Lighting

The lighting rig consists of a number of conventionals (dimmable filament bulbs), and some LEDs, with the conventionals on one DMX cable, and the LEDs on a different one. 

Most of the conventionals are CCT minuettes (a range of fairly large overhead lamp) in a few sizes, though there are also some smaller lights available as well, for more specialised purposes. There are plenty of barn doors and gels available for these. As for control, we have up to four channels, though as of Lent 2025 two of these channels are inoperative. We expect this to be resolved before the end of Mich 2025. The conventionals can be operated directly via an analogue lighting board, or via laptop.

The LEDs are a range of models. All bar one of them do full RGB, with the one which does not doing a range from orangey-white to cold-white. They can only be operated via laptop.

To operate the lights by computer, you will need to connect the DMX cable(s) from the set(s) of lights you wish to control into an ETC GADGET II, which connects to your computer via USB. Please note that the gadget uses a 5-pin DMX, while most of the lighting rig uses 3-pin. Converters should be in the labelled box.

Your computer will need to be running ETCnomad (which can be downloaded here: https://www.etcconnect.com/ETCnomad/?LangType=1033), and you will need to activate our licence to use the software, which is done by inserting a USB dongle. This dongle is very expensive, and very small, so please look after it. On a related note, as of Lent 2025, this dongle has been mislaid. We expect to either find the dongle by the start of Mich 2025, or replace it before the end. Unfortunately, this means that there is a risk that any performance in early Mich 2025 will be limited to using the lighting board. We apologise for the inconvenience.

The software will be explained to you. Additionally, official video tutorials can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4joUizLBXAg&list=PLl-Ao0hIFwH_PrkRb377QGvAz3rfIj6me 

Sound

The sound system is comparative simple. It is a fair number of large (~80cm high) speakers, connected together, controlled with a single aux cable. You can reposition the speakers if you wish, and only need to turn on as many as you wish to use. The difficulty here is likely to be sorting out the licensing of any music you wish to use, which is the responsibility of your production. This does not necessarily make it the responsibility of the technician, you can potentially pass this off to another member of the production team, but it is not the responsibility of the Pembroke Players. Alternatively, you can use royalty free sounds. Another potential problem is interference. The best way to mitigate this is to control the sound from a separate device than the lighting, though this is not strictly necessary.

Responsibilities

Unlike most of the prod team, you are unlikely to need to be working on the production for that long beforehand. I recommend one session to set up the rig and program the lights without the cast. Programming the lights will require both you and someone familiar with the blocking, the director being an ideal choice, but having the whole cast present is largely just a waste of their time. You should do one to two tech rehearsals before the opening night with the cast, however. You will need to use New Cellars for this, so please get in touch to book this room well in advance of when you want to use it.

Assuming you are also operating the lights, you will need to show up at least half an hour before the show each night, to ensure everything is set up before doors open.

You are expected to leave the theatre roughly as you found it. Leaving lights rigged at get out is fine, we do not expect you to derig everything, however the result of that is that during your get in there will already be lights rigged. You can leave these as-is. You will be given instruction in moving or derigging lights, and you are welcome to do this, but any cables you take down should be coiled, held coiled with electrical tape, and then sorted into the system we have set up. The same goes for anything else attached to a light: there is a place for it, please put it there. There is a bin provided for any junk, please use it, nobody wants to find your month old pizza boxes in the tech cupboard.

Additional notes

If you are in the main show, you may set up the sound and lighting system however you like. Please derig any lights you are not using to make it clear to the other show which lights they can position themselves.

If you are not in the main show, please do no move the lights the main show is using (i.e. those already rigged when you come to the theatre), or rig additional lights to the channels they are using. Their use of the rig should be unaffected by your use of it.

Please do not derig your lights at the get out. The reason for this system is so that, if the next show does not have a technician, they still have a functional rig that can be used to a limited extent by someone unskilled (for example, setting a wash before the audience comes in). This is a different system to the ADC theatre because basically every show there has a technician. This is not the case at New Cellars, and our system reflects that difference.