[SML] Black lights

[James Alderson]

Glenn Holt asked:

> My director just asked if we could do a dance number in our musical under black lights.  My experience with black lights is very limited (goes back to the time when they were put in fluorescent light fixtures).
> 
> Is there a way to create the black light effect with par cans or fresnels?
> 
> Thanks for the help,

They make blacklight LED “PAR” lamps now. I used a couple in Nov., American DJ BLB18w lamps. They worked quite well from 20-30 ft. Beam spread is about 30 degrees. I bought three, but two were enough cover about half my stage from the 1st beam (40 ft. proscenium opening, 24-30 ft. throw). There is more visible deep blue than the old blacklight fluorescents, but there also seems to be more ultraviolet as well. Worked for me. I put them in some standard/cheap PAR 38-size PAR cans. The lamps are available in a number of places on the web. E.G.:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/pro-audio/american-dj-blb18w-led-uv-blacklight

Mick Alderson
TD, Fredric March Theatre
Univ. of Wis. Oshkosh