To view some of the production photos for “P.A.S. 2014”, please click here.

The Annual Performing Arts Showcase in 2014 was a special event as it was the fifth anniversary of Skyline’s famous showcase.  For the theme that year, we decided to go with a WWII “U.S.O.” concept.  I used it as an opportunity to teach the students about canted-lever balance and horizontal strength.  Also, I thought it would be a wonderful opportunity to show how wood is a reliable construction material because of it’s ability to bend as well as it’s ability to be rigid.  I decided to build two full scale replicas of B-17 bombers from the nose to the cockpit out of plywood, one-by, polycarbonate, and “doorskin”.  We built ridged scaffolding skeletons that rested on sheer walled towers anchored to heavy wagon bases.  The final product even included confetti cannons in the “chin turrets” that swiveled and shot confetti over the audience at the end of a rendition of “Swing Swing Swing” by the Skyline College Jazz Band.  We made them as realistic as possible, and even included “Tex Avery” cartoon characters as nose art.  When the show opened, we designed a special audio effect using the digital network by patching six separate channels from the LX-32 sound card in the control PC through the M7CL-48.  Each of the channels were shaped individually so that the illusion of the two bombers flying overhead from rear house right to front house left and “vice-versa”.  This was followed by watching the two behemoths “taxi” into their positions as the curtain drew and greeted the audience at the opening of the show.    Their grand scale lent to a wonderful production that included swing dancing and old time “crooning”.

 

To view some of the production photos for “P.A.S. 2014”, please click here.