WEXFORD, Ireland — The new Wexford Opera House is on the same site as its predecessor, the Theatre Royal, but at 83,420 square feet, it is 4.5 times larger, and now offers almost twice the seating capacity and a 130 percent increase in stage area.
Read More »LAS VEGAS — ESP Vision announced that modeling plugins for use with Vectorworks Spotlight 2009 on Windows and Mac OSX operating systems are now available. The company noted that Vectorworks is the only modeling program that currently is available on both Windows and Mac environments. The plugins will let LDs create Vision data files using Vectorworks Spotlight 2009 running on the PC and Mac.
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ATLANTA — Lasers, moving lights and imagery from Brian Eno’s 77 Million Paintings archive aren’t the only elements adding visual interest to Coldplay’s Viva La Vida tour. (See “Wide Angle,” PLSN, Oct. 2008). A collaboration between LD Paul Normandale, XL Video and Pufferfish and others has resulted in internally projected spheres looming above the performers.
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UNCASVILLE, CT — Staind is using new gear including Martin’s 1,500-watt MAC III Profile for the band’s tour of the U.S. and Europe in support of their latest release, The Illusion of Progress. Michael Cooper, lighting designer and programmer, had used Martin gear previously and was willing to give the new profile spots a try.
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EL PASO, TX — The Abundant Living Faith Center (ALFC) is a nondenominational, multicultural church with over 15,000 active members and a mix of ministries and activities. After a major expansion and renovation project, the church features a new 3,600-seat main auditorium where 36 PixelPar 90s light up the backdrop in a variety of colors.
Read More »LAS VEGAS — ESTA presented its 2008 Eva Swan Award to Tim Hansen in recognition of his service to the association over many years. The award was presented at ESTA’s Annual Dinner by the 2005 Swan recipient, Wally Blount. Blount had worked with Hansen on the development of the Entertainment Technician Certification Program (ETCP).
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FORT WAYNE, IN — Apollo Design Technology, Inc. announced that it is switching from chemical etching to laser technology for all gobo production. The switch, prompted by safety and environmental concerns, started with steel gobos in 2007. Laser-etching technology is now being used to produce Apollo’s glass gobos as well.
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NEW ORLEANS — Starbucks may have announced plans earlier this year to close about 600 of its locations, or about 5 percent of all U.S. stores, between July 2008 and March 2009, but the company went full steam ahead with a reported $3 million investment in its recent Leadership Conference, which drew more than 10,000 of its management team members to New Orleans to experience a show staged by Seattle-based production company Touch and AV Concepts, Tempe, Ariz.
Read More »NORTH CREEK, NY — George B. Studnicky III, president and CEO of Creative Stage Lighting (CSL), recently received recognition for his community service from the Hudson Headwaters Health Network, a not-for-profit system of community health centers serving the Adirondack, Lake George, and Glens Falls areas in Upstate New York.
Read More »CINCINNATI, OH —The ETCP Council and USITT will offer electrical, arena rigging and theatre rigging examinations in a paper and pencil format at the USITT Conference and Stage Expo on March 20 and 21, 2009. Interested applicants should submit their application, along with supporting materials and fee, postmarked by Feb. 27, 2009.
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MILWAUKEE, WI — The crew for Summerfest ’08, which takes place at the Marcus Amphitheater in Henry Maier Festival Park along the lakefront, staged a followspot showdown this year. The winning instruments — Robert Juliat Super Korrigan 1200W and Victor 1800W followspots — were used for shows attracting up to 25,000 attendees per performance and more than a million people over the course of the summer.
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ANAHEIM, CA — “Subtle” might not be an adjective often used to describe Affliction Entertainment’s heavy metal style. But subtle details make a difference for the appearance of the mixed martial arts shows, presented live and on pay-per-view. For Affliction Banned, an event broadcast earlier this year, Innovative Show Design (ISD) lighting designer Justin Garrone chose 28 PixelPar 44s to warm the truss.
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