Design Duality: Club & Theatrical Lighting
Lighting the 30th Anniversary Rooftop Party at the Mint Museum
Lighting Design Dialogue by Jack Kelly
May 10th, 2008 | Mint Museum of Craft and Design | Charlotte NC

Every host wants to have a lasting impression on their guest. Whether it is a birthday party, wedding, anniversary, promotion, or holiday; the host wants the guest to walk away with something. Many times the personal touch impacts the guest the most when the party is over the top or expressed in a new way. The 30th anniversary party at the Mint was a landmark in their lives. Surrounded with friends and family, they wanted everyone to remember their anniversary to encourage others that the journey is the joy.

The invitations contained a monumental quote stating the reason for the celebration: “It’s good to have an end to the journey toward, but it’s the journey in the end, that matters.” The party was about the journey not the date. Taking primary position, a gobo cast the phase across the open wall. The first thing the guest saw as they entered the rooftop of the mint brought them back to the purpose. By repeating the phrase in different ways, their understanding evolved. Some will have missed the invitation but stop to read the giant phrase on the wall. The party is no longer another party but an event to celebrate the journey. Although some will still remember the party, our hope is that most will be inspired and take the message with them.

Wiping the tears from our eyes, now it is time to celebrate. Much like a great movie, a successful event will journey through a range of emotions. By creating intimacy and openness, guest connect with their host, usually following the lead and shedding their restraints. By entertaining them, they relax. Obligations are forgotten. If everyone has to entertain themselves, insecurities will seduce them back home. If they are taking shots between artists, at the nights end they will find themselves shamelessly shaking it. And, they will never forget that night. The host wanted to make sure that the event was a celebration. Throughout the night, artist would command the crowd re-energizing them for more. The guest would wait a little longer for the next show, socializing a little more, drink a little more, eat a little more, and build stronger relational bonds; creating a greater supportive community.

We needed a club style event lighting for the DJ. We needed theatrical style event lighting for the artist. With maximum amperage of 30 amps, we need duality. The performances were in the round. The audience surrounded the dance floor. With no natural front of stage, 360° of coverage had to be provided for every artist. Chauvet Q-Spots have a frost filter and a very wide beam angle (22°). By using moving fixtures with wash capabilities, I was able to wash the entire dance floor with light. I was also able to pump up the jam, sweeping beam effects through the room. The lights would swirl and dance through the large open ceiling. When the show was about to start, the lights would brighten the floor, grabbing everyone’s attention, and attracting them to the stage.

Do to prejudices and common associations, many of our clients don’t want truss. Some feel the cold impression of metal hinders the intimacy of the event. But without truss we cannot get the lights to the dance floor without unsightly pipe grids over head. Over the years we have developed truss hiding techniques: vines, snow, garland, and fabric have all adorned the structural necessities of a successful production. Last year we added black and white powder coated truss. The sun light pouring through the windows only revealed cool white metal design. Blending into the décor of the room, white played well when silver would clash.

Sheik in style, the ultra modern club set was heightened with color changing fixtures in the bottom of each truss. The rich colors exploded from the reflective white truss. Traveling past the top of the truss, the color changing beam painted the ceiling far above. The lighting created visual energy in the room, seamless transitioning between performance and DJ. By using the same lights for the clubs scene and the theatre scene, the room remained spacious. The personalized gobo created both connection with the purpose and creative intrigue. The celebration successfully captured the guests’ hearts sharing the joy of love. That night, they celebrated the journey.