Marvel Universe LIVE!

Comics come to life in Marvel Universe LIVE! The new, live-action arena production brings some of your favorite Marvel Super Heroes, like The Avengers , Spider-Man and Wolverine, to the stage for an epic battle between good and evil, with evil villains, including the Green Goblin, Doctor Octopus, Red Skull, Madame Hydra and more. Produced by Feld Entertainment, the nearly two-hour-long show combines exciting, live-action stunts with an original story in a dynamic, stage show touring production.

Lightswitch designed production lighting that integrated with the virtual set, helped tell the story of the characters and complemented the live-action experience. We partnered with Production Designer, Joe Stewart, and Video Content Designer, Bob Bonniol, to coordinate the color and patterns of the lighting with the completely virtual, video projection set. Using mock-ups and pre-visualization techniques, we developed a scheme that incorporated floor lighting and cutting-edge track technology to complement the projected set and live characters. Our design integrated with the state-of-the-art spotlight tracking system that allows the lighting to follow the characters during the complex action sequences. To help the audience distinguish between the many characters on stage, we lit the heroes with bright, symmetrical, full-range light, while using asymmetrical, shadowy illumination on the villains. The lighting also enables the actors to see clearly as they perform dangerous stunts.

We drew on our expertise in theatrical lighting and virtual environments to create lighting that enhanced this unique, multifaceted production. Our design not only helps to tell the story of the characters and integrates with the complex set technologies, but it can also be set up and taken down quickly and efficiently —a must, given the tour’s busy schedule. Photos ©2015 Marvel ©Feld Entertainment