CSSI engineering talents challenged with Goodman Theatre’s “Turn of the Century”

Working in partnership with Hudson Scenic and the Goodman Theatre, CSSI provided mechanical and electrical systems for the world premiere of the new musical “Turn of the Century, directed by Tommy Tune. The show closed November 2 in Chicago but hopes to re-open on Broadway next summer.

CSSI engineered and constructed an organically shaped truss system called the “swoop” for this show. It curved, dipped, dove, thanks to CSSI’s highly skilled production and engineering staff. They took the highly inventive and complicated design, applied the design concepts of tube frame construction (used for skyscrapers) and the skin and bulkheads used in ship building, and constructed a very organic, yet extremely strong and rigid shape, while adding mechanical effects.

The result was an enormous scenic element that effortlessly dances on stage. The swoop contains five axes of motion, one of which was used to rotate the entire swoop (weighing in at approximately two-and-a-half tons) 180° and one that lifted it in and out of the Goodman Theatre’s existing truss system. Three other axes were used to reshape and reposition a drape suspended from the swoop. All of these effects were used to create different scenes and sets. In addition, five Chicago Scenic traveling winches performed the flying effects on and across the stage while a lifting winch lifted an actor into the air and two deck winches provided assistance for other mechanical effects.

After working on this project, CSSI realized the need for its new “Mini 8,” a smaller-scale motion control system. See accompanying story to learn more about this system that is perfect for smaller events.

CSSI introduces new motion contol system: “Mini 8”

CSSI is finishing development of a new motion control system that fits the bill for smaller productions. Based on CSI Control, CSSI’s large-scale control system that can run 100 axes of motion, the Mini 8 can run between eight and 64 axes of motion. The Mini 8 has all the functionality of the larger CS Control and is able to run and control mechanical systems from turntables and winches to pneumatic cylinders and hydraulic platforms. It can also be easily programmed to interface with audio-visual equipment and lighting.

Because it is smaller, it also comes with a lower price point, making it perfect for smaller projects.

Contact project engineer Rob Kovarik at Chicago Scenic for complete information, purchase and rental pricing.

“Radio City Christmas Spectacular” dazzles New York City and the entire nation with arena tour

Chicago Scenic once again worked on the “Radio City Christmas Spectacular” in New York and across the country. The world-famous show returned to New York’s Radio City Music Hall, while a new touring version debuted at larger arena-sized venues with more than 20 stops nationwide this season. Both productions were designed by Patrick Fahey and managed by Larry Sedwick, senior vice president of Madison Square Garden.

Last year, Chicago Scenic created naturalistic rock formations that magically bloom with over 250 flowers for the show-stopping Nativity scene in New York. This year CSSI re-engineered the flowers to bloom bigger and better than ever, and added a huge stable to better fill the stage. Also featured are two flying tree silhouettes that bloom more than 200 flowers on cue and a fiber optic of the nativity star.

This year Chicago Scenic also contributed to the Christmas Spectacular’s new arena tour. The show is a modified version of the New York show, but it had to be designed and built for speed and durability. Project Ken Zommer noted, “The most challenging part of this project was making each element easy to set up, take down, and then get loaded onto trucks to travel to the next stop while being sturdy enough to withstand being moved more than twenty times.”
CSSI built several elements for the traveling show including a Nutcracker Christmas tree that mechanically lowers from 28-feet-tall to just under 22-feet-tall allowing it to fit backstage. CSSI also engineered and built the show’s Santa’s Workshop out of inflatables. On cue, the large structure mechanically opens and fans power up to quickly inflate the toys inside.

CSSI also built a newsstand for the famous New York at Christmas scene, a large wagon train that was pulled by actors, and a bell rack for the hand bell scene.