The Disney musical that has enthralled over 15 million people world-wide, one of the greatest theatre events in Spain this year, THE BEAUTY AND THE BEAST – THE BROADWAY MUSICAL – has been running at the “Lope de Vega” Theatre in Madrid since 2nd December 1999.
It is produced by Rock & Pop (Spain), a company belonging to CIE Spain.
Imaginative design and use of the very latest technologies have made it possible to transfer the magic of this big screen classic to the theatre stage, making it into the most dazzling musical of recent years.
The spectacular illumination of the piece enriches its excellent staging while enhancing its visual impact.
Extensive use is made of moving-body luminaires, conventional theatre lights and colour changers.
While planning its staging in Buenos Aires – Argentina, and as a result of commercial investment interests, the production team took on the challenge of replacing the originally specified moving-body robotic illumination for equipment that was very similar, with the difference that it used the very latest technologies.
After initial contacts with Antonio Agra, head of PSL SA (the company that distributes Clay Paky products in Argentina on a sole agency basis), a work team was put together which, with the various technical and commercial areas of Clay Paky SPA, set to preparing an offer to meet the musical’s demanding lighting design requirements.
A meeting was subsequently held at the New York headquarters of Group One, Clay Paky’s sole distributor in the United States, with Natasha Katz, the lighting designer of the show, and its art director, Ariel Del Mastro.
Comparative tests were then carried out between similar equipment and Clay Paky’s proposal.
One important factor that led to the final decision was the strength and efficiency of the lighting offered by Stage Line, its chromatic variation, its electronic reliability, its construction, the quality and variety of its effects and projections, the innovative fact that the equipment could be interchanged and the international technical back-up. Natasha Katz was highly impressed and decided to use it not only in this particular musical but also in other projects, including Niketown in London.
The lighting equipment comprises 37 Clay Paky Stage Zoom 1200 with custom-designed gobos, 12 Clay Paky Stage Color 1200 and 5 Clay Paky Stage Color 300.
According to Ariel del Mastro :
Light is an essential part of the show and the Clay Paky equipment has completely surpassed earlier expectations.
The fact that this is extremely reliable equipment comprising the very latest technologies has meant a substantial reduction in the time and cost of maintenance. The equipment has functioned constantly with no failures night after night since it started running.
Its technical characteristics have also meant that we could make a series of changes resulting in sharper definition and more radiant lighting.
Domingo Latorre, the director of Stonex, Clay Paky’s distributor in Spain, says: “the extraordinary success of The Beauty and the Beast in Madrid and the constant performances since December 1999, bear witness to the public’s love of Disney tales and to the level of expertise put into this show.”