Erin Grabe, Special Projects, talks about her role in The Service Road.

 “My role in The Service Road has varied throughout the production process, with my main contribution coming in the form of a prop, simply referred to as the carousel.  Early on I was involved with implementing and troubleshooting the video projection system used for the Tree Children and, in between classes and projects, I collaborated with the prop crew on some of their projects, including the geese, the big-headed toddler and the ghost dog.

 “The carousel was the culmination of my studies in the Entertainment Technology Department at NYC College of Technology.  For this, a stool, an old patio umbrella, an even older bike, and some metal tubing came together to form a one-of-a-kind prop that defies categorization – falling not solely under the jurisdiction of the prop, scenery, lighting, or automation departments.  It is a bicycle pedal-powered carousel, operated in the show by a carousel operator named Linus (played by Adhesive's Artistic Director, Cory Einbinder), that spins him in his seat using roller chain, friction-fit to a timing belt.  The mechanics of the system saw many revisions under the guidance of Technical Director John McCullough, and ultimately married the found-object style that Cory was looking for with the reliability and safe-operation necessary for onstage use.  The bicycle power is redirected using a 1:1 right angle drive gear, the bulbs around the umbrella are S6, 6 watt, 120V mini-candelabra base wired in parallel and the lamp that produces the silhouettes of the carousel horses on the floor is a Q150CL/DC.  One of my biggest challenges was staying under the $500 budget.  The item that put me over budget?  The copper bell that Cory had to have!”