News

SACRAMENTO, CA — When the Theatre Arts department at American River College began making plans for its new performance space, an up-to-date rigging system was one of the department’s top priorities.  So was student safety and speedy changeovers.  The two-year community college, which serves 30,000 students, chose to update its rigging with the PowerAssist system from J.R. Clancy.

NEW YORK — Wall Street may have been caught in the grip of panic, with a stampede of bulls turning into bears overnight. But if the recent manifestation of the ongoing subprime lending crisis was giving fits to traders and investors, CNBC’s Fast Money program made a smooth transition to an uptown venue — Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Allen Room.

CHARLESTON, SC —Glassware company Stolzle USA and Production Design Associates (PDA) co-hosted an event at Memminger Auditorium recently that served as a showcase for PDA’s staging technology and design ideas.  The theme for the evening involved the four elements — air, fire, earth and water.

Elation Professional’s ELED Fresnel, powered by LEDs, is an updated version of a classic white Fresnel stage light. Instead of the traditional halogen lamp, the ELED Fresnel uses a 50-watt, 6,000k white LED module as its light source. This module, comprised of a cluster of white LEDs, emits an output equivalent to a 500-watt halogen lamp, but draws only 75 watts of power. Along with energy savings, the LEDs generate less heat and are rated for 100,000 hours under normal operating conditions. The ELED Fresnel also has a built-in strobe, 0% to 100% electronic dimming and a 10° to 50° manual zoom. Adjustable barn doors allow for a variety of flat, square and circular beam shaping options. The units also feature internal DMX control, an LDC menu display on the rear of the unit, a 3-pin and 5-pin DMX connection and a multi-voltage internal power supply.  Each unit measures 14.5 inches long, 9.84 inches wide and 14.5 inches high and weighs 11.6 pounds. The MSRP is $899.95.

NASHVILLE — The 12th and Porter club, a venue that has served as a launching pad for up-and-coming bands, overhauled its stage lighting system three years ago with 16 Clay Paky light fixtures, added by Daniel Slezinger, who was then the club’s production manager.

LAS VEGAS — Not many performers are known the world over by one single name. Fewer still get offered a three-year extension on their four-decade career with a multi-million dollar gig at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace. But Cher isn’t filling the Colosseum’s maw all by herself. She’s supported by layers of artistry that include choreographed dancers and aerialists, costumes by Bob Mackie and innovative staging and lighting technology, including moving images projected by Christie projectors.

Daktronics’ latest addition to the PST product line, the PST-10 modular display panel, takes the cabinet design of the PST series and fuses it with Daktronics MAG-10 technology, an indoor/outdoor display module that uses three-in-one black-stamped light-emitting diodes (LEDs) for improved viewing quality from shorter distances. The PST-10, designed for rental and staging applications, combines the pixel pitch of indoor SMD displays outdoors with the weather resistance and brightness of outdoor through-hole LED products. Protected at an IP-66 environmental rating, the panels shield the LEDs from the elements and use a dark display face for an improved picture. The PST-10 panels can be combined together in a variety of shapes and sizes. They also feature 12 removable MAG-10 modules for design flexibility. Customers can also adjust brightness and color on site. The PST-10 panels join Daktronics’ PST-10i, PST-13, PST-12HD and PST-23 modular display panel line.

WARSAW, IN — Da-Lite Screen Company has named Adam Teevan director of Asian sales.  In this newly created position, Teevan will be responsible for maintaining and cultivating customer relationships in the Asia Pacific markets.

LEBANON, TN —Leviton recently held a ribbon cutting ceremony to mark plans to open a 450,000 square-foot automated distribution facility in the Nashville area in February 2009. The event was attended by Donald Hendler, president and CEO of Leviton, Stephen Sokolow, chairman of Leviton’s board of directors, local business group leaders and government officials.