Madonna MDNA By The Numbers

Tait engineered and built the many staging and scenic elements for Madonna's MDNA tour, working with set designer Mark Fisher (assisted by Ric Lipson). Check out what they did here:


Mainstage
Rolling double decker mainstage at +7’6”h
Bridge decks spanning 13’ over entrance to VIP pit
Custom crowd control barricade inside VIP pit
Custom LED edging around stage

Lift Matrix
Thirty-six custom Tait Tower Lifts in matrix forming central performance space, each moving at 2.2’/second
Custom 15mm LED tile cladding on three sides and top surface
Integrated active cooling system to dissipate captured heat from LED tiles
Lift surfaces form one continuous surface when lowered (1” gaps when raised)

Lift Package
Three Tait flaggapult performer toasters
Two performer prop lifts integrated into mainstage
One hydraulic scissor lift with custom decked surface integrated into B-Stage

Video Wall Automation
Custom rigging and automation to track and rotate eight LED walls

Slackline Pylon Package
Eight hydraulically deployed pylons integrated into mainstage
Four hydraulic tensioning mechanisms to stretch Gibbon slacklines to performance tension

High -Speed Wipe Curtain
Custom automation to track a 60'x43' drape at 12’/second around a 120’ U-shaped track

Flytrack Truss Grid
Three high-capacity track trusses with tracking variable speed chain motors and Tait T-winches
Four tracking axes
Six lifting axes

Custom Scenic Pieces
Custom scenic builds for three flying pieces, each approximately 8’x8’x13’
On-board practical electronics and wireless DMX control
"Gang Bang" Cabin
Confessional
Deco Flyer

Design time: Approximately five weeks
Build time: Approximately four weeks
Shipping: All gear travels in ten 53’ trailers.

Tait Employees
LED Fixture Design: Frederic Opsomer
Automation Design: Steve Michelman, Boris Kalaba, Ryan Hewlett, Dan McLaughlin
Project Management: James Erwin
Human Flight Director: Paul Sapsis
Controls Lead: Nate Cross

Production Crew
Production Director
: Jake Berry
Head Carpenter: Flory Turner
Theatrical Stage Manager: Mike Morobitto
Stage Manager: Ian Kinnersley
Automation: Raffaele Buono, Jacques Richard
Head Rigger: Todd Mauger

Read all about the MDNA tour here.

Mark Fisher's renderings

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