Rogues on the menu at the Chanhassen
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The production schedule at the theatre complex, which is located 20 miles from Minneapolis, is not only full, it’s also varied, with musicals, concerts, dramas, comedies, one-person shows and ensembles all being performed on its stages.
Sue Berger, the theatre’s lighting director has three main criteria in mind when selecting fixtures for her oft-used rig: reliability, performance and flexibility. Following these guidelines, she recently replaced her aging 250-watt moving discharge fixtures in the main theatre with seven Chauvet Professional Rogue R2 Washes, supplied by Monkey Wrench Productions.
“Our ownership team is dedicated to doing things the right way and carefully investing in solid equipment, especially because we do maintain such an active schedule,” she said. “Any fixtures we add to our rig must be capable of holding up to extensive use. Versatility is also a key factor, because we produce a wide variety of shows. With space at a premium, each instrument needs to be able to fill a multitude of roles. So researching fixtures prior to committing is critically important.”
With this in mind, Berger looked into a variety of moving LED washes, before narrowing down her options to three choices. “I went to Monkey Wrench to compare the three final fixtures,” she recalled. “The Rogues were clearly superior to one and matched up closely with the other, but they were considerably more affordable, which is why the decision to add Rogues was an easy one.”
Having added the Rogue R2 Wash to her rig, Berger now moves the fixtures to different positions depending on the show. She has them perform a variety of functions, including top lighting, side lighting, back washing, special effects and more. The RGBW fixture’s wide zoom range of 12°-49° gives her the option of using it to cover areas of widely different sizes, while avoiding spillage onto the audience.
“Modern moving fixtures can do much more than special effects lighting in a theatre,” she said. “With colour mixing, zoom and other features, you can create an array of looks, while keeping the number of units in your rig relatively low. I’ve used the Rogues for Beauty and The Beast and Sister Act, and am now using them for Camelot. Next, I’ll be using them for Grease. Each show creates a different set of demands, but the Rogues adapt very easily.”
(Jim Evans)
