Cernan Earth and Space Center at Triton College has created its first original laser light and music show in over 30 years. It’s called Laser Chappell Roan and features the music of the popular performer.
The show, which features some of Chappell Roan’s biggest hits, runs at 8:30 p.m. every Saturday in June, which is Pride Month. Tickets are $10 for adults; $5 for seniors and for children ages 2-17. Tickets can only be purchased on the day of the show at Cernan’s Star Store at the center, 2000 5th Ave., River Grove.
“We have been discussing at some length the desire to have more content and newer content,” said Kris Kovach McCall, Cernan’s director. “The opportunity presented itself through a new staff member, who’s only been with us two years, who wanted to learn how to produce laser animation and shows.”
The new staff member, Planetarium educator Jordan Jubeck, decided to focus the show on the music of Chappell Roan.
“I wanted to start with music that I enjoy because I knew that I could sit there and listen to it for hours while I was doing the programming,” Jubeck explained. “There is a community of planetariums who do laser shows and I’ve seen some interest in a Laser Chappell Roan show. As far as I was aware, nobody has made that yet.”
Jubeck said a laser show like this could draw a new demographic to Cernan.
She started the process by downloading free laser programming software onto the office’s laptop. Then it became a process of figuring out what worked and what didn’t, Jubeck said. She had to decide which images worked best with the music. The entire process of putting the show together took over a year, although Jubeck wasn’t working on it full time because she had other projects as well.
Because Roan has only produced one album and two singles, Jubeck didn’t have a huge selection of songs from which to choose. Most of Roan’s songs wound up in the show, including “Pink Pony Club,” “Good Luck, Babe!,” and “HOT TO GO!”
The show runs 50 minutes and audience members are free to sing along.
McCall praised Jubeck’s work on the show. “For a first production, Jordan did a really good job,” the director said. “I almost hate to admit that I have been involved with laser shows and production as far back as the ‘70s. The show looks really good; it sounds really good. I’m hoping that we might be able to do more similar kinds of work in the future.”
It is a complicated process, McCall emphasized, declaring that it’s more than just a laser show.
“There’s lasers but there’s also stars and planets and giant kaleidoscopes and all sorts of visual effects to accompany the music. You have to go more than 150 miles to find another planetarium that offers light shows. It is a unique experience for the Chicagoland area.”
They plan to run Laser Chappell Roan again in the future, McCall reported. She urged people to check the website, triton.edu/campus/cernan-center, to learn when it will be shown again because the schedule is subject to change.
McCall said the audience response to Laser Chappell Roan has been very positive. “The first night that it opened, feedback was tremendous,” she reported. “The audience was lively. They were enthusiastic and several said they were planning to come back and bring friends.”
McCall noted, “We try to present a broad range of music, musical styles, genres, and things for different generations. We’re looking forward to doing more of that — but it does take a little bit of time to produce a show.”
Myrna Petlicki is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
