Tharon Musser's original A CHORUS LINE lighting design

[morosco]

Tharon Musser's original A CHORUS LINE lighting design#0

Posted: 6/14/05 at 12:46pm

With all the technology changes with lighting intruments (color changers, moving lights, etc.) I wonder if Musser's brilliant design will be different for the planned revival. Or if it will look the same as it did in 1975 but be accomplished with new technology. Tharon Musser...a genious.

[MargoChanning]

re: Tharon Musser's original A CHORUS LINE lighting design#1

Posted: 6/14/05 at 12:52pm

I read that while they will follow her original design, they will also incorporate certain new technologies that have come along in the past 30 years. Not sure to what extent it'll alter the look of the show, but I believe Breglio (the producer) said that he didn't want to tinker with anything in the original text or design so I'm guessing that the differences will be subtle.

"What a story........ everything but the bloodhounds snappin' at her rear end." -- Birdie [http://margochanning.broadwayworld.com/] "The Devil Be Hittin' Me" -- Whitney

[Unknown User]

re: Tharon Musser's original A CHORUS LINE lighting design#2

Posted: 6/14/05 at 1:02pm

Whatever they come up with, I'm happy that I will always have the memory of her brilliant work - still to this day one of the best I've ever seen.

[Gothampc]

re: Tharon Musser's original A CHORUS LINE lighting design#3

Posted: 6/14/05 at 1:04pm

A Chorus Line is special because Tharon used movie techniques on stage (cross fades, etc).

If anyone ever tells you that you put too much Parmesan cheese on your pasta, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.

[Unknown User]

re: Tharon Musser's original A CHORUS LINE lighting design#4

Posted: 6/14/05 at 1:07pm

Which she then took to its ultimate state of perfection in DREAMGIRLS.

[morosco]

re: Tharon Musser's original A CHORUS LINE lighting design#5

Posted: 6/14/05 at 1:16pm

My heart would always skip a beat when I saw her name associated with a new show. She was such an artist.

EDIT: I should have said she IS such an artist. I believe she's retired but I'm sure she'll oversee ACL.


Updated On: 6/14/05 at 01:16 PM

[Unknown User]

re: Tharon Musser's original A CHORUS LINE lighting design#6

Posted: 6/14/05 at 1:24pm

Just because, here is Ms. Musser's Broadway experience - which is incredibly long, and shows exactly why she's a legend - including 3 Tonys in 10 nominations.
Tharon Musser's ibdb listing.

[morosco]

re: Tharon Musser's original A CHORUS LINE lighting design#7

Posted: 6/14/05 at 1:29pm

"...Ms. Musser's Broadway experience..."

Remarkable career! Can you imagine the stories she could tell? I wish she would write a book. Also, she deserves the lifetime achievement Tony Award.

[Unknown User]

re: Tharon Musser's original A CHORUS LINE lighting design#8

Posted: 6/14/05 at 1:50pm

Isn't it amazing? When you START with the premiere production of what many consider to be the greatest American play, you know you're in for quite the ride!

And I agree completely about the lifetime Tony!

[FindingNamo]

re: Tharon Musser's original A CHORUS LINE lighting design#9

Posted: 6/14/05 at 1:58pm

I once saw the first ever computer that ran lights on Broadway, brought into the ACL run I believe in the late-'70s. It was at the no-longer-existent Computer Museum in Boston. It was like seeing the Donna McKechnie of computers.

Twitter @NamoInExile Instagram none

[Unknown User]

re: Tharon Musser's original A CHORUS LINE lighting design#10

Posted: 6/14/05 at 2:04pm

I've talked to a few people who have lamented the taking over of running lights by computer. They all expressed a fondness for actually feeling the fades in sinc with the emotional content of what they were watching on-stage. Obviously, with the complexity that now exists in lighting plots, you'ld have to be a multi-armed monster to even remotely accomplish it - but I do understand the sadness concerning the removal of the human touch from the proceedings.
Updated On: 6/14/05 at 02:04 PM

[devonian.t]

re: Tharon Musser's original A CHORUS LINE lighting design#11

Posted: 6/14/05 at 2:06pm

Just want to add my name to the list of people paying tribute: inspiring genius and ground-breaker and guiding light (ooops) for all that followed. (wow... think I need to sit down)

[morosco]

re: Tharon Musser's original A CHORUS LINE lighting design#12

Posted: 6/14/05 at 2:35pm

Here's an interesing article from 1999. Musser and the design team talk about the CHORUS LINE experience.
Entertainment Design Magazine

[trpguyy]

re: Tharon Musser's original A CHORUS LINE lighting design#13

Posted: 6/14/05 at 2:47pm

Light board operators (good ones) still do put that personal feel into the fades when appropriate and doable.


Having been very young when ACL closed, and now a lighting design student, I'm very anxious to see the revival. Updated On: 6/14/05 at 02:47 PM