Beatles subject of laser show at Heritage Planetarium in Maryville

Photo by Amy Smotherman Burgess // Buy this photo

Scenes from The Beatles laser show at the Heritage Planetarium are shown. The show, put together by Thomas Webber, the planetarium’s director, opened Feb. 12, 2010. The program features hits by the band from its early mophead days all the way to the later psychedelic years.

Photo by Amy Smotherman Burgess

Scenes from The Beatles laser show at the Heritage Planetarium are shown. The show, put together by Thomas Webber, the planetarium’s director, opened Feb. 12, 2010. The program features hits by the band from its early mophead days all the way to the later psychedelic years.

MARYVILLE - Forty-six years ago, Ed Sullivan introduced the band that would transform rock'n'roll.

This year, Thomas R. Webber transforms the classic hits of the Beatles through a mind-stimulating visual laser show at Heritage Planetarium in Maryville - a technological accomplishment that he says is unique in the world.

"It's a musical concert," said Webber, director of Heritage Planetarium and a freelance science writer for the News Sentinel. "You come here and see the music."

Webber has fused together lights, lasers and 15 Beatles hits to create a far-out 50-minute show that taps into Beatles fans' internal jukebox.

The show starts with the group's early mophead tie-wearing days and stretches to the later psychedelic years.

It ranges from chart-toppers to songs that got less radio time, like "Tomorrow Never Knows," "When I'm 64" and "Revolution."

Choosing which songs to include in the show, Webber said, was tougher than the programming technology. Fans hearing of the planetarium project would stop him at the grocery store and lobby for their favorite songs, he said.

At least one fan gives Webber a thumbs-up.

"This production captures the essence of the Beatles while offering some of their most loved songs, and I feel certain the Beatles would provide their delighted stamp of approval," said Cathyrn Amspaugh, theater arts teacher at Heritage High School and a Fab Four fan.

Visual displays dance on the planetarium dome - 3-D visual effects and laser-drawn animated pictures of the Beatles. The show is rated a "4" in intensity on a scale of 1 to 5, reflecting the high-decibel sound level and intense laser stimulation.

Heritage Planetarium, 3741 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway, underwent renovations in 2007 that made it the first of its kind in the world to have a 360x180 full color solid-state Skylase Laser Projector System, manufactured by AVI/Konica Minolta - meaning the lasers go beyond one dimension, creating depth and multidimensional images.

The laser concert is complemented by digital animation and automated analog effects - the "dancing light show," Webber said.

"If someone thinks they've seen it, they haven't. It's all original to the planetarium," Webber said.

Heritage High School teacher Mary Cooper got a sneak peak at the Beatles show.

"It's definitely a sing-along show," she said. "I really enjoyed it, because I am a Beatles fan."

The laser show premiers at 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 12, with a second show at 8 p.m. Tickets will go on sale an hour before the program. The show also runs Feb. 13, and Feb. 26, with shows twice a night at 6:30 and 8 p.m.

Tickets are $5 per person and parking is free. Visit www.heritageplanetarium.org or call 865-984-8548 for more information.

Kolby Kucyk can be reached at 865-342-6336.

© 2010, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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