It's a big theater weekend in Maplewood and South Orange, with the Columbia High School production of "Big" premiering at 7:30 p.m., and The Strollers' production of "Indian Blood," taking to the boards over at The Burgdorff Center for Performing Arts at 8 p.m. Who says there's no culture in the 'burbs?!

It's the signature scene, the "Big" moment, if you will, when main character Josh dances on a lighted piano to the tune of "Heart and Soul" and "Chopsticks." And in the Columbia High School production of "Big," the scene is a collaboration of music, dance, lights and a MIDI file or two.

Charlie Hooven, who works for Synergy, the company that cares for the district's technology, including smartboards and cameras, has long been a go-to guy for CHS musicals. His background in technical theater, including Central Park concerts and night club lighting, makes him an obvious resource. Hooven says he has a "great working relationship" with district personnel. 

Still, "Big" was "a real challenge," even for a man who managed the flying apparatus for "Peter Pan" a few years back. The "walking piano," as it's known, is available for rental, but the cost was prohibitive. At first, it seemed that the show might have to go on without the piano. 

"How could we build this?" Hooven asked himself when he studied the Broadway version of "Big" and saw the lighted dance floor that responded to the actor's touch. "Wow, okay," he said to himself, when he decided to bring 2010 technology to the fore and found it worked. 

Now, a long platform on center stage is "raked," raised slightly for the audience. From above the platform, two LCD projectors produce an image 16 feet wide and four feet deep. A computer scans from sheet music onto a MIDI file and generates an animated keyboard. At the same time, a keyboard player in the orchestra pit watches the actors dance on stage and accompanies them on a real piano. The effect is magical, as if the character Josh is stepping on a giant piano that responds to his movements with musical notes.

"It was a bunch of challenges coming together," admits Hooven, who noted that, as Josh dances, the music's tempo varies. "He's trying out the piano, remember?" asked Hooven. Since "the computer doesn't know how to pause," he and his colleagues had to tweak the technology a bit.

Hooven is particularly pleased that everything was done "in house," and he was able to use equipment that the district already owns. 

"It was pretty incredible," he said, recalling the "test dance," when the actors first tried out the piano on Wednesday morning. "The kids loved it." 

The real test, of course, comes in mid-March, when "Big" meets its audience. The magic of theater is such that viewers probably won't notice the technology; they'll only see Josh recalling the three years of piano lessons he left behind when he grew "Big." But behind—and above—the scenes, there's technology and talent at work. After all, as Hooven notes, "the scene, the piano, it's the icon of the show."

"Big," directed by Michael Healy, will be performed at CHS on March 12, 13, 19 and 20 at 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium. It will also be performed on March 14 and 21 at 2 p.m. For tickets, call Columbia High School at 973-762-5600. Cast members are also selling tickets.