4Wall Entertainment East (4Wall) is supplying a lighting rental package for the 2005 Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater US Tour. The 19-city tour of the United States opened on February 1 in Costa Mesa, California. The tour will continue through May 8th followed by performances in Japan, Korea, Russia, Scotland and the United Kingdom.
The 4Wall rental package includes the new 2500 Series Vari*Lite spot and wash fixtures. Lighting Director, Al Crawford noted, "In terms of color mixing, they are going to be amazing for this particular application because I can really match the incandescent quality of the original units."
Al also notes, "4Wall not only supplies great quality equipment, they understand the importance of relationships. For a long term production like Ailey, this is incredibly important to us".
The Alvin Ailey Company has taken pride in preserving many of Alvin Ailey's original ballets. "We have taken advantage of new technology by using moving lights to help recreate the look of the original lighting designs," Crawford explains. "We study the old tapes, photos and notes and have lots of conversations to understand the aesthetics of the piece and the quality of light. The Vari*Lites also allow us to travel with a lot less equipment."
Al Crawford has worked as a lighting designer extensively in many areas of the visual and performing arts including dance, theater, opera, corporate events and themed entertainment. He is the Lighting Director for the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and also designs extensively for the company. He has designed numerous high profile works such as Judith Jamison's Double Exposure for the Lincoln Center Festival and scenic and lighting designs for HERENOW, a work commissioned by the Cultural Olympiad at the Salt Lake City Olympic Winter Games. Al also enjoys designing projects such as corporate meetings and events, themed parties and architectural installations including events for Jazz at Lincoln Center and the New Jersey Performing Arts Center. Current design projects include a new collaboration with Judith Jamison, Rennie Harris and Robert Battle called Love Stories for the Ailey Company. He has had the opportunity to work all over the globe taking him to 45 states and 19 countries. It is this diversity of travel that has allowed him to discover his enjoyment of touring large-scale productions overseas in a wide variety of venues. Al is a member of United Scenic Artists (USA-829) and the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE Local-635). www.arc3design.com
4Wall Entertainment is known nationwide for excellence and innovation as a full service provider and integrator of leading edge lighting systems for interior and exterior environments. Such systems integrate lighting fixtures, dimming, and control. These multi-faceted systems are optimized for performance, impact, low maintenance, and energy efficiency. Projects span hospitality, casino, theater, themed attractions, and retail applications, including the Mandalay Bay Convention Center and Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas, Cedar Point in Ohio, and New York's famous Zankel Hall. 4Wall Entertainment serves clients throughout the U.S. from its Western location in Las Vegas, Nevada and its Eastern location in Moonachie, New Jersey. To learn more about 4Wall, visit the company web site at www.4wall.com.
4Wall Entertainment Press Contact:
Renee Neptune
Tel: (702) 263-3858
Fax: (702) 263-3863
Email: rneptune@4wall.com
For a complete Schedule of the 2005 Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater US Tour, visit: www.alvinailey.org
To learn more about the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, please visit: www.alvinailey.org