Second Language
LD: Natalie Robin
"Second Language"
Target Margin Theater
When designing Target Margin Theater’s Second Language I was confronted with an expansive entirely white space. The Chocolate
Factory Theater in Long Island City, Queens is a converted industrial space painted floor to ceiling white. Our production explored
the whiteness with a very minimal set made of a grid of neon orange lines on the floor and walls.
From the beginning, I knew that most of the light in the snow would be clear. But I also wanted to be able to really transform the space.
I wanted a rich blue for my backlight to add an air of theatricality and to allow me to flood the space with color. But I also wanted to
pop the orange lines with the colored light, rather than dull them. I knew I would need a blue with a lot of red transmission.
Although the wavelength transmissions of several blue gels from several manufacturers showed that the gel wouldn’t deaden the orange, I
wasn’t sure what to use. I was lucky enough to have samples of the orange tape used for the lines. After testing a number of dark blue
gels with an incandescent light source I came to choose Apollo 4150 (New York Blue). AP4150 really helped to feature the set while still
allowing me to fill the space with a deep, saturated color.
In Second Language, a scene in which the characters watch fireworks explode over New York City also inspired me. I wanted to introduce
a touch of color I used the Apollo Two Color Dichroic glass templates (Shredded Earth, Fire and Water C2 0001, 0002, 0003) for the feel
of fireworks. I also ended up using them for a brightly colored party scene and for the brief appearance of a crew member dressed as a fish.
Running the barrel slighting out from sharp allowed the gobos to provide just the right feeling of broken, multi-colored light. It was mysterious,
festive and fun.
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