the mythological A chorus of details of highly specific gear choices. Chief Posner adds that, in Lee’s design, characters of the Zodiac; as such, they For Jonathan Deans, the job of among them was the Meyer Sound the Elizabethan world is defined by fell under Lee’s purview.) providing a sound design for The Pirate M’elodie line array, which makes its beams and stone portals, while the Posner says that among the main Queen was especially complicated. For Broadway debut here (See Deans’ Ireland scenes are dominated by ship’s changes between Chicago and New one thing, the Hilton Theatre’s review of the M’elodie in LSA’s March rigging, a hardwood deck, and the York, “we had a projection element in skies. Indeed, some of the designer's Chicago, which was employed primarily most eye-pleasing work here involves for a major opening sequence created the many-colored and layered sky by the very talented Howard Werner; looks that he creates, especially his coming to New York, the sequence was highly colored dawns and crepuscular changed to a opening tableau featuring sunsets. No two looks are alike, thanks the two main characters, Grace to his inventive use of colors. O’Malley and Tiernan. With the idea for Discussing the layered arrangement of the opening changed, it was decided it scrims and translucent drops that make would be better if the cloud and other up the numerous backgrounds, he effects were done by lighting.” Thus, a says, “We refer to sky portion of the set set of Martin MAC 2000 Performance as ‘shaping scrims.’” These drops have units was added to the rig to generate the ability to change trims and are these effects. In addition, he says, “In painted with clouds in different layers Chicago, it felt more like an opera. and densities. The abstract skys are lit Here, it's much more like musical with a variety of different angles and theatre; that’s because we really Above: Lee’s show curtain. Opposite, friend, the director Adrian Hall, cloud textures. The color palette ranges worked at refining the transitions and top: Grace’s wedding. Opposite, bottom: “Shakespeare said, ‘This is Illyria.’” He from crimson suns to cloud-filled and musical staging, to make them part of Grace and Elizabeth I meet behind a laughs, as if to say, what more do you gray Irish skies, depending on the tone the storytelling.” screen. need? of the scene and score. “The English The show’s fairly extensive moving the ship’s wheel; the only thing is, Lee artist J. M. W. Turner was my light package consists almost entirely notes, there was no such thing at the Lighting the horizon inspiration for the energy and emotion of Vari-Lite units, including VL5s, time, “but the writers put a ship’s wheel The Pirate Queen is, says Kenneth of the skies seen in Pirate Queen. VL1000s, and VL3000Qs. “The new onstage, and so it’s there.” Posner, “the largest show I’ve ever Fortunately, in the Hilton Theatre, space Vari-Lites are really terrific,” Posner That’s another reason that Lee designed and, in that respect it was is not an issue. Beyond the most says. One major reason for the choice doesn’t worry about excess detail; really challenging.” So challenging, in upstage lighting positions, there’s still of lighting units is their quietness. much of his work has been more about fact, that he designed it twice. room for a 6' crossover.” “Claude-Michael and Alain wanted you architecture than décor. In many of his That’s because the rethinking of the Also, Posner says, the Elizabethan to be able to hear a pin drop in the favorite designs, he has reconfigured script during the Chicago tryout was so scenes had a warm, candlelit look, theatre,” he adds. One of the show’s entire theatre spaces. (Most recently, he complete that the show basically had to driven by extremes of height. more original effects happens in a did so for New York Theatre be lit all over again. “When we came to “Sometimes in those scenes, I suggest battle scene, with the appearance of a Workshop’s production of Caryl New York, we deleted all the Chicago that light is coming from a very high wall of flames downstage. It is, in fact, Churchill’s A Number). He’s more of a cues,” he says. window; in others, like when we're in Faux-Fire, by Technifex, created out of designer of environments than settings; In both cases, notes Posner, the her inner chamber, the light comes from a narrow wall of steam lit from below by to him, the text is the best provider of challenges were the same: “Whenever a very low position to suggest candle Color Kinetics’ Color Blast units. location information. Quoting his great you embark on one of these epics or torch light.” In contrast, he says, the The production’s lighting is

74 • May 2007 • Lighting&Sound America www.lightingandsoundamerica.com • May 2007 • 75 THEATRE

2007 issue). A sibling of Meyer’s MILO with costume designer Martin different reverbs. It all changes, cue by Edward Pierce (associate scenic and Mica units, the M’elodie is Pakledinaz and wig designer Paul cue. There are hundreds of different designer); Philip Rosenberg and Patricia designed to pack a lot of aural power in Huntley to disguise the presence of the reverb settings in the show.” Nichols (associate lighting designers); a relatively small package. “M’elodie’s microphones. He notes that mic With sound effects, reverb, panning, Nick Francone (first assistant scenic 3" voice coil is a great thing to have in placement was slightly easier with the and everything else, it’s quite a busy designer), Jen Price (second assistant a product with that smaller footprint,” Elizabethan characters, many of whom evening for the board operator, Simon scenic designer), Aaron Spivey Deans wrote in the review. “It helps to have elaborate wigs; most of the Irish Matthews. Deans, quoting his head of (assistant lighting designer); Sandra M. create a very open sound.” characters have their hair pulled back, sound, Garth Helm, who oversees the Franck, Charlene Speyerer, and Michael The Pirate Queen features four making the mic harder to conceal. show daily, says, “It’s like sitting down Wilhoite (assistant stage managers); arrays of six M’elodies each, in upper The 11-piece orchestra—a to a really good four-course meal as Arielle Shiff and Tristan Jeffers (scenic left, lower left, upper right, and lower surprisingly small number, given the opposed to a bag of chips. I don’t they design studio assistants); Don S. right positions, with two additional score’s ample sound—contains a think they’d have it any other way.” Gilmore (production carpenter); Jim arrays of Meyer M1Ds in clusters at left number of unusual instruments for Deans also notes the contributions, of Kane (head carpenter); Eric C. Smith and right. “I’ve dedicated one array to Broadway, most of which are dedicated Brian Hshieh, his assistant, who and Scott “Gus” Poitras (assistant the balcony,” says Deans, “while the to creating a plausibly Irish folk feeling programmed much of the show with carpenters), Michael S. LoBue mezzanine and orchestra are fed from to the score. Deans uses a broad mix Matthews, and that of Daniel (production electrician), Adam Biscow, the lower arrays. The upper array of mics on them, including the DPA Hochstine, the RF engineer. “If the mics Andrew J. Bynum, and Thomas groups the individual loudspeakers 4021 in the Uileann pipes, Neumann aren’t on in the right place and worked Galinski, Jr. (assistant electricians), together tightly to target the sound into KM140 on the whistle, AKG C 747 on out before the actors come in,” he Joseph J. Harris, Jr. (production the balcony. Downstairs, the arrays are the reeds, Rode NT2A on the French says, “it doesn’t matter how good the property master); Michael Bernstein much more open between each horn, Shure SM57 on the banjo, and sound system is.” (head property man), and Reginald cabinet; we need to shape and space Sennheiser MKH40 on timpani and Vessey (assistant property man). the loudspeakers ,because we don’t toms, with another KM140 on the The backstage clan Whatever difficulties The Pirate want a loud dynamic at the orchestra snare. The guitars have DI boxes. Gear In addition to Matthews, Helm, and Queen may have endured on the way rails, for example. It’s not necessarily have to make only one adjustment,” Above: Grace is revealed to the audience in for the production was supplied by Hochstine, plus the aforementioned to Broadway, everyone involved silhouette. Opposite page: Another the classic way of using a line array, Deans says. “This is a terribly important PRG Audio. Arch and Rogers, many other personnel considers it to be a positive shipboard scene is staged in front of a sky feature, especially on Broadway, where Controlling the sound of The Pirate helped bring The Pirate Queen into her but, in this case, it sounds great.” drop colored by Posner’s lighting. experience. “The casting is Another key aspect of the time and crew are at a premium. It’s Queen is the LCS Cue Console, a Hilton harbor. They include Peter W. spectacular,” says Deans. “When they loudspeaker rig is what Deans calls especially important when you’re using either side of the stage, with Grace flexible system in which modular Lamb (production manager); C. Randall sing, as individuals or as a chorus, it “the orchestra shell.” By way of multiple arrays, as we are here.” upstage a little. Being able to suggest control surfaces are plugged into White (production stage manager); really warms the inside of my heart, it’s explanation, he says, “Imagine how the Another important component in that slight difference in their locations mainframes that can be stored Kathleen E. Purvis (stage manager); so beautiful to hear.” band would sound if it was on the edge creating a clearly, easily comprehended helps the lighting to isolate them.” elsewhere in the theatre. The system is of the stage, with a wooden shell sound design was the choice of mics. The RFID tags used in the so flexible—you can up have to 500 around it. We make that sound Here, Deans chose a mix of Sennheiser production are made by Multispectral inputs and 80 outputs, Deans notes—it electronically. I used a set of dedicated transmitters—SK 5212s for the Solutions. “They were originally made can handle the entire cast of 44 plus loudspeakers—Meyer UPJs—around principals and SK50s for the for tracking packages in warehouses,” the band mix. “We’re using 160 inputs. the proscenium to create the orchestra ensemble—with the DPA 4061 mics. says Dean, who notes that other such 98 outputs, and 58 auxiliaries,” says the shell effect; in effect, I create what “Also,” he says, “we asked the programs, designed specifically for designer. would be the natural reflections around principals to wear RFID tags, so we theatre usage, are coming out this year. Deans adds that the Cue Console the proscenium. It’s a complex thing to could locate them easily and thus Speaking of the Multispectral system, obviates the need for much outboard matrix out, because a musician can’t localize the sound,” a technique that he says, “It’s the size of a luggage tag, gear, although, he adds, the sound just come out of a loudspeaker; if you makes it easy to find the principals on a with a tiny battery in it. It’s worn by the effects, created by Wild Tracks, are also were listening to the music live, with large and frequently crowded stage. actor and transmits to one of six run off the console. “It’s a 16-track speakers, you’d be getting it from “This is very time-consuming,” says the receivers onstage; the information is playback system,” he notes. “You can different parts of the room’s reflections designer, “because you have to do it sent to a black box with a computer, run it as a 16-track system or do 16 and reverb. It’s an idea that came out of without screwing up the placement of which spits out reference ID separate tracks.” He does say that, in my work on [the Broadway revue] the orchestra and sound effects. I information, giving the tag number and the Hilton, he upped the reverb settings Fosse, because most of that show was pushed for the RFID tags, because it’s the XYZ of the location. We had LCS for the Hilton, using a T.C. Electronic about music and the vocals came in important with this kind of epic show.” [the audio console maker that is a now 6000 unit. “The Hilton is a very dry only from time to time.” He cites the case of the second-act a division of Meyer] write a handshake theatre, with very little natural life to it, The system has been carefully number, “She Who Has it All,” in which for that information. So, when which is good for musicals. But we had worked out using Meyer’s MAPP Elizabeth and Grace, now the queen’s Stephanie Block [ as Grace] crosses to really dig into the reverb. When prediction software. “Using it, you rig prisoner, compare their situations. the stage, her voice pans with her. “ Queen Elizabeth and Grace sing something once and you’ll probably “Elizabeth and Grace are standing on As always, Deans worked closely together, they go into completely

76 • May 2007 • Lighting&Sound America www.lightingandsoundamerica.com • May 2007 • 77