Tech Crew
Dramatic Arts Program
Dramatic arts are an important part of Minnehaha with benefits for all MA students.
Everyone participating in performances at Minnehaha improves their self-confidence and poise, paying off in a higher level of comfort in day-to-day presentations to classmates, future business associates, and church congregations.
Students interested in pursuing a career in acting or behind-the-scenes production will gain the education and practical experience they need to determine if this is the right career path for them, to assist them in choosing an appropriate university program, and to prepare them in getting the most out of their college experience.
The entertainment industry permeates every area of our lives and has had and will continue to have a major impact on the spiritual and moral fabric of our society. For students interested in pursuing a career in the entertainment or media industry, we have a dual mission in preparing them to be high achievers in the industry and, more importantly, in preparing them to take the Gospel of Jesus Christ with them.
Finally, the use of theatrical performances and a variety of media have become valuable tools in ministries in the U.S. and throughout the world. Minnehaha students gain valuable knowledge in using these tools to reach others for Jesus Christ.
Production Team
The Production Team at Minnehaha is comprised of students in all Upper School grades. This team manages the theatre facility and provides production services for events including weekly chapels and assemblies, major theatre productions, band and choir concerts, outside rentals, and a variety of other events.
The team is multi-disciplinary with students learning about audio, lighting, media, control systems, film production, set design and construction. In addition, students gain experience in a number of general areas such as project and production management, budgeting, and computers.
Minnehaha’s production schedule allows students to gain experience in a number of different environments from rock-and-roll with the Praise Band to traditional orchestra performances to a variety of dramatic productions.
Theatre Facility
Minnehaha’s theatre, Hognander Chapel, is a 600 seat proscenium theatre built in 2003.
Stage facilities include a full orchestra pit, counterweight flyline system, scene shop, set storage, and costume and makeup rooms.
Minnehaha’s technical systems are continuously evolving. Rather than purchase complete technical systems at once and then letting them slowly degrade and become obsolete until the next major facelift, Minnehaha spreads its capital expenditures for equipment evenly over multiple years. This provides numerous valuable benefits to MA students.
- We can plan replacement of worn-out or obsolete equipment in a way that takes advantage of technology and market conditions rather than having to purchase at a particular time based on a capital expenditure plan.
- Since we are making additions to our equipment inventory on an annual basis we always have newer technology being introduced as it becomes available. This not only enhances productions, but provides our students with the opportunity to work with the most up to date technology available.
- Students participate in the evaluation, selection, and budgeting of new equipment each year giving them valuable and practical skills in business management.
In addition to Minnehaha’s permanent systems a variety of rental equipment is brought in for special productions. For ‘Singing in the Rain’ (Spring, 2006) this included 14 wireless mics, 30 Highend Systems ColorCommand intelligent lighting instruments, and 2 artistic drops. Besides giving students experience with a large variety of equipment, this also allows them to participate in rent versus buy budgeting decisions.
Flyline System
MA’s theatre includes a ¾ height counterweight flyline system with 22 active lines. This includes permanent lines dedicated to 4 electrics, 3 travelers, 1 grand border, and 3 orchestra shell ceiling panels. The system has grid space for a total of 60 lines with additional active lines planned in the near future.
Lighting
The current system includes 4 onstage electrics, a house catwalk, box booms, front of balcony, and positions in the back of the theatre. The system includes a total of 75 1200w dimmer circuits for theatrical instruments with some intelligent instruments providing their own dimming capability. 8 portable lighting trees provide additional hanging locations.
Equipment Inventory:
- ETC Element 60/500 Console
- 12 Entertainment Technology 6 channel IGBT Dimmer Strips
- 3 Permanent dimmer circuits for balcony positions
- 15 ETC Source 4 36° Ellipsoidal Reflector Spots
- 5 ETC Parnels
- 10 Colortran 40º Ellipsoidal Reflector Spots
- 12 Colortran 30º Ellipsoidal Reflector Spots
- 12 Colortran 20º Ellipsoidal Reflector Spots
- 18 Altman 6” 750w Fresnels
- 16 Altman StarPAR’s
- 3 Colortran 1 cell cyc lites
- 4 Colortran 3 cell cyc lites
- 2 Vari*Lite VL1000TSD Moving Head instruments
A great example of the benefits of spreading our capital plan out over multiple years is our recent purchase of 2 Vari*Lite VL1000TSD intelligent lighting instruments. When the facility was built and equipment purchased in 2003 these instruments were new to the market and would not have been a good purchase decision. Today however they are an excellent value. While still costly, they can provide the same capabilities in a theatrical production as a large number of ellipsoidal fixtures costing two or three times as much. In addition they provide a number of capabilities conventional theatrical instruments do not and provide our students with the experience of working with intelligent lighting instruments.
Audio System
The audio system includes a center array of 2 EAW full range cabinets, 2 EAW Subwoofers, and a Yamaha LS9-32 digital audio desk. Concerts and events are recorded via ProTools 9 for multitrack sessions with simultaneous two track back up to CD and flash recorders.
MA maintains a variety of microphones by Audio Technica, Shure, Cascade, Sennheiser, Rode, and others.
Planned upgrades include a new recording/media computer and an HME wireless communication system.
Media Presentation
A variety of media are used in chapels, assemblies, plays, and other events. Our media system includes a Sanyo front projector that projects onto an electric drop down screen over the stage. Media sources include a PC, Mac Mini, and CD/DVD player. We currently use Powerpoint, Keynote, and Prezi for interactive media presentations.
Qlab and ProPresenter are currently being evaluated for theatrical, presentation, and worship media support.
Advisor
Brian Hallermann
hallermann@MinnehahaAcademy.net
