Production Requirements for Douglass Portrait
This rider covers all technical production requirements for a full performance of Douglass Portrait for symphony orchestra, narrator, orator, and trap-set percussion — including guest artist Vinnie Colaiuta. It addresses sound reinforcement, lighting design, staging, keyboard, video projection, and advance scheduling. Please review all sections thoroughly and direct any questions to the production team prior to load-in.
Headset microphones for Orator and Narrator; full drum kit mic plot (kick, snare, two toms, overhead left and right); orchestra reinforcement. Drum kit backline is provided by Vinnie Colaiuta — all microphones and cabling are the venue's responsibility.
The engineer must be able to read an orchestral score and follow the conductor in real time. Primary function is live balance between the orchestra, spoken word amplification, and drum reinforcement — three elements in constant dynamic relationship throughout the work.
Two full-height presentation podiums (preferred over music stands), positioned stage left and stage right within dedicated lighting spot zones. Each requires an independently switchable gooseneck reading light.
A score-literate lighting technician is required for all rehearsals and the performance. Dedicated spot fixtures (not wash or Omni) for each podium: spots illuminate when the speaker speaks and dim between passages. Fade time approximately 1.5–2 seconds. A floor level of 20% is maintained at all times.
Acoustic grand piano preferred (concert tuned, A=440). Electronic alternative must include both an acoustic piano sample patch and a digital electric piano patch, with 88 weighted keys and a sustain pedal.
Strongly recommended for the full concert experience. Rear projection screen (minimum 14 ft wide) for display of the Frederick Douglass portrait image during the work, and the CGI animation sequence at the close of the concert. Video content is supplied by the production team.
A concise positional map of all elements: Narrator podium (downstage left), Orator podium (downstage right), drum kit (stage center/right), keyboard (stage center left), full orchestra (upstage), and optional projection screen (upstage center).
A milestone timeline from 8 weeks prior to the day of performance, covering video confirmation, score delivery to the sound engineer, keyboard selection, A/V file delivery, full orchestra sound check, and pre-show systems verification.