Look a Lion!

I was designing a show in Vegas when the director had an idea, which involved wild animals in close proximity to the audience, the wild animal being a large lion. To make this a little more exciting the lion should make his entrance in the dark, a situation the lion trainer explained was in the lion's advantage as they see very well in the dark. Of course the lion wasn't just to appear on stage but was to appear on a 4 foot riser , which was going to require a little effort to be made on the trainers part and a lot of co-operation on the lions. Neither of which seemed to be happening by the loud racket coming from stage right in the dark.All this a mere fifteen feet from the nearest audience member or in the lions perspective prospective lunch.

Now to add a little show biz pizazz and spectacle to the party the director wanted a BIG Hollywood reveal complete with moving lights doing a bally hoo , strobes flashing and a smoke machine at the posterior side of the lion , which is being operated by an either very brave , dedicated or simply foolish sound tech, and all ideas not highly recommended by the man who worked with the lions everyday.

So fade to black ,roll sound , and que the lights , moving lights bally and flash , strobes strobe and smoke machine fires and makes very loud sudden WHOOSHING sound ; lion backs up, sound guy meets lion in a very special way giving sound guy new insight to the meaning of the words hind sight, stage wash comes up to full and MC in the most undramatic monotone announcers voice says "Look a lion"

Todd K.
Freelance Production Manager