NEW YORK, NY — Apollo Design Technology recently made the first donation to Behind the Scenes from first year sales of the winning templates in their annual Design-A-Pattern Contest. Each year, Apollo is committed to adding new gobo designs to their library of standard patterns but they wanted to get the actual users more involved so in 2008 they created the Design-A-Pattern Contest. Anyone can submit a design and those entries that meet Apollo’s basic criteria for what makes a good standard pattern are posted on Apollo’s website and the public votes for their favorite.

NEW YORK—The New York Innovative Theatre Foundation, the organization dedicated to celebrating Off-Off-Broadway, is now accepting applications for the the 2010 Honorary Awards. Ben Hodges (editor, Theater World) and Abby Marcus (managing director, Vampire Cowboys) are the new co-chairs of the Honorary Award committee, filling the vacancy left by Leonard Jacobs (Clyde Fitch Report). The Innovative Theatre Foundation recognizes and appreciates the five years of service and dedication by Mr. Jacobs.

LOS ANGELES—The Francesca Ronnie Primus Foundation and the American Theatre Critics Association (ATCA) have awarded playwright Jamie Pachino of Los Angeles the 2009 Francesca Primus Prize for her play Splitting Infinity. Pachino will receive her $10,000 award immediately but will be celebrated in person at this summer’s ATCA conference at the O’Neill Theater Center in Connecticut. The Primus Prize is given annually to an emerging woman theatre artist, including playwrights, artistic directors and directors.

We at Stage Directions made an error that we would like to correct immediately. In the process we hope to open new portals of discovery for the practicing theatre electrician or technician. Richard Cadena, editor of PLSN magazine and an ETCP Certified Entertainment Electrician and an ETCP Recognized Trainer, explains more below. —Jacob Coakley, editor, Stage Directions

Arcola Theater donated 18 PixelRange Micro E fixtures to light a street fest.

LONDON—The Arcola Theatre donated use of its PixelRange Micro E’s for the Ashwin Street Christmas Street Party. The party was part of a £750,000 London Development Agency funded project to revitalize parts of central Dalston. Organized by project architects MUF and J&L Gibbons the event brought together local youth, community, performing arts, visual arts and creative industry organizations to create a snapshot of how the presently run-down area could look. Arcola Theatre provided 18 PixelRange Micro Es and eight 50w birdies for the architectural lighting of the Colourworks and Print House buildings designed by Haberdashery London.

Idomeneo, at Teatro Comunale di Bologna, directed by David Livermore, set designed by Santi Centineo, lit with Clay Paky fixtures.

BOLOGNA, Italy—The Teatro Comunale di Bologna has some new players on its stage this year: Clay Paky Alpha Washes and Alpha Profiles. Designed in the 17th century by Antonio Galli da Bibbiena, the Teatro Comunale di Bologna was the first opera house to be built with public funds and hired out by the city council. Its bell-shaped auditorium consists of four tiers of boxes with a royal box and gallery. During its history, it has put on works by practically all the major composers, including Rossini, Puccini, Verdi, Wagner, Mozart and Donizetti. Around the end of 2009, the lighting department managers / lighting designers Daniele Naldi and Andrea Oliva felt the need for a larger number of lights. Once they received the go-ahead and fixed budget from the Bologna city council, they turned to the major automated light manufacturers.

NILES, IL—A broad array of wireless microphone users responded to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) call for comments, urging them to expand eligibility for wireless microphone licenses.  Submissions came from music producers Phil Ramone and Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, American Idol Music Director Rickey Minor, Live Nation Entertainment, MGM Mirage Resorts, and five major sports leagues.  The FCC received more than 300 letters, from houses of worship, theatres, education institutions, musicians, producers, sound engineers, AV rental and production companies, hotels, and convention centers during the comment period, which ended on March 1, 2010.

NEW YORK—The 2010 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize, given annually to women playwrights, has been awarded to American playwright Julia Cho for her play The Language Archive. Cho received the honor at a private reception in New York City on Wednesday, March 3.  The award of $20,000 and a signed and numbered print by artist Willem de Kooning were presented to Cho by Tony Award-winning director Doug Hughes, one of the distinguished judges for the 2010 Blackburn Prize. Now in its 32nd year, The Susan Smith Blackburn Prize is given annually to recognize women from around the world who have written works of outstanding quality for the English-speaking theatre.  The Blackburn Prize is the first international award created for women playwrights. 

PHOENIX, AZ—The American Theatre Critics Association (ATCA)has selected six finalists for the Harold and Mimi Steinberg/ATCA New PlayAward, recognizing the best scripts which premiered professionally outside NewYork City during 2009. The award and two citations will be presented March 27at Actors Theatre of Louisville during the Humana Festival of New AmericanPlays. The award includes a commemorative plaque and $25,000; the citationscarry prizes of $7,500 each. The plays nominated are: Equivocation, by Bill Cain; Inana, by Michele Lowe; Legacy of Light, by Karen Zacharias; Perfect Mendacity, by Jason Wells; Time Stands Still, by Donald Margulies; and Victoria Musica, also by Michele Lowe.