Jody LS Tidwell

David L Thayer workshop information

The David L. Thayer Lighting Design Workshop

 KCACTF Region 5, UMSL, St. Louis , Mo , January 16-22, 2004

Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival, Region 5 sponsors a lighting design workshop for undergraduate and graduate students in conjunction with the Regional Festival. This workshop is for those students with an interest in the area of lighting design and provides an opportunity to share ideas and complete with other students in an adjudicated workshop. 

AWARDS:    Attend the Summer Lighting Intensive- with Beverly Emmons and

Moving Lights- July 3-16 2005 .  KCACTF will award housing costs and half of the tuition ($400) for the winner. In addition there are two cash awards in the amount of $100 presented in conjunction with this workshop.

1. WHO:    Any undergraduate or graduate student enrolled for at least 6 hours at any college or university associated with the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival, Region V ( Iowa , Kansas , Minnesota , Missouri , Nebraska , North Dakota , and South Dakota ).  Universities just outside the border of KCACTF Region 5 wishing to participate in the regional festival are invited to apply for participation.

2.  HOW TO ENTER:   Either send a completed project with entry form(available from the region web-site), or just a completed entry form to current organizer by Dec 15, 2004 and bring your completed project to the registration desk in St. Louis by 3pm on Sunday, January 16.

3.  SCHEDULE:   Enter by December 15. 

a. All projects should be mailed to current organizer by December 15, 2004 or turned in to the registration desk on Sunday, 3pm , January 16, 2005 .

b. The finalists will be posted at the registration desk at 5pm , Sunday, January 16.

c. From 6pm to 10pm on Sunday the finalist will hang, focus and color their specials

d. 8am-12 noon , Monday, January 17, the first group of finalists will meet to begin the cue writing and rehearsal phase.  Remember...15 minutes early is on time!

e. 1pm-4pm-Perfomance and critique of first group.

f.   8am-12 noon , Tuesday, January 18, the second group of finalists will meet to begin the cue writing and rehearsal phase.  Remember...15 minutes early is on time!

g. 1pm-4pm-Perfomance and critique of second group.

h. One participant will be selected at this point to work hand-in-hand with Beverly Emmons to rework his or her project.

i.  5pm-Strike.

4. FORMAT: (for each entrant)

a. A common light plot will be provided to each entrant. To enter the competition and receive a copy of the common plot and instrument schedule, write to ACTF Thayer Workshop current organizer

b. Each entrant is to select a piece of music from 3-5 minutes in length and design compositional light appropriate to the music. Each entrant will provide two or more objects of their choice to light during the performance. The choice of music, properties and lighting "looks" should reflect a personal relationship to the work, a personal vision. A story need not be told. The objects may or may not move.

c. Each design should show evidence of the use of side light, top or back light and three dimensional front light.

d.  Each design must include the following appearances: color change on the object(s), change object to background contrast (through color or intensity), focus change from one object to another (through color, intensity, or direction of throw) and reshaping of the object(s) (through color, intensity, and direction change), as well as a change in focus from one acting area to another.

e. None of the fixtures from the common plot may be refocused but may be recolored. Each entrant may hang up to five specials. Each design may incorporate up to 15 fixtures including: fixtures from the common plot, specials and any motivational light source (provided by the designer). (A strip light counts as one fixture.)

f. Each entry must include:   1. An entry form 2. A statement of concept or approach to the design problem; the designers intent in bringing together the selected music, props and lighting materials (include the title of the music)    3. A descriptive cue sheet-statements of how the cue advances the concept    4.  A light plot (including scenic pieces) 5.  A color key or compass   6.  Section(s) 7.  An instrument or hook-up schedule (fixture type, location, purpose, load circuit, dimmer #, color) 8.  A track sheet (show planned level changes from cue to cue) 9. A board operator's cue sheet/preset sheets.  10.     Each element must be clearly identified (on the back only) with the designer's name and return address.  You may find the best way to present the paperwork is in three-ring binder format.

g. On the basis of the paperwork submitted, 6-8 designers will be selected to realize their designs during the Festival.  The production process will occur on Monday, the 17th and Tuesday, the 18th of January, 2004 .  The participants and the performance schedule will be posted at the registration desk on site in St. Louis .

5. FORMAT FOR THOSE SELECTED TO BE FINALISTS :

a. On Sunday, January 16, the 6-8 finalists will meet to hang, focus and color the specials required and to color fixtures from the common plot. (Some re-coloring of common plot fixtures will occur during rehearsal and performance times to meet the requirements of each design.)

b. Each designer will be assigned a time slot and will then be given 1/2 hour to write cues.

c. After each designer has written cues, they will receive 15 minutes in which to rehearse his/her performance.

d. Public performances of the designs will be given in The Lee Theatre on the UMSL campus.  Following each session there will be a verbal critique for the designers and observers.

e. Strike of the "special" fixtures will follow each critique and continue until completed.

f. The entire process, from hang to strike, will be evaluated as part of the project.

g. Miscellaneous notes for the selected finalists:

1.  The performance time should be 3-5 minutes. Performances will be terminated at 5 minutes.

2.  Each designer selected for the finals may use one crew member to assist in the hang, focus, re-coloring and strike.

3.  The paperwork for each design finalist will be displayed during the Festival. Consequently, each entrant should retain one copy of all paperwork to use during the finals if he/she is selected.

4.  The descriptive cue sheet is different from a board operator's cue sheet and, in words, should describe how each cue advances the concept.

5.  be careful that lyrics, scenery and properties do not carry a disproportionate amount of meaning for this project-this is a lighting demonstration.

6.  The color key or compass is a graphic illustrating direction of throw for each selected color filter and should appear on the light plot.

7.  Fixtures (other than motivational), cable, mounting positions, dimmers, control and sound system will be provided.

                8.  Each designer must provide their own color filters.

6. FEES:   There is no entry fee for the competition. You will be expected to provide all color media, templates, and materials.

7. SHIPPING :  Entries must be wrapped in such a way so that they can be returned in their original wrapping. Entrants or their representative may pick up their entries at the close of the workshop/competition.  This is encouraged.  All others will be returned by U.S. mail.

8. LIABILITY :  The Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival, Region Five, accept no responsibility for damage or loss of any entry, regardless of cause.

9. CRITIQUES :  There will be a verbal critiques given for each participant.  Entrants who were not selected to visualize their designs will be provided a brief critique of their submitted materials.

10. QUESTIONS?  Check the ACTF region 5 website for current information