Variety (Dec 1932)

rARJETT Tpt^ji: December 20, 193S STAGE LIGHTING RKO Roxy Theatre and the Radio City Music HaD Equipmeot Many months of experimentation, Che Invention of new appliances and the application of scientific equip ment, are represented in the light loer conditions created for the new Roxy theatre in Radio City. The Qtage, which will be the scene of a new type of entertainment evolved 'Roxy,' has been equipped to carry out the effective lighting flchemes which he has planned. A myriad of details have exacted the attention of engineers, and the patrons will not be able to envisage the technical difllculties that have been overcome by experts. Believing that lighting is the greatest stimulant to the imagina- tion and conducive to relaxation, everything in the theatre was made subservient to the stage lighting. 'Roxy* placed Sugene Brawn, ohlef electrician, in the Engineering De- partment during the construction of the building. This co-operation with the engineers made it certain that all parts of the construction should contribute toward ideal lighting. ' A new type switchboard is the controlling element of the lighting. This scientific mlracle/of condense4 (Operation has 190' controls confined to a limited space 12 feet long atid 6 feet high. Laraeat Chandelier in World In the auditorium the illumina- tion Is obtained principally throu|rh the iglant chandelier weighing . six and a half tons, the largest single lighting fixture of Its "kind In the world. It is in three Inverted tiers, measures 30 feet In diameter, and Is complex in structure; A corps of workmen can enter It through the special room that leads to it near the roof of the building. Wired in four colors of amber, red, green and blue, on four controls, it is possible through this central source of Il- lumination to achieve any possible combination of light. -The complexity of function of this chandelier is indicated by the fact that it represents a combination of devices. The four- c61or arrangement serves to illumi- nate the outer surface of the fixture, making it glow in various tints and hues and numerous combinations are made possible by mixing the colors through dimmers on the mas- ter switchboard. Concealed in the fixture^ are hun- dreds of 200-watt floodlight lamps with four dimmer controls. These floodlights serve to throw colored lights onto the ceiling, from whence the light is re-dire<5ted to light the auditorium. _ —Further,- the ncKMtreirer "confafiiF thirty - six 2,000 - watt ' spotlights equipped with remote selsyn con- trolled four-color boomerangs. These spotlights serve to illuminate In col- ors the musicians on the orchestra platform, the foreground of the stage or apron, and the curtain above and below the proscenium. Four Miles of Wire Illustrative of the technical ca- pacity of the chandelier Is the fact that over four miles of special elec- tric wiring were used for its con- struction. More than 800 special colored lamps and mirror-reflecting floodlights produce 104,000 watts In a variety of tints, exclusive of the 2,000-watt spotlights. One of the unusual features of Illumination in the auditorium is represented by the two hundred 100- watt to 250-watt projector type lamps installed with the light di- rected downward to add to the il- lumination. They are called 'down' lights, and serve the purpose of providing the major part of direct Illumination, for the comfort of the spectators. They are the inven- tion of Professor Stanley R. Mc- Candless of Yale University, a mem- ber of the staff of Reinhard & Hof- meister, the architects of the the- atre. Over eight months were spent In their development when they were constructed by Kliegl Brothers. This method of multiple lighting provides a perfectly controlled dif- fusion of light in every part of the auditorium, while its source is not In the direct line of vision of the audience. When the lights of the auditorium are dimmed for the entertainment numbers, program lights In front of each seat permit the patron to read his program. On each side of the stage are the organ grills, covered with a scrim, and, like the chandelier system, provided with the four colors— green, amber, red and blue. The lighting of the stage proper is of an elaborate nature in keep- ing with-the entertainment. The footlights are equiped with 100- vt'att lamps in individual reflectors for the amber, red and green col- ors, and with 150-watt lamps for the blue color. All lamps are ar ranged in two rows and constructed so as to not to interfere with the sightllne from the first rows. Fur- ther, they are of the disappearing type and permit an unobstructed .connection between the stage proper and the orchestra elevator, when the latter is to be used as an addition to the stage. . The overhead lighting on the stage consists of six border lights equipped with four hundred and thirty BOO-watt lamps divided into four colors .and supplied with am- ber, red, green and blue heat- resisting, natural-colored glass screens In special frames. One of these border lights is used to Il- luminate the cyclorama and this 1>order has an additional daylight color used to stimulate the day- light sky. For Horizon Effect To aid in creating the horizon ef- fect on the cyclorama, a footllght unit Is provided at Its base, con- cealed below the stage level. Thid' light tinlt contains ninety-six 200- .^iratt lamps' in Individual reflectors also etqulpped with amber, red, green and blue glass color screens. Above the! flfth border light an overhead bridge Is suspended, equipped with twelve 2,000-watt spotlights and with two 150-ampere arc lamps. The side lighting is taken care of by eight 2,000-watt selsyn con-- trolled boomerang spotlights con- cealed In a recess on each side of the proscenium opening; and by six 2,000Twatt portal spots on each side of the same type as the pros- cenium spots. There are also six towers, three on each side of the stage, each equipped with one 160rampere arc spotlight and four 2,000-watt spot- lights. To provide connecting facilities for the various portable lighting units too numerous to mention, there are 36 stage pockets distributed on each side of the stage, on the rear stage, the elevator platforms, the gridiron, and underneath the stage. Real Star Plan Among the special equipment which will contribute to the light- ing effects are the cloud machines imported from Germany, requiring 3,b00-watt lamps for their illumi- nation, and the cyclorama stars. These stars consist of over 1,000 miniature lamps, placed behind small—star-'shaped—crystals—and- showing through small holes drilled in the cyclorama. They are ar- ranged in exact accordance with the constellations of the Northern Hem i sphere. AlP^Mntb*- lighting units men- tioned above for the auditorium and stage SLVQ controlled from the mas- ter pilot board located on the right side of the stage. This switchboard represents the latest development in theatre light control. It is of the pre-selective type, with which the lighting effects for as many as 10 scenes may ue pre-set in advance. It embodies the dream of all stage lighting artists, for this perfected system of proportional dimming makes It possible to set the differ- ent units at various intensities, and upon dimming, have them all ar- rive at theJr dim-out position si- multaneously; or on dimming up, have them arrive at their pre-set position simultaneously. It is further possible to fade from one scene to the next proportion- ally by operation of the master fader. In addition to the 10-scene pre- set, each control Is provided with a rehearsal control. This device makes it possible to switch from the pre-set to 'the rehearsal or in- dependent control. During the re- hearsals, a specially constructed table is placed near the twelfth row of the auditorium for 'Roxy.' It is equipped with color charts showing a total of 40 colors. At a signal from 'Roxy* it Is possible to flood the stage with any of these colors. The flexibility of control de- scribed has been made possible by the adaptation of the Thermionic tube (similar to radio tubes) to the control of theatre switchboards. The pilot board, placed on. the stage, controls the current of ■ the tubes. These In turn, through In- tricate wiring, control the currents in the reactor circuits which are part of each lighting unit. These reactors are placed In remote parts of the theatre, either In the base ment or in the attic space, or dls trlbuted in both places as Is the case in this theatre. It is this ar- rangement which tends to reduce the size of the pilot board, and at the same time makes it possible to place a greater number of controls in a given space. For example, in the case of the usual Installation of the old type reslst^ince controlled pilot board, 150 controls require a space of 21 feet by 6 feet 6 inches, The new type board specially de- signed for the Roxy theatre has 100 controls and requires a space only 12 feet long and 6 feet high. The high-power spotlights neces- sary to augment the stage illumi nation are placed in various booths In the rear of the balcony. There are eighteen 160-ampere arc spots used in tiiese locations. Since they require direct ..current for their operation, 12 motor generator sets had to be installed to supply the necessary current to them, as well as to the motion picture projectors. The current supplied by the lighting company Is high tension alternating current which Is sent through transformer vaults to the two huge distribution boards, the one for lighting, the other for power. From these distribution .boards,, feeders are run to the various panel boards In all parts <of the building. The total connected load Is ap proximately 2,600 k. w. for lighting and 3,000 h. p. used for power to operate the refrigerating, ventilat- ing motors and the elevators. For the operation and mainten- ance of all the electrical equipment, a staff of 30 electricians is re- quired. At Radio City Mutic Hall The lighting system at the Radio City Music Hall, like that of the RKO-Rbxy, embodies the newest practice as developed by lighting experts, and makes use of latest type equipment. Roxy, who as few Broadwayltes are aware. Is thp au- thority chosen by the editors of the 14th edition of Encyclopedia Brit- tanlca to write the section on 'Stage Lighting' for their new edi- tion, saw this as a chance to put into practice all his lighting theories, with the result that no theatre lighting system whether In U. S. or abroad Is as elaborate or in- genious. As consultants on lighting Roxy has had several well-known light- ing experts. One Is Eugene Braun, lighting engineer, who has been with Roxy for five years, and be- fore that was with Morris Oest and Max Reinhardt. Before rejoining Roxy he had charge of Installation in-Fox-theatres:—^He-ls-to-be-elec- trical*engineer of Radio City The- atres. Others who have been con- sultants are Prof. Stanley R. Mc- Candle'ss of Yale University, now with the architectural firm of Cor- bett, Harrison & MacMurray, and Edward B. Silverman, on the staff of Clyde R. Place, consulting me- chanical engineer. Current used Is alternating cur- rent which comes Into the theatre from four different power sources in the city. On coming into the theatre the current passes through transformer vaults—Radio City Mu- sic Hall has one of the largest transforming systems in the world —and goes to two huge distribution boards, one for lighting, the other for power. From these, feeders arc run to the various panel boards In all parts of the building. The supply of current is so large that In case of emergency throwing three-quarters of the city Into darkness, there would still be suf- ficient current to supply all needs for stage and house lighting, ven- tilation plant, cooling system and projections In pre-view rooms. Light Man Views Effects The control board or console which controls stage and audi- torium lighting is unique in being placed at rear of orchestra pit, so electrician has full unobstructed view of stage from front. Control- board is of the Thermionic (Thyra- tron) tube control type. Through Inductors tlie current to the tubea Is varied, which in turn, through intricate wiring, controls the cur- rents in the reactor circuits which are a part of each lighting unit. Re- actors are placed in remote parts of the theatre, In basement or at- tic space. The inductor controls, which are quite small, make it pos- sible to reduce the six* of the board, and permit a greaiter num ber of controls in a given space. The Radio City Music Hall con trol-board is 16 feet 6 Inches long 3 feet 6 Inches deep; and 6 fe.et 6 Inches high. There are 4,300 handles which may be pre-set In 10 different combinations. Board is also pre-set and pre-selectlve, embodying a sys tem of proportional dimming where by it is possible to set the different units at various intensities and upon dimming to have them all arrive at their present Intensities simul- taneously, or on dimming up, to do the same. There is also a master fader which makes it possible to fade proportionally from one scene to another. Three electricians are required to run the board. The master electri- cian, who Is also in charge of all house electrical equipment for Radio City Music Hall, is. Andrew Herzog, a member of Roxy's staff for 12 years at the Capitol and the old Roxy. Remote Control Features An Important innovation is the use of selsyn automatic color-change control In connection with the in candescent spotlights, making pos sible remote-control changes. An other remote control feature is the so-called 'black-out dousers' on all arc lamps, by which complete black out can be secured by means of shut ters In 2 seconds, where ordinary blackouts take about 30 seconds, with afterglow destroying complete feffect. The switchboard is the first In 4u'ctor control board to be installed by General Electrlo. It has been in work since last March. Stage lighting equipment consists of: Four bridges each 104 feet long, raised and lowered by motors, equipped with fifty-six 2,000-watt selsyn operated spots with remotd control color changes, six 2,000-watt independent spots and fout 70 om-l pere arcs. They are the larg'est light bridges ever constructed or in- stalled In a theatre, and are ar- ranged to tilt mechanically for pro- jecting light either straight down onto the stage or at an angle. As many as eight 2%-inch electric border cables are required to con duct current for the lights used on these bridges. Four side light bridges, an upper and a lower on each side of the stage. Lower bridges have three 160-ampere arcs, fifteen 2,000-watt spots, and five 2,000-watt floods Upper bridges have 160-ampere arcs and three 2,000-watt spots. Six towers, equipped with one 150-ampere arc, three 2,000-watt spots, and one 2,000-watt flood. Two spot booths, one on the prompt, one on the O.P. side, each with four-ampere arcs. One center spot booth with two effect machines and two Linnebachi lanterns for scenery projection pn a specially constructed screen; also four 160-ampere arcs. Footlights include 72 100-watt lamps each of red, amber, green and -whiter -toerewef-wini~7r~iFir-waff blue lamps. These are the disap- pearing type, motor-operatedv When In closed position they become part of the stage floor. Proscenium spots: 14 2,000-watt spread-lens spot floods; 16 2,000- watt Selsyn controlled incandescent spots; four 2,000-watt independent spots. Six 2,000-watt si)ots on either side of the proscenium portals. Seven borders each with 19 500- watt ambers, reds and greens, and 38 500-watt blues. For the cyclorama foots, which are of the disappearing type, 200- watt lamps In four colors are used, with a double cyclorama border containing 38 1,000-watt amber, red. green and daylight (very light blue) lamps, as well as 33 1,000-watt blue lamps. An additional feature about the footlights is that they can be tilted in an upright position for special lighting effects. Rehearsal Plan For rehearsals Roxy has a speci- ally constructed table with micro- phone placed in the 12th row. Be- fore him is a chart showing com- plete electrical equipment and loca- tion of each piece of apparatus on stage, together with names of all operators so Roxy can speak to them directly over the p. A. system. All spotlight and floodlight equip- ment is provided with 40 frames of varl-colorcd gelatin, any one of which can be placed in the light equipment at a moment's notice on Roxys orders. • The lighting ap- paratus is from KUcgl Brothers Company, the only Imported equip- ment being the Schwabe cloud ma- chines, three in number, from CJer- Biany. The celling of the auditorium Is. wired for 3,000 reflectors in 8 cove strips, mounted behind the series of semi-circular fluted bands which comprise the celling. Iilght from behind the edge of each band Is di- rected toward the stage. Set inttt the deiling are two lighting covet one equipped with an automatic color boomerang Including 32 200- watt spots and the other with etx 160-ampGre arcs. ROXY EARQUEE ITSELF A SHOW The RKO-Roxy theatre in Radi* City Is distinguished from othev places of amusement by a new sys*.. tem of Neon lighting In its attrao« tlon signs. This applies to the mar>. quee and all other displays intro« duced in the Radio City section of Rockefeller Center, and is the crea« tlon of Mortimer Norden, generally credited with having made Broad- way the 'Great White Way.' There are five vertical signs oa the theatre, each over 60 feet high. Those on the marquee of the play house are approximately 500 feet long. The background of these signs is illuminated by Indirect lighting with several 'oolored Neon tubes arranged that blend automatically and ani- mate the vast, surface with a great variety of colors. Ori this luminous background, the name of the the- atre is superimposed in Indirectly lighted letters, illuminated by tubes of different colors. All these signs are surrounded by an ornamental border with a bronze' gi'ill, which are In silhouette against' glow of 'Maxfleld Parish* sky— the coloring of the sky effect being produced by a combination of sev- eral Neon tubes. The attraction signs around ths marquee will be in changeable let- ters illuminated with gold lumlnoud tubes. The changing color effects ars automatically controlled by a neW system of switches, specially de« signed for this purpose. 6 Miles of Tubing These signs are constructed of bronze and aluminum and no lumin- ous tubes in the effects or letter^ outside the attraction signs, ars visible. There is required for this purpose about 30,000 feet, or sU. miles of tubing, which make this ths largest luminous tube display In ths world. The celling of the marquee is il- luminated with Indirect lighting. The source of light is from a new lamp designed by the General Elec- tric Company especially for this purpose. The celling Is laid out In squares, each square having a doms effect. The surface of the domes IS enamelled steel, satin finish, which -wllf--give--Tefle-<rt-671"--ngHt"" wnhbW shadows. Each square contains four 100- watt lamps of the type specified above. There are about 2,200 lamps in the ceilings, . which is equiva« lent to 220,000 watts. BOS'N'S CHAIR BIG AS RKO ROXY'S INTERIOR An interesting innovation was employed by Barr, Irons & Lane, Inc., in constructing the auditorium of the 3,700-seat RKO Roxy theatre. In order to Install the metal cell- ing lath and do the electrical work, plastering and decorating. It Is cus- tomary to erect a high scaffolding which fills the entire auditorium. At the RKO Roxy theatre, however, a large wooden platform was sus- pended over the. entire audltorlunl close to the celling. This platform was secured to nu- merous steel cables which hung from the steel beams at the bottom of the roof trusses. By this ar- rangement, work was done on the celling without in any way delaying the progress of construction on the orchestra and mezzanine floors. Where the suspending steel cables pass through the celling, small holes were left. Upon completion of the celling work, the platform was re- moved and the cables were drawn p through those holes, which were then covered with ornamental plas- ter rosettes. At any time In the future when t is desired to make repairs or re- decorate tlie celling, the rosettes will be removed and the cables ones more lowered through the openingi to support a platform for the ar- tisans.