White Light has supplied lighting equipment and support for this and many other productions with Shattered Windscreen, often working with lighting designer Ken Allford to strike the balance between increasing creative demands and tightening budgets.
With Wild Oats, based on John O'Keeffe's original 1791 play, James McLure has morphed the setting forwards in time to America's Wild West and left no cliché unturned! With scenes reminiscent of Mel Brooks' film classic, Blazing Saddles, the production delighted packed audiences throughout its weeklong run in Cornwall's world famous open air theatre. The creative team included Directors Jan Palmer Sayer and Sean Williams, scenic and prop designer Steve Onyon, and the aforementioned Ken Allford as lighting designer.
White Light's support of Wild Oats, among other Shattered Windscreen productions, echoes the company's ongoing commitment to supplying lighting for productions both large and small. "We not only have the resources to cover smaller productions, but we know what it is like to work within their constraints," says hire coordinator Andy Cullen, citing White Light's theatrical roots. "We try to meet the needs of every customer, whether that is one roll of tape or 1,000 fixtures," Cullen explains, adding that at White Light "People come first, and customers can see the difference."
For Wild Oats, White Light supplied a range of ETC Source Four profiles, Philips Selecon Acclaim fresnels, Robert Juliat followspots, and PAR fixtures to supplement the Minack Theatre's own stock. Effects equipment also came from White Light with several Look Solutions Power Tiny foggers used to bring props to life while a Look Solutions Viper stage fog machine added to the overall atmosphere of the cliff side production. An ETC Ion provided lighting control for each performance.
Allford noted the show's many challenges including location, environment, budget, and lighting conditions (performances begin in daylight and end in darkness) and determined the production a complete success. "I'm very happy with the results, and am pleased with the level of service we always receive from White Light" he said. "We achieved some great production looks. We had a lot of fun. And we can't wait to do it again!"
(Jim Evans)
