GOTHAM HALL: METAMORPHOSIS
A Study in Spatial Cinema.
The Canvas
Constructed in 1922, the Grand Ballroom of Gotham Hall is a 10,000-square-foot neoclassical bank vault defined by seventy-foot-tall limestone walls and solid granite Corinthian columns.
The Transformation
Commissioned for the House of SpeakEasy’s annual gala, Iridescence Research Lab bypassed standard flat screens to transform the historic architecture into a work of spatial cinema. Our mandate was to physically manifest the literary theme of "Metamorphosis"—a modern exploration of Pygmalion and My Fair Lady.
We projection-mapped a photorealistic, custom designed forty-foot-tall mahogany library directly onto the physical sandstone walls. Calibrated to align precisely with the physical columns and architectural features, the digital cinematography established an immediate illusion of warmth and literary history.
As celebrated authors performed spoken-word narratives on stage, the architecture responded. The towering mahogany shelves fractured and dissolved into delicate embers, drifting upward along the elliptical walls before reassembling into vast starfields and constellations beneath the gilded honeycomb ceiling.
Credits
Metamorphosis Concept:
Dr. Amanda Foreman
Commissioned & Presented by:
House of SpeakEasy
Alison Davis Curry, Executive Director
Light & Projections Tech:
Bentley Meeker Lighting & Staging
Audio Tech:
Eastern Stage Productions
House of SpeakEasy Producer & Stage Manager:
Emily Reeves
House of SpeakEasy Production & Research Assistant:
Max Bray
The Score
To counter the massive, low-frequency echo of the stone vault, an original score was composed entirely on the celeste. The instrument’s delicate, bell-like timbre was utilized to cut through the monumental space, creating an atmosphere of profound acoustic intimacy that framed the spoken word.
Integrated Scenography
To maintain absolute conceptual coherence, Iridescence Research Lab served as the singular architectural and acoustic lead. Scenographer & Director Vijay Rajkumar executed the following:
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Scenography: Architectural projection mapping, light and sound design, and physical spatial curation of the 10,000 sq ft volume, including stage props.
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Show Direction: Crafted the narrative arc of the event and executed real-time orchestration of the room's atmosphere, performances and cinematic transitions.
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Animated Projections: Custom motion design for the 40ft tall wall projections governing the narrative arc of the event, transforming the library into a celestial landscape, and also synchronized animations for an audio play that opened the event.
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Original Music Composition: Soundtrack composed and produced for Gotham Hall and the Metamorphosis narrative.