Theatre Design & Technology - Spring 1999 - 21

PLANNING AHEAD
Disney Magic is equipped with a central communications system known as The Broadcast Center. This system has the capacity to control virtually any video or audio signal throughout
the entire ship. The center also has satellite down-link equipment to provide guests \vith continuous information from numerous television and radio broadcasts. Also located within
the Broadcast Center is a rnini-S\vitcher and additional s\vitching equipment that will allow the technical staff to shoot a
three-canlera video right on the ship. All that is necessary to
do a three-camera shoot in the Walt Disney Theatre is to set up
the equipment, plug it in and turn it on. Through a simple conversion of one of the ship's two satellite dishes into a broadcast dish, the crew can even beam out live broadcasts.

CAST AND CREW
Twenty-eight actors perform all the roles in the three
mainstage productions (in the Walt Disney Theatre). They may
also perform in the character show, Island Magic, in the
Buena Vista Theatre. Another twenty-sLx performers, mostly
musicians, round out the entertainment staff. Mainstage performers and senior technicians get single cabins, others

double up. Unlike other ships, entertainers on Disney Magic
are not expected to perform other duties such as serving
meals or working in the onboard gift shops.
The typical technician in the Walt Disney Theatre has a
minimum of three years of technical theatre training and five
years of professional experience. Senior technician positions
require ten years of experience. Tracy Catron, production
manager for ship entertainment, said he needs crew members
that can operate advanced technologies and show equipment.
He added that while proficiency in a given area was mandatory, everyone is still expected to lend a hand wherever
needed. Because of this crossover, most of the technical staff
come from a fairly typical theatrical background. Additionally,
these techs must have good trouble-shooting skills since the
crew must be self-sufficient. Saul Mudd, Disney Magic's technical director, described the four-tier system for the technical
crews. The first tier, the Walt Disney Theatre (WDT) , has three
booth personnel (audio, automation, and show control) and
five "floating" technicians (one charge hand/senior technician, an effects technician, a weapons/prop person, a stage left
wingman and one stage right). There is also a stage manager
assigned to the theatre. In the second tier are three wardrobe
technicians who primarily work the three WDT shows but who
have additional maintenance responsibilities and running as-

a SHIP FULL of Entertainment
The crown jewel of entertainment venues on board the Disney Magic is
theWalt DisneyTheatre. Asecond theatre, the Buena VlSta Theatre is
predominantly a l7()..seat film venue where first rate films and
Disney Oassics are played throughout a cruise. In addition to the
films, the theatre also hosts the Island Magic character show.
Lounges are found throughout the ship---some are geared for adults
while others are for children.
The Off Beat Comedy Club seats 150 and features an improv group of
four comedians and a keyboard player in five shows nightly. "The
comedy is more adult in orientation," said senior show producer
Matt Conover, "but it's not too adult. It is about as progressive or
edgy as Disney gets."
Rockin' Bar D, the primary dance club on Disney Magic, features a live
band and a full complement of disco-type lighting and fog effects.
During the day, activities like bingo and Disney's Match Your Mate
games are offered here.
The Sessions lounge provides a spectacular view of the water through
seven-foot diameter portal windows and nightly piano bar entertainment In addition, each table is outfitted with earphone jacks
through which guests can individually acc~ a h1>rary of 200 CDs.
The Studio Sea lounge is aimed at family entertainment, providing
games such as Disney 'frivia, and karaoke-style sing-alongs. The
dance floor here provides music that is more appropriate for kids and
families than that in the Rockin'Bar D.
Common Grounds is a teen club with a coffee shop atmosphere serving
teen-appropriate food andbe\'erages. ItS ahang-out where, according to
Conover, teens can be themselves and be awayfrom theirparents.
The ESPN Sports L{)unge is a {loating sports bar where as many as
seven different games can be viewed simultaneously on an

impressive array of video screens.
Castaway Cay Island is aremote island owned by Disneyand operated as
an off-boat excursion exclusively for cruise line guests. Entertainment is centered around"fun in the sun:'complete with beach barbecues, steel drum bands, swimming, snorkeling and boating.
Cruises are traditionally food extrav~ganzas and the Magic is no exc.eption-the food is delicious and the service wonderful. What makes
the Magic's experience different though is the element of entertainment that has been plarmed into'the meals. Each dining room has a
different theme that is directly re!ated to the meal being served on a
given night. Unlike traditional cruises where guests are assigned a
permanent table in one of se\'eral dining rooms, Disney rotates dining guests so that each evening's meal is served in a different dining
room. Despite moving from room to room, guests have the same
serving staff each night and share their tables with the same people
throughout the cruise.

Whileeach of the Magics dining rooms contain elements of themed entertainment-LumierefeaturesFrenchcuisineand BealllyanddleBeasl themes,
Parrot Cay bas atropicalmenu and Can1>bean themes, andPalo, an adult
only dining room, serves Italian cuisine amid Venetian dewr-the
Animator's Pallet dining room deserves special mention. Black and
white sketches of Disney animated characters adorn the walls. In
fact, the black and white motif extends throughout-the china, the
servers'costumes, etc. The two-hour meal is served to the accompaniment of a musical salute to Disney performed by the London Symphony. As the music flows from theme to theme, the black and white
sketches around the dining room come to life in vivid colors, as if
color were being magically applied to the animation cells. (Scrim
panels and colored lights supply the magic.) A grand finale during
dessert bathes the whole room in a rainbow cacophony of color.
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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Theatre Design & Technology - Spring 1999