Stage photography

I am photographing several stage performances with extreme low and fluctuating lighting conditions. Often, one performer would be in black outfit while the other is in white, both illuminated by spots and moving rapidly on the stage. The background is about 2 to 3 stops darker then the intermidiate reading between the two performers. (In other words...nightmare!!!) The photos are to be used for publication purposes which demands extreme fine grain, high sharpness, and good tonalities. I've tried Neopan 1600 @ 1600, Delta 3200 @3200, HP5 @ 1600, and Delta 400 @ 1600. The editor who reviewed my 8x10 and 11x14 prints felt that these still had too much grain. Also, the editor demanded excellent visibility in background as well as the performers. Can anyone give me some advise as to how I can best solve this problem? Thanks.

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