Theatre Design & Technology - Summer 2009 - 35

what about today ?
carefully to what the director says. They don't use the same
language that we do. So listen to what the director says and
then try to figure out what he meant and then discuss it with
him or demonstrate it to him or her if possible.
Twenty-five or more years ago, Jules Fisher, who we are
going to hear from a little later, was hired by Don Arden to light
Hooray for Hollywood at what was then the MGM Hotel. As you
know, the MGM became the Bally's after they had a fire there.
Jules spent six weeks there, met with Don Arden, the choreographer, the scene designer, the costume designer, and the suits
from MGM. He met with everybody. He discussed everything in
great detail. After six weeks, Jules rolled up to Bill Prince to
start to leave and he said, "By the way, do you have a list of
the lighting equipment that you have?" He said yes and he gave
Jules the list. Jules looked at the list and said, "This is a good
list, but I'll need more." And he said, "Jules, that's all the budget calls for," but he said, "I'm going to need more."
Well, it went back and forth and then Don Arden said to
Jules, "Yes, but you are Jules Fisher. You can do anything." Jules
realized there was no sense in discussing this any longer so he
left, went back to the studio, laid out the plans and specs, did
the lighting, and sent it back to Vegas. The next day he got a
call saying, "Okay Jules, you win." He had lit one quarter of the
show. He lit one quarter of the space. The point that I'm making
is sometimes you have to compromise. Compromise is in every
show and in everything that we do. But do not compromise the
show to the extent that you destroy it and don't compromise
your integrity.
When George Izenour developed the thyratron tube dimming system, it was the first really practical multi-scene preset system. GE had made one or two of them. Westinghouse
and Ward Leonard did. But George's is the first one to really
be able to be manufactured and sold. He had trouble find-

ing a manufacturer. Finally, Jack Fedigan's assistant, Ed Cook,
headed in there with George and they developed a CI, or Century Izenour system. And that circuit is still the same circuit
that most of today's lighting control consoles and dimming
systems use.

Compromise is in every show and
in everything that we do. But do
not compromise the show to the
extent that you destroy it and
don't compromise your integrity.
Most of you know about Stanley McCandless; Mac, as
most of us call him. What most of you do not know is that
he was probably the first architectural lighting designer in
the country. Mac graduated from the University of Wisconsin, went to Harvard School of Architecture, graduated and
went to work for the prestigious firm, McKim Mead & White.
George Baker started the Yale School of Drama. He asked
Mac if he would come up and teach lighting. He asked Donald
Oenslager if he would teach scene design. Mac said, "Hey, I
have never taught before, but if you're willing to take a chance
for your kids, I'm willing to take a chance for you." And that
is how Mac started to teach at Yale, and of course he wrote
the book, A Method of Lighting the Stage, in 1932. And that
still is as valid today as the day he wrote it seventy-five years
ago. He is a very modest man; he calls it A Method of Lighting
the Stage. If you read it or follow it carefully you can get a
good lighting job. After that, talent takes over and that makes
a difference.
Many of you know Peter Larkin. Peter Larkin is a scene

S U M M E R

2009

theatre

design

technology

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Theatre Design & Technology - Summer 2009