Lightwire Theater: A Very Electric Christmas
Electroluminescence has been around since 1936 when Georges Destriau first recorded the emission of light that occurred when applying an electrical current to zinc sulfide powder. He named the glowing phenomenon ‘electroluminescence’, coined ‘EL’ for short. The first EL products were made of thick, inflexible, and fragile materials such as glass or ceramics and physicists quickly saw the design flaw. They switched to encasing EL products in a bendable plastic casing that made EL not only flexible but waterproof which made it suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. The world of EL technology has grown significantly first with LED lights that are seen everywhere in daily life from traffic lights and iconic movies such as Tron Legacy to EL wires that are used in bike helmets and outdoor holiday lighting.
Lightwire Theater combines EL technology with performance art, bringing stories to life in complete darkness with electroluminescent costumes, props, and set designs. Co-creators Ian Carney and Corbin Popp met in New York City while dancing in Twyla Tharp’s Movin’ Out. They immediately bonded over their love for art, theater, and technology. They came across a product called EL wire and saw the endless possibilities as they began to experiment with shapes and designs to develop puppetry-based neon creatures that quickly came to life.
The process of building Lightwire Theater’s characters starts with the creators and the cast building everything from the ground up. They utilize recyclable materials such as aluminum rods, election signs, skateboard wheels, dryer ducting, fishing poles, and backpacks to ensure that the peaks and angles they want to be defined are visible in the dark. Black fabric is added to the props for depth and then lined with EL wire.
Based in New Orleans, Lightwire Theater continues to create and deliver innovate theatrical experiences to audiences worldwide including China, Canada, Abu Dhabi, and France. Lightwire’s groundbreaking performances landed them semi-finalists on NBC’s America’s Got Talent and winners of Tru TV’s Fake Off.