by Priscilla

Oct.30, 2011, under Backstage Blog

I am one of three automation assistants on Priscilla. My main role is desk operation for either flown elements of the show and the revolve, or for operating and driving the bus during the show. The automation desk for the bus is opposite the fly floor level on stage right and then one level above that is the desk for the flown pieces, from where we fly the divas.

Priscilla the bus

Priscilla is a pretty complicated show when it comes to automation, and as such there is more of a chance that something can go wrong from time to time. If that happens we have sheets up on the monitors which tell us where to be, and between us and stage management we have to drive the bus to the right position and then the show can move on from there. With any automation it’s all about thinking in 3D. It is very easy to say, “I want it to go on and off stage”, but you have to think and work in relevance to who’s there, what is moving and how fast it is moving. Any move has three parts: the ramp, which is how fast it will go into the move, the travel, which is how fast it is moving when you are in the move, and then the ramp down, which is how fast you are going to slow down from that travel speed. You have to have all that in the back of you mind when you are working.

Some of the most challenging parts of the show for the bus desk are the Aria, which is very fast and very complicated and MacArthur Park, which is very, very fast and complicated. If something goes wrong on either of those numbers it is when the job gets the most fun. You have to enjoy moments like that otherwise you are terrified of something going wrong and you might as well be doing something else. You have to understand what you are doing and know that it is right and if it isn’t right, how to safely stop it and move everything to where it should be. Paramount to that is making sure that everyone is safe.

The hardest part for the fly desk is the finale with the cockatoos. There is a frame that is clipped on to our system and then one of the girls is then clipped on to that, before it is floated out above the stage. And all that happens for each of the Divas, before the audience sees anything move. While I’m communicating to those below me before I send the cockatoos down, I’m also running the lift behind the bus. You are therefore looking at multiple cameras and screens at the same time and you have to adjust accordingly.

I previously ran automation on We Will Rock You and was No.2 department head of automation on Dirty Dancing. I’ve covered various other shows, and before working on automation I worked as a production carpenter, rigger, flyman and in house show crew.

I don’t think there is any other show like Priscilla. There is nothing else as pink for a start. If you want to see a spectacle that is fun and that you can tap your feet along to this is the one. It is so bright and colourful and it has songs that everyone knows and loves.