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Upstaging Celebrates 50 Years

Live entertainment lighting and trucking company Upstaging marked its 50th anniversary in 2022. During the past half century co-founders, brothers Robert and Don Carone, and Robin Shaw, joined in 1979 by John Huddleston, have turned Upstaging from a garage-based pioneer into a stalwart of the industry. The four share with PLSN some of their reflections growing a company alongside the concert touring industry—the beginnings, the milestones, and what they hope people know about Upstaging today.

JRLX’s Sustained Success

Based in Tinley Park, IL, JRLX provides touring production, lighting, and visual solutions beyond their Chicago region in addition to their offerings in technical sales and integration. Today the business is about 75 percent sales and integration and 25 percent touring. Partners Jason Reberski (CEO) and Kevin Rosenhagen (COO) tell PLSN how their taking a measured approach to growth in this often-volatile industry has allowed JRLX to thrive.

Curating The Making of a Broadway Show Exhibit

The Museum of Broadway, an immersive and interactive theatrical experience, has opened in New York City’s theater district. The Making of a Broadway Show exhibit was designed by Scenic Designer and Architect David Rockwell with Faye Armon-Troncoso serving as Set Decorator & Prop Supervisor. She spoke with Stage Directions in PLSN about her work in support of this thoughtful and deep diving look at the many people, roles and elements that bring a Broadway show to the stage. Featuring the work of dozens of designers, theater artists, and historians, the museum’s exploration of the past, present, and future of Broadway is receiving standing ovations from visitors.

Holiday Shows Add Sparkle to the Season

The holiday spirit is on the road with Mannheim Steamroller, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, The iHeart Radio Jingle Ball, Rockefeller Center’s Plaza, Martina McBride’s The Joy of Christmas and Dave Koz & Friends 25th Anniversary Christmas Tour. Debi Moen lets us know who is doing what and how they are adding sparkle to the season.

Lighting in the Digital Age

LD Chris Lose takes a look at how the digital age is changing the job market for our industry. With the need for a “survival of the adaptable” outlook he discusses how to learn to retrain our brains to thrive in the modern world and our evolving industry.

LDI 2022 Helps Industry Gear Up for Busy 2023

The LDI Show returned to Las Vegas after a busy year of live event productions across North America. The aisles were busy with production pros seeking to gear up for another busy year ahead, with exhibitors unveiling as many new products as steadily improving supply chain conditions would permit.

An Important Trait You Need for Working in this Industry

I think that the “all hands-on deck” mentality is something that’s really important. And never getting too big for your britches; always realizing that at the end of the day nothing would happen without everybody else in the room. It is all teamwork, so staying humble and respectful is a huge one. We’ve all seen people who get jaded by the industry, so I try, every day that I get to be on site, to take a minute to be grateful. I always think, ‘I can’t believe somebody pays me enough money for this to be my career.’

Parnelli Awards Nominations Continue

Nominations are now being accepted for the next Parnelli Awards ceremony, to be held at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, CA on Friday, April 14, 2023, during the NAMM Show. Anyone can now nominate live event professionals and companies who exemplify the best of the best in our industry for a prestigious Parnelli Award. The deadline for Parnelli nominations is Dec. 16, 2022, 5 p.m. PST.

Taking the Seat at the Console Mid-Tour

Some programmers like to keep their effects arranged by song, while some keep their effects arranged by attribute. This is an indicator of how they will break down a song as well. Programmers who organize their palettes by song tend to focus on individual nuances of each song. Programmers who organize by attribute tend to focus on how the show will clone to new rigs and save time. Both systems work, but one is intended for speed while the other is intended for nuance.

Video of the Week: Behind the Drone Show for the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

A festival celebrating the earliest form of aviation was complemented by the very latest in aviation technology, when drone show specialist Verge Aero flew a series of spectacular light shows for the 50th anniversary Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta (AIBF) in New Mexico. Here’s a video recap from Verge Aero with CEO Nils Thorjussen discussing the different drone shows they flew at the AIBF.