Gearhouse Splitbeam Provides Lighting for Jesus Christ, Superstar

Pieter Toerien's version of Jesus Christ, Superstar opened in May at Cape Town, South Africa's, Artscape Opera House. It is the latest in a string of hit musicals for which theatre equipment supplier, Gearhouse Splitbeam supplied the lighting rig. The company offers niche theatre-specific equipment on a long-term rental basis.

Splitbeam's managing director, Alistair Kilbee has been involved in theatre for most of his working life. At the heart of the Splitbeam service lies his conviction that lighting designers should be able to easily access the latest technology, at what he refers to as "theatre-friendly" pricing.

The lighting designer Denis Hutchinson has worked with Splitbeam previously on the musicals Dreamgirls and Handful of Keys and was instrumental in getting Splitbeam involved in Jesus Christ, Superstar as he felt the company's supply of Philips Vari-Lite fixtures was what was needed to light the show.

Jesus Christ, Superstar uses a full Vari-Lite rig (together with a handful of ETC Source Fours). "The VL3500s are really great in a theatrical situation," says Hutchison. "The shutters are versatile and accurate giving control which is hard to beat with other units. The VL2500s are also excellent onstage, because they are so compact. Superstar doesn't have a particularly full grid, but, on big musicals, a compact fixture is essential and given how good the optics are, it's just the thing."

Hutchison says that Splitbeam fills a gap that has long been felt by theatre lighting designers. "With Splitbeam now up and running, we are looking for the first time at a local supplier geared to long term rental and the specific requirements of the theatre market," he says, adding, Now we just have to change the way producers and theatre owners think..."

Prior to the Jesus Christ, Superstar load-in, Glenn Duncan, the production's lighting operator, and Hutchison were given an equipped space to complete two days of pre-programming in Johannesburg while Splitbeam technicians prepared and marked up all equipment to ensure that the team were able to move in and be up and running in good time.

"Working with Denis is a pleasure," says Kilbee, "because he is so well-organized and knows what he wants from the outset. This is exactly the type of designer that Splitbeam caters for - someone who uses the equipment to its fullest capacity and who is also very conscious of theatre budgets."

"South Africa has plenty of local talent in both the technical and the performance spheres. We believe that our industry is perfectly positioned to become a major player on the world-wide theatre touring circuit. We have always been able to do musicals to the highest standards but we have not had a rental company to supply the correct equipment at the correct price... until now." he concludes.