Tale #11: Let’s Use The Green One

It is always fun to work on a show with pyrotechnics. Pyrotechnics is basically anything that involves a spark or a flame on stage.

For our production of The Hunchback of Notre Dame in 2018, Clopin Trouillefou (the King of the Gypsies) uses “magic” to escape danger throughout the story.

To create the effect, we used spark cartridges that when detonated released a big puff of smoke to cover the actor’s exit.

For all of our dress rehearsals and performances, we used the same white cartridges that released a large cloud of white smoke. In the pyro supply box, there was one green cartridge of the same brand and type.

I really wanted to use the green one.

For our final performance, I kept asking Steve (fake fiancé/lighting guy) if we could use the green cartridge. I kept saying “it would be so much fun!”, “the actors would be so surprised”, “it will look so cool”, “it’s green smoke!”. He finally agreed that we could do it and we set up the green cartridge and didn’t tell anyone. It was our secret.

I sat up in the lightbooth with Steve for that final performance and the moment finally arrived where we’d get to see our green cartridge in action. Clopin threw his hand down to indicate his act of magic and boom the cartridge went. We expected a giant cloud of green smoke just as the other cartridges had created a giant cloud of white smoke.

We were very wrong.

When the cartridge detonated, a spark shot up with no smoke. The actor playing Clopin ran off half in character and half in a mixture of confusion and fear. The rest of the cast looked equally as alarmed at the spark that shot off.

DISCLAIMER: Before you think we are horribly dangerous people it is important to note that there are multiple safety protocols in effect that keep the actors safe from pyrotechnic mishaps. The actors are not to be too close to the launch site and there is a stage hand with a fire extinguisher in hand right off stage. Technically, the green cartridge should have performed in the exact same manner as the white ones because it was the same brand and type. It was a major coincidence that this particular green one on this particular night did not have the desired effect of smoke.

Steve and I to this day had not told anyone what we did. We nodded and agreed as everyone talked about how crazy it was that the cartridge did that after days and days of successful effects.

I just really wanted to see the green smoke.