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Buyer’s Guide: Audience Lighting (aka Blinders)

‘Stranger Things’: A Rift Appears in NYC

All photos courtesy PRG

Lighting and Video Mapping the Upside Down on the Empire State Building
On an “ominously” cloudy May 26 evening in NYC the world turned upside down as a rift opened on the south side of the Empire State Building. This traffic stopping event was part of NETFLIX’s visually spectacular activation for the debut of Stranger Things 4, Vol. 1 that consisted of a light show and projection mapped ‘opening of rifts’ on 15 landmarks in 14 countries around the world. The rift projection and lighting presentation on the iconic Empire State Building (ESB) was actually a 15-minute show that looped for two hours. The effort to realize this event on the ESB epitomizes the saying ‘The devil is in the details.’ To learn more about those production details PLSN spoke with two of the companies that provided the lighting design and projection mapping solutions—Tactical Manoeuvre, LLC and PRG. They gave us some insight on the technology that captivated fans streaming around the world and New Yorkers who clogged streets and rooftops to glimpse the Upside Down.Read More »‘Stranger Things’: A Rift Appears in NYC

The Hamilcast: A Hamilton Podcast with “Hamilton” Prop Master Jay Duckworth

In Episode #324 of The Hamilcast: A Hamilton Podcast, which aired on July 4, 2022, host Gillian Pensavalle takes a deep dive with Hamilton Prop Master Jay Duckworth on how he got his start making props for the theater, what goes into bringing history to life on the stage, and Duckworth shares behind-the-scenes stories of Hamilton‘s journey, from early days at The Public to Broadway.Read More »The Hamilcast: A Hamilton Podcast with “Hamilton” Prop Master Jay Duckworth

TCG Announces RESPOND Grantees for THRIVE! Uplifting Theatres of Color

Theatre Communications Group (TCG) is pleased to announce the recipients of $10,000 RESPOND grants as part of the THRIVE! Uplifting Theatres of Color program. With $1,635,000 in support from Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, TCG is working in partnership with an Advisory Circle of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC*) to provide unrestricted funds for Black theatres, Indigenous theatres, and Theatres of Color (BITOC*) based in the U.S. (including Tribal Nations and U.S. Territories). RESPOND provides unrestricted funds to theatres to address immediate, time-sensitive challenges that prevent ongoing work with their community. THRIVE! will also provide RECOGNIZE grants and host REBUILD: A Learning Cohort. Learn more about the THRIVE! Program here.Read More »TCG Announces RESPOND Grantees for THRIVE! Uplifting Theatres of Color

Focus Center Stage: 50 Years of the Theatre on Film and Tape Archive at the NYPL

At the heart of The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts is a collection of video recordings which has documented and preserved theatre history, America’s diverse and expansive culture, and revolutionized theatre research. The Theatre on Film and Tape Archive (TOFT) has long been recognized as the first and foremost collection of video recorded live theatre performances in the world, and 2020 marked its 50th anniversary. The Library for the Performing Arts celebrates this landmark collection with an exhibition opening on July 14, 2022 (delayed due to the pandemic). Read More »Focus Center Stage: 50 Years of the Theatre on Film and Tape Archive at the NYPL

LRLR Completes the 19th Annual Charity Motorcycle Ride, the Blue Ridge Ramble

The Long Reach Long Riders (LRLR) are very happy to announce the successful completion of their 19th annual charity motorcycle ride, the Blue Ridge Ramble. The annual ride, which benefits the Behind the Scenes Charity and Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, began in Charlotte, NC on June 17th and returned to Charlotte on June 24th. The group, which consisted of 26 bikes and two chase cars, has raised over $93,500.00 to date, bringing the total raised by the LRLR since the rides began in 2004, to more than $1,000,000.00.Read More »LRLR Completes the 19th Annual Charity Motorcycle Ride, the Blue Ridge Ramble

Analog Way Names Midwest AV as Sales Rep in Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Missouri

Analog Way is pleased to appoint independent manufacturer’s representative firm Midwest AV of Prospect Heights, IL as their sales rep in Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Missouri. Under Principal Barbara Sjodin, the Midwest AV sale team will support integrator and reseller bases in that territory with the full range of Analog Way’s pro AV products.Read More »Analog Way Names Midwest AV as Sales Rep in Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Missouri