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In Memoriam: Chris McGregor, Production Designer & Creative Visionary, 61

Chris McGregor

Production Designer and President of San Francisco-based Stage II Productions, Chris McGregor died of a heart attack on Monday, July 31, 2023, at 61. McGregor is widely known for his creative work for Phish and The Residents as well as lighting and production design for numerous events. His passing was initially confirmed by The Residents, who he had worked with since 1989. McGregor earned a BFA degree from the California Institute of the Arts in 1984.Read More »In Memoriam: Chris McGregor, Production Designer & Creative Visionary, 61

Brown Note Productions and Elation Proteus Weather Wild Summer Conditions

Inkcarceration (photo: Nathan Zucker)

By any measure, summer 2023 in the U.S. has been extreme with intense heat, severe rainfall and unrelenting smoke. So when a number of outdoor festivals and events are on the program, the challenge for any production company is immense. “This is a very current issue,” states Ryan Knutson, President of Brown Note Productions in Colorado. “We’ve seen some really intense changing weather patterns and IP fixtures have become critical in outdoor applications.” Read More »Brown Note Productions and Elation Proteus Weather Wild Summer Conditions

Sinéad O’Connor is introduced at the 1989 Grammy’s performing “Mandinka”

As we mark the passing of Sinéad O’Connor, who died at the age of 56 on July 26, 2023, we share this video of the first live performance many of us in U.S. saw of the incredibly talented artist. She performed “Mandinka” on the 1989 Grammy Awards, where she was nominated for Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female for her 1987 debut album, The Lion and the Cobra. Her performance won the audience over, though she lost the award to the iconic Tina Turner.

Anolis Chosen for The Godfrey Hotel’s New Lighting Scheme

A new Anolis external lighting scheme is illuminating the facades of The Godfrey Hotel in Boston, picking out the detail and architectural intricacies of the impressive former Blake & Armory Building, a historic commercial site at the corner of Temple Place and Washington Street in the city’s Downtown Crossing pedestrian shopping zone. Ron Kuszmar of PORT led the project and explained that the hotel’s owners brought them onboard to specify, design, and install a new LED lighting scheme that would highlight the building in all its glory and replace the previous system dating back to when The Godfrey originally opened in 2016.Read More »Anolis Chosen for The Godfrey Hotel’s New Lighting Scheme

Maxi Gilbert and ChamSys Soar for Manuel Carrasco

Maxi Gilbert says that he draws inspiration for his designs from opera sets. At first that may seem a bit surprising, since the Madrid-based designer has created lightshows for stars like multi-Grammy winner Alejandro Sanz, and chart-topping Manuel Carrasco. But anyone who sees his work on Carrasco’s current Corazón y Flecha tour will readily appreciate the connection.Read More »Maxi Gilbert and ChamSys Soar for Manuel Carrasco

Music Matters Productions 20th Anniversary

Learn more about Music Matters Productions, who are celebrating their 20th anniversary in business this year. From a middle school music education business, MMP has grown by leaps and bounds from small stages in the Atlanta, GA area to supporting festivals, productions, and tours across the U.S. 

Tickets Now on Sale: 2023 Event Safety Summit

 

The wait is over! Registration is now open for the 2023 Event Safety Summit, landing in Houston, TX this November 7-9. Join the ESA in the home of NASA and some of the country’s largest entertainment, cultural, and sporting events as they explore new frontiers in safety practice and technology and broadcast their message of safety to the farthest reaches of the event world*.

Since 2014, the Event Safety Summit has brought together professionals from around the globe and across the entertainment, sports, and corporate event industries to discuss all aspects of safety, security, and health at live events. Featuring a diverse lineup of presentations, panels, workshops, and networking opportunities, the Event Safety Summit provides attendees with actionable ideas, enables collaboration with and communication among like-minded professionals, and sends attendees home with new motivation to put life safety first in their daily work.

Whether you’re a seasoned event professional or new to the industry, you’ll leave The Bayou City feeling empowered to take safety by the (long)horns and continue ESA’s mission of “Life Safety First.”

*Can’t make it to Houston? Fear not… you can join them in cyberspace as well.

Read More »Tickets Now on Sale: 2023 Event Safety Summit

STARS Labor App

With the objective of minimizing labor management chaos and streamlining managers’ tasks, the STARS Labor app significantly reduces the time and effort required for managing labor. Powered by Synchronus, STARS is a web-based system supported by the secure infrastructure of Amazon Web Services (AWS).

ODESZA: ‘The Last Goodbye Tour’

Electronic music with live music from drumline and horn sections produces a unique acoustic and visually arresting live musical experience for ODESZA’s audiences. Co-Creative Directors Luke Tanaka and Sean Kusanagi along with Lighting Designer Kyle Kegan have been working with the band and PM Shane Crowl to ensure the visual design reinforces the dynamic performance on tour and at festivals during “The Last Goodbye Tour.”

Willa Kim Scholarship & Exhibition; News from Perdue and USITT

The Theatre Communications Group (TCG) has announced the recipients of 2023 The Willa Kim Costume Design Scholarship, honoring costume designer Willa Kim’s legacy and her life’s work as a pioneer, legend, and inspiration for many of today’s theater artists. Kim’s iconic work in ballet, theater, opera, and television is also the subject of a career spanning retrospective at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts as noted in this month’s theater news, along with a new online course in Structures for the Stage from Purdue University. We also look at USITT’s Gateway Program and USITT’s 2023 Joel E. Rubin Founders Award honoree, Elynmarie Kazle.

Designer, Author, Educator James L. Moody, 80

Designer James L. Moody died this year at the age of 80. A pioneering lighting designer for concerts, television, and theater as well as a professor, lecturer, author, and mentor, Moody had an amazing and varied career that influenced many throughout the live entertainment industry.