Lighting Statement

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Mr. Burns, a post-electric play by Anne Washburn is a three act adventure that takes us from a world devoid of electricity immediately following an apocalyptic event. A group of people begin re-creating entertainment through the Cape Feare episode of The Simpsons. The first act is around a fire. The second act is during the day while they are acting out the performances with a variety of makeshift props and costumes. The third act is a full scale musical performance with the final moment revealing lights flickering on slowly as we see a character (Mr. Burns) pedaling a bicycle contraption to create electricity.

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Act one employed a flickering fire unit and floor mounted uplights to create a realistic fireside effect. The dim blue cyc silhouetted the scenic trees creating a mysterious "moonlit" background out of which characters entered.

Act two created a feeling of daylight streaming through the suggested window of the makeshift set created by the characters.

Act three was accentuated with moving lights to create dramatic color washes and water effects that supported the story. The final moment employed an uplight on the bicycle that cast a skewed shadow across the cyclorama to reveal the character pedaling as various fixture strung across the stage began flickering on.