New York, NY - 4Wall Entertainment has teamed up with the lighting team behind The Twenty-Sided Tavern, an innovative, interactive theatrical production inspired by Dungeons & Dragons, to deliver a lighting rental package that brings audience choices to life in real-time. This Off-Broadway production, which places viewers at the center of the story, challenges traditional lighting design and programming with its branching narratives, audience participation, and the unpredictability inherent in a live role-playing format.

With lighting that must adapt each night to audience decisions and character interactions, Lighting Designer Mike Wood and his team faced a unique task. "Every night is a new adventure," Wood explained. "The audience and characters make different choices, which changes how the show unfolds. To handle this, we had to design a system that could respond in real-time to every possible twist and turn while appearing to the audience to be a natural linear playback." Wood was joined by a highly experienced team, including Associate Lighting Designers Dalton Hamilton and Abby May, Programmer Henry Wilen, Production Electrician Dan Mullins, and show control designer, Chet Miller. Together, they crafted a flexible lighting control system that mirrors the dynamic nature of the show.

Central to the design was a series of over 500 individually controlled Glasson Calesco festoon lights that span the theater, symbolizing the presence of each audience member. Initially conceptualized by the scenic team and refined by the lighting team, these bulbs respond dynamically throughout the performance, reflecting audience interaction and adding to the show's immersive atmosphere. "The festoon lights create a magical effect," said Associate Lighting Designer Abby May. "As each audience member makes choices, it's like their presence is lighting up the space, adding depth and bringing the world of the show to life."

4Wall Entertainment's demo room in New Jersey played a key role in the development process. The team spent days in the space for research and development, testing the integration between lighting, show control, and video systems, ensuring the setup could handle the complexity of the show's interactions. "We weren't just programming cues, we were building an entire ecosystem where lighting, video, and audio worked seamlessly to adapt to whatever direction the show might take," noted Programmer Henry Wilen.

Dalton Hamilton, who managed much of the cue and show control data for the lighting team, explained, "This show requires a complex matrix of cue lists and macros to handle the constant shifts in narrative. We couldn't follow the traditional linear script and cue order, instead, we developed a system that could intuitively handle multiple decision paths and audience votes in real-time."

The flexibility required an intense focus on both technology and teamwork. "The real beauty of this project is how each element - lighting, video, and audio - supports the improvisational nature of the performance without missing a beat," Hamilton added.

4Wall's robust support, both in equipment and in collaborative infrastructure, was essential to the team's success. Production Electrician Dan Mullins praised the company's adaptability during load-in and testing, saying, "4Wall provided incredible support. Every time we needed a piece of equipment, they delivered promptly. It felt like we had everything we needed right when we needed it."

The entire team's commitment and cohesion played a critical role in navigating the show's unique demands. Many team members have a long-standing professional and personal relationship, which helped bring the design to life seamlessly. "This show required more than just traditional lighting design. We had to create an adaptive system, and that's only possible with a team that knows how to communicate and innovate together," said Wood.

To see more of Lighting Designer Mike Wood's work visit his website here mikewoodld.com and on instagram @mikewoodld.

The Twenty-Sided Tavern opened on May 5th, 2024 and will close in New York on May 11th 2025 as the team prepares to embark on a national tour this summer. To learn more about the lighting technology and programming on the show, RSVP to attend a panel discussion by the design team at the ETC NYC office on Monday, May 5th.
RSVP here.