Stage Directions

Following the unprecedented impact of COVID-19 on the performing arts, The Shubert Foundation announced that it is awarding a record $32.1 million in 2021 grants to 575 not-for-profit theatres, dance companies, professional theatre training programs, and related service agencies across the United States.

The grants, which range from $10,000 to $325,000, benefit the broadest possible spectrum of theatre and dance organizations—from large to small, from urban to rural—including groups that provide crucial early arts exposure to young audiences. The announcement comes as many longtime Shubert grantees have been fighting for their survival.Read More »The Shubert Foundation Awards $32.1 Million in 2021 Grants

“Time is very long for those who wait,” wrote Shakespeare. The bard penned these words more than four centuries (and a couple of pandemics) ago. But those deprived of the joy of live theatre during the coronavirus lockdown, know all too well the excruciating anguish of which he wrote.

Among this group are patrons of the Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts. Just before the pandemic, they were eagerly awaiting its production of Shakespeare in Love. They continued to wait for over a year. Happily, now at least a small number of them have been able to enjoy a live performance of the classic romantic comedy.Read More »Mountview Theatre’s Shakespeare in Love Gets Varied Looks from Adam King and CHAUVET Professional

ACT Lighting, Inc. is pleased to announce that Bradley Cronenwett has joined the company as Regional Outside Sales for the southeast. An Ohio native, Cronenwett brings to his new post more than a decade of production experience in lighting and design with touring shows such as Cirque du Soleil as well as theme park design at Universal Creative.Read More »ACT Lighting Welcomes Bradley Cronenwett as Regional Outside Sales 

Bandit Lites is pleased to share the hiring of Melanie Miller as its Accounts Payable Manager. Miller earned a degree in business administration with an emphasis in accounting from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. She gained experience in investment and international accounting and has held positions as a controller and chief financial officer. Miller is also a member of the NACM – National Association of Credit Management, SHRM- Society for Human Resource Management, and NAPW- National Association of Professional Women. Read More »Bandit Lites Hires Melanie Miller to World Headquarters

The University of Wisconsin – Madison: Department of Theater and Drama is proud to announce two online summer courses specifically designed for the needs of K-12 theater, music, and dance teachers, and those who work on those shows: Audio for Performing Arts Teachers, and Lighting for Performing Arts Teachers. Read More »UW Madison Offers New Technical Theater Courses for K-12 Teachers

UC College-Conservatory of Music Dean Stanley E. Romanstein has announced the addition of Kevin Lawson to the college’s roster of distinguished performing and media arts faculty members. An award-winning theater and television professional, Lawson’s appointment as Assistant Professor of Lighting Design and Technology begins on Aug. 15, 2021.

Lawson’s early career was spent in theater, working as an assistant/associate and lighting designer in regional, off-Broadway and Broadway theaters. After a serendipitous career shift to broadcast television, he has spent most of the last 21 years as a lighting designer, lighting director, and/or programmer on more than 200 televised productions.Read More »Lighting Designer Kevin Lawson Joins UC College-Conservatory of Music’s Faculty

In a land of theater excellence, Aistenok Irkutsk Regional Puppet Theater occupies a prominent place among Russian puppet theaters. The marionette masters in the Siberian city of Irkutsk recently worked with Light Power Design (LPD) to upgrade its stage lighting and chose low noise, low heat Elation Professional LED luminaires along with Magmatic atmospheric effects.Read More »Elation LED Upgrade for Russia’s Aistenok Puppet Theater

The first Virtual Showlight event, which was held on Tuesday May 25, 2021, proved to be a real success story. With the full Showlight postponed due to the pandemic, VSL 2021 turned trial into triumph when it threw open its virtual doors to an online audience in excess of 430 delegates. Students, educational establishments, venues and, of course, lighting designers from all genres of the industry – theatre, film and TV, architectural and events, and more – attended from almost 50 countries, and many have since returned to re-watch the Papers through Hubilo’s On Demand service.Read More »Virtual Showlight 2021 Proves a Success in Reality

For the next 90 days, the Event Safety Alliance will offer the online Event Safety Access Training (ESAT) course free of charge, enabling live event professionals to complete the training for free. The ESAT course developed by the Event Safety Alliance provides comprehensive core safety skills training for live event professionals. The ESAT course has been underwritten for 90 days, ending on August 1, 2021.Read More »Event Safety Alliance Offers Free ESAT Training