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Scharff Weisberg Provides Video and Show Control for the Broadway Productions of "700 Sundays"
February 17, 2005 — New York
Scharff Weisberg recently supplied projection designer Michael Clark with a video and show control package for the Broadway production, "700 Sundays." The company enlisted Dataton Watchout, three video projectors and Medialon Manager to create the projected scenery integral to the show.
Billy Crystal makes his Broadway debut in "700 Sundays," a play performed and written by Crystal with additional content by Alan Zweibel; it is directed by two-time Tony Award-winner Des McAnuff. "700 Sundays" is playing at the Broadhurst Theatre (235 West 44th Street). An autobiographical journey, the show is an original two-act play about family and fate in which Crystal plays numerous characters that have influenced him during his life. It covers his youth, growing up in the jazz world of Manhattan, his teenage years and, finally, adulthood.
The set features Crystal standing outside his childhood home while images are projected in the windows and across the stage. Projection designer Michael Clark commented, "When we originally did the show in California, we realized that Billy was going to want to improvise some of each night's performance, and we needed a way to manage the media to adapt to the changing scenario. I suggested Watchout, which offers instant access to stored video clips, as a way to archive and play back segments as needed, and that worked great.
"When the show moved to Broadway," Clark continued, "we wanted to streamline the show's production. Employing Medialon allowed us to take light board commands and execute Watchout without the need of a separate video operator. The show operator simply pushes a button on the lighting board triggering Medialon (via MIDI) which in turn controls Watchout."
Clark explained that, "When we knew we were integrating all these presentation technologies and also needed projection, I immediately thought of asking Scharff Weisberg to work with us. I have a long relationship with them, and they have advanced integration experience."
Scharff Weisberg employed a three-screen Watchout system controlled by Medialon and featuring three Christie LX100 projectors. Two project on rear projection sheets that form part of the windows of Crystal's house set; the third projects across the entire front of house. The projectors switch back and forth between virtual windows, transitional window-blinds effects, videos and montages of images from Crystal's childhood, some quite literal and others more abstract.
"We used Watchout as the video source because it was the easiest way to coordinate three projections and have lots of easily-editable footage and stills," noted Scharff Weisberg's Project Manger Derek Holbrook.
"Other control systems only allowed us to access the timeline by timecode; consequently, if you changed the timeline you might have to change every show-control cue," added Scharff Weisberg's Lars Pedersen. "With Medialon you can talk to Watchout by the network, which allows you to trigger cues by a named ‘control cue.' This enables you to change whatever you want on the timeline -- and you don't need to change the show control. In the theater you're always changing the duration of cues to adapt to the live performance. In addition, Medialon's built-in MIDI Show Control support allowed us to facilitate triggering the Watchout cues via the lighting console."
"Scharff Weisberg supported me very well on this job," concluded Clark. "In addition to Derek, Lars and Tom,[projectionist Tom Whipple], other personnel were available to help out when their expertise was needed. They made the whole thing seem easy, and I look forward to working with Scharff Weisberg again."
Scharff Weisberg Pro Audio and Staging specializes in video projection, image magnification, show control, computer data display and wireless sound technology. Scharff Weisberg is located 36-36 33rd Street Long Island City, NY 11106-2128. For more information, call 212-582-2345.