It’s 10 AM on a Tuesday. The sound of music reverberates through the Mallinckrodt Center.
“Activate the lights,” Sean M. Savoie shouts with enthusiasm over the noise. “Can everyone see? Fantastic! Now let’s hope my computer doesn’t crash.”
Welcome to “Digital Media for the Stage.” Throughout the past semester, Savoie, a teaching professor of design and technical theater in WashU’s Performing Arts Department within Arts & Sciences, has exposed a dozen students to the complexities of DaVinci, Audacity, QLab, and Capture, which are among the most favored media control systems in live entertainment.
Today, these students are showcasing concert-inspired animations synchronized with music from St. Louis blues band Uncle Albert. Guided by department allies Tim Albert and Lisa Campbell Albert, the experienced group is set to perform live on Thursday, April 24, in WashU’s Edison Theatre as a part of “Retina Burn,” the PAD’s 15th annual lighting exhibition.
“We received the set list in February,” Savoie clarified. “Tim came in to discuss these tunes, their significance to him. Now we’re interpreting that music.”
Each animation unfolds as a triptych that will be displayed on stage while the band plays. Some feature recognizable visuals; others are more abstract. Figures dash and leap, hues bubble and fade, forms twist and dissolve only to merge again.
Participating in today’s rehearsal are students from Savoie’s advanced concert lighting technology course. Gathered around a control board in the PAD’s Casper Lighting Lab, the two groups are incorporating lights and animations for the first time, accompanied by pre-recorded renditions of the songs.
“This is where everything comes together,” Savoie shared with the group. “All the elements we’ve been working on, everything we’ve built — it culminates now.”
Xinyuan Yu, a junior majoring in economics and computer science, illuminated Uncle Albert’s rendition of “Love Letter,” the soulful Bonnie Hayes piece popularized by Bonnie Raitt. “The color scheme is inspired by red, pink, and purple,” Yu mentioned. “I believe that aligns with the song’s title and lyrical content. I also incorporate frequent color transitions. As a lighting designer, the key element is movement.”
Sam Finer, a junior focusing on political science and Chinese, set the lighting for “The River,” an original track from the band’s 2021 album “Slip in Time.” Although the title may imply cooler tones, “the song radiates warmth,” Finer noted. “It conveys a sense of being in the countryside with a river flowing through. Thus, I’m using a lot of amber, with some blue elements in the background.”
Nick Cochran, a master’s student in computer science, combines the acoustic wistfulness of “No More Roses” with soft purples and bursts of white. Drama major Matthew Kalmans pairs the Cajun-inspired “Hot Gumbo” with the iconic New Orleans colors gold, purple, and green.
For “Who Knows / Them Changes,” sociology major Margaret Fecko intentionally sought to enhance the psychedelic visuals created by T.J. Cannistrano, of the digital media course. “For some of my other tracks, I opted to remain within a certain color scheme,” Fecko conveyed. “But here, it’s literally every shade. I simply aimed to have fun.”
Cochran remarked that for professional lighting designers, the general guideline is that one minute of music equates to roughly an hour of programming. Yet, sometimes, these calculations go awry. Last month, Tim Albert, who also functions as the technical director for St. Louis’ Sheldon Concert Hall, enlisted Cochran to illuminate a performance by beloved folk artist Suzanne Vega.
“It was quite fascinating,” Cochran recounted. “Upon entering the venue, I had an idea of the music’s nature, but I didn’t possess an exact set list. Adapting on-the-fly as events unfold — that’s part of the enjoyment.”
“It’s a fantastic working atmosphere,” Finer noted. In February, he handled the lighting for a Sheldon performance by vocalist Martha Redbone, who merges soul, blues, and Native American sounds.
“As soon as you walk through the door, you begin programming,” Finer added. “You may not have previously heard the music, but you’re setting up your basic looks, just getting some initial configurations.”
“You want the audience to have a memorable experience.”
“Retina Burn” will occur at WashU’s Edison Theatre at 7:30 PM on Thursday, April 24. Admission is complimentary. Edison Theatre is situated in the Mallinckrodt Student Center, 6465 Forsyth Blvd. For more details, call 314-935-6543 or visit pad.wustl.edu.
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