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Nominations Open for 2010 Indispensable Technology “IT” Awards

LAS VEGAS – Nominations are now being accepted online to recognize technologies that have advanced the state of the art in lighting, projection and staging within the past year. Called the Indispensable Technology "IT" Awards, this competition was added to the Parnelli Awards competition last year, and will be a part of the 10th Annual Parnelli Awards Dinner set for the Rio Hotel in Las Vegas on Oct. 22.

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Designers for “American Idiot” and “Red” Honored at Tony Awards

NEW YORK – Scenic and lighting designers for American Idiot and Red were among those garnering top honors at the 2010 Tony Awards. American Idiot's Kevin Adams and Christine Jones won, respectively, for Best Lighting Design and Best Scenic Design of a Musical. Neil Austin and Christopher Oram won, respectively, for Best Lighting Design and Best Scenic Design of a Play for Red.

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Secret Formula for Success

What is the secret to success and why is it such a big secret? It's been thousands of years since it was first tasted; you would think that it's in the public domain by now. Volumes have been written about it, you can buy DVDs, attend seminars, and find a variety of materials purporting to reveal it, yet the true formula can't be bought, sold, or traded. You have a better chance of stealing Mr. Krab's secret formula for the Krabby Patty than getting your fins on the secret formula for success.

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Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson: Mashing Up High and Low Art

In what is evidently the first major Emo musical, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson deconstructs our concept of the first Democratic President of the United States. It revisits his legacy of uniting and dividing while utilizing modern slang and rock songs to portray a pivotal point in history – particularly his decimation of the Native American population – while connecting it to modern political conflicts and agendas.

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Billy Joel & Elton John: Face 2 Face

Steve Cohen is one of the few in the industry who really know what it's like to light a show without the benefit of today's touring technology. Having worked with Billy Joel since 1974, he's keenly aware of the distinction between art and the hardware with which it is produced. But he's equally adept at designing with state-of-the-art gear, having done so for Joel, Elton John, Mariah Carey, Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Van Halen and Paul Simon, to name just a few.

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Union Connector’s Electric Past, Future

It was an era where people like him were either cops, priests, criminals or stagehands,” says Rich Wolpert, referring to his grandfather, Bill Wolpert, founder of Union Connector. Given those choices, Bill could have done worse. But instead of turning to a life of crime – or arresting or hearing confessions from others who had – Bill Wolpert worked as a union stagehand on Broadway.

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Cirque du Soleil’s Viva ELVIS!

Elvis is definitely in the building, and it's a building literally built for a king.

 

Cirque du Soleil, in partnership with Elvis Presley Enterprises and MGM/Mirage, has Viva ELVIS happening at the new Aria Resort & Casino at CityCenter in Las Vegas, the world''s largest hotel to achieve a Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED) Gold rating from the U.S. Green Building Council. Those expecting a "traditional" Cirque show (if such an animal even exists), or one that mimics their last smash hit, the Beatles-themed LOVE, went home dazzled by the unexpected.

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The Scheimpflug Principle

So, there I am in my projector 101 class, and things are progressing quite nicely.

"Let's discuss the mechanics of focus and lens shift," says the esteemed professor. "No problem," says I … easy terms and concepts.

"Let's ponder the mysteries of color space," says the master of PowerPoint. "Gotcha," says I, as we dive deep into the CIE color space chart in all its beauty.

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