New Windsor, NY—October 29, 2009—For the North American, UK, and Ireland dates of the Miley Cyrus Wonder World tour, Lighting and Video Designer Seán Burke trusted Production Resource Group to supply and support the lighting system. “Having a company that can supply on both sides of the Atlantic is very important but there are very few that can do it—and do it well,” said Burke.
A challenging element of Wonder World's design is the unconventional screen configuration in which portions of the lighting rig are alternately revealed and blocked. To overcome that obstacle, Burke used twenty-three PRG Bad Boyâ„¢ luminaires, including four that are used as followspots. “The trusses are trimmed at up to 46ft, due to the video screens and venue sightlines,” Burke explained. “The Bad Boys can really compete with the video screens and still hit the stage with a decent amount of light, even at 50ft. There is not much else out there that can do that. Bad Boy is a bright, fast, versatile unit.”
Burke added, “I have been quite impressed with the zoom; it can go from a huge, stage-covering wash light to a narrow, pencil beam in the blink of an eye. And it holds its focus, even as you zoom. The Bad Boy produces saturated colors very well and the gobos are great. Plus it's actually very fast, particularly given the size of the unit.”
After speaking with Show Director and Choreographer Jamal Sims, Burke realized he would need to do more with followspots. He asked PRG to add handles to four of the Bad Boys and disengage the pan and tilt so that an operator could move them freely. Burke controls all of the features (color, zoom, gobo) from the console. “Having the ability to use beam effects in the followspots is a big plus. The output is comparable to any truss spot. And with the Bad Boy as a followspot, I can grab any color.”
The Wonder World tour also marks the first time that Burke has used the PRG Series 400â„¢ Power and Data Distribution System. “It makes the data and power distribution very simple,” said Burke. “The fact that you can actually pull a data line from anywhere, off any universe at any point in the lighting rig, is a huge plus. It also cuts down on all of the different types of racks that you need to power up the moving lights.” Lighting Crew Chief Ronald Beale is also a big fan of the Series 400 System. “I've had the S400 out since its debut and I prefer it over anything else,” he commented.”
Burke spent ten days at the recently opened PRG Concert Touring facility in Las Vegas for pre-show programming. “It was really useful to be able to hang the lighting rig in Vegas. I was made very welcome by everyone at the shop and being there, instead of a rehearsal facility, made it easy for the guys to speak about changes and get decisions made instantly. It was a huge advantage.”
For more information about PRG, please visit www.prg.com.
About Production Resource Group—Production Resource Group, LLC (PRG) is the world's leading supplier of entertainment technology solutions, including lighting, audio, video, scenery, and automation systems. PRG serves a wide range of markets, including theatre, concert tours, trade shows, corporate and special events, television and film, and themed environments. PRG provides its services worldwide through more than 17 offices in North America, Europe, and Asia.