The Martin MAC 401 Dual

AARHUS, Denmark—The Martin Professional MAC 401 Dual is LED moving head washlight with an double-sided design that gives it flexible dual functionality, for example as a double washlight or beam reflective mirror. The 401 features 36 new, multi-color, single-point source LEDs. The 401 Dual’s color mixing system fully blends colors at the source before they leave each lens so that individual source colors are not seen. This eliminates the problem of rainbow shadows and the messy multi-color lens looks of traditional LED fixtures. Furthermore, LEDs are calibrated at the factory for excellent color consistency across fixtures.

The Lectrosonics HM172 microphone

RIO RANCHO, NM—Lectrosonics’ new HM172 Earset Microphone features a comfortable, bendable silicone frame that mounts securely to the user’s ear, and is designed to provide excellent vocal quality in a nearly invisible package. The new HM172 offers a 105 mm (4.15 inch) boom length, designed to give maximum gain before feedback while keeping the microphone’s Omni-directional condenser element away from the wearer’s breath stream—thus minimizing wind noise. The HM172 is wired standard with a TA5F connector for use with any Lectrosonics UHF belt-pack transmitters, including the UM400a, LMa, and SM Series. The HM172’s sensitivity is moderate for use with speech or singing. The included cable is a 135 cm (53 inches), enabling the belt pack transmitter to be positioned nearly anywhere on the body.

The Christie Roadie HD 35K

CYPRESS, CA—The Christie Roadie HD+35K is being touted as the world’s brightest projector, offering 35,000 center lumens (32,500 ANSI lumens). The Christie Roadie HD+35K is part of Christie’s three-chip DLP product line and comes with native 2048x1080 HD resolution and 10-bit image processing. It also features Christie’s unique, flexible split-body design with separate lamp ballast.

A moment from Next to Normal, with Louis Hobson, Alice Ripley and J. Robert Spencer

Part of a new wave of original musicals electrifying Broadway, the Tony Award-winning Next To Normal is not only a powerful rock musical experience but an emotionally wrenching look into bipolar disorder and how it affects a family whose mother is battling with the affliction. Tony-winner Alice Ripley is the woman caught within the storm that rages in her mind, while her family tries to cope with the fallout and to maintain unity. Tony-winning writer Brian Yorkey and Tony-winning composer Tom Kitt tackle their subject matter with passion and gusto, utilizing a wide variety of musical styles to express the roller coaster of emotions within the story.

The newly renovated house of the Nederlander Theatre

Broadway’s Nederlander Theatre gets a beautiful renovation as well as a technical boost 

When Rent moved into the Nederlander Theatre in 1996, the venue was in need of renovation. The producers and designers wanted the space left as it was, however, as part of the shabby aesthetic of their show. So when Rent closed after a 12-year run, the Nederlander was in desperate need of an overhaul. Not to mention that the economics of Broadway today dictated that the theatre be able to handle larger and technically more complex shows going forward.

The Hosa Technology Da-Cappo DA12 Cardioid Earset Microphone

BUENA PARK, CA—Hosa Technology has introduced the Da-Cappo DA12 Cardioid Earset Microphone. The mic features a European designed and built capsule with a cardioid polar pattern and is designed for vocal performers and others where high SPL (sound pressure level) monitoring would severely restrict gain before feedback.

The Barlett Mics TM-125C stage floor mic

ELKHART, IN—In response to requests by sound contractors and sound designers, Bartlett Microphones is now offering a version of their TM-125C super-cardioid floor mic with a rugged 6-foot permanently  attached cable to prevent connector damage if an actor steps on the cable. The latest model TM-125C stage-floor microphone, for area pickup of actors and dancers  in drama or musicals, features a supercardioid polar pattern of the TM-125C to help gain-before-feedback and provide isolation from sounds behind the  mic, such as a pit orchestra. The microphone picks up sound while rejecting mechanical vibrations.

The new G-TR tape applicator from Gerriets

EWING, NJ—Gerriets’ has released a new dance floor tape applicator designed to make taping comfortable, easy and fast. The tape applicator G-TR allows for taping of dance floors and carpets in an upright position, reducing stress on back and knees.

Sennheiser evolution e 965 capsules can now attach to both Sennheiser 2000 Series and evolution wireless G3 wireless series SKM handheld transmitters

OLD LYME, CONNECTICUT—The evolution e 965, Sennheiser's multi-award-winning large-diaphragm condenser microphone, is now available as a wireless version. The MMK 965-1 microphone capsule can attach to both Sennheiser's 2000 Series and evolution wireless G3 wireless series SKM handheld transmitters, allowing users of both series to use the dual-diaphragm in Sennheiser's e 965 microphone. Sennheiser's ew 500-965 G3 system, which is part of the evolution wireless G3 series, is based around the MMK 965-1 and ships with the EM 500 G3 receiver, a GA 3 rack-mount kit, and the SKM 500 G3 transmitter with the MMK 965-1 capsule.

The Studer Vista 7, pictured here, is one of the Studer consoles to benefit from a software upgrade

Studer has introduced new Vista software version 4.2, which greatly enhances the sound design and production workflow for cue-based theatre productions. The new software provides extended cue list functions including time-based cue recall, MIDI MMC commands for sound FX playback triggers, as well as the introduction of some brand new cue events.

A recent conversation in the Stage Management group on TheatreFace.com centered around teaching proper headset etiquette to students who were on crew. Here are some excerpts from the conversation.

I'm the "chief cook and bottle washer" for the stage-tech world at a high school, and I'm asking for your recommendations for online resources regarding backstage etiquette and (especially) headset etiquette.

Thanks!
Robert

One of the strangest things about my time in NYC is that I lived the longest on the Upper East Side—a fluke I can only attribute to the universe paying me back for having me keep clean clothes in a self-storage unit while I tried to find a place to live. Seriously, having to sign into a warehouse, take an elevator up three floors, find your way through a maze of darkened hallways and then open a lock the size of a small dog just to get a clean t-shirt is a little much.

Investing in a good camera is a must for your portfolio; even if someone else takes pictures of the production they may not show off your design work.

Eight Steps to a Perfect Portfolio

The artisan’s portfolio is evolving, though it’s importance is not.
Whether applying to college, a gig, or for a full-time position at a theatre, your portfolio needs to not just be a haphazard collection of this and that.

Masque Sound won the first Tony Award for Sound Design for their work on the South Pacific revival.

A glimpse at the working lives of two of NYC's most innovative audio service firms 

The very best theatrical sound design combines two crucial elements: cutting-edge, creative technological thinking, and solid experience. Two Tony-winning examples of companies embodying these standards on Broadway and beyond are Sound Associates, Inc., and Masque Sound. Both companies have pioneered the development of top-notch audio equipment, plus offer full manufacturing design and installation services. Here's an inside peek at how each firm's leaders accomplish it all—and some sage advice to help any theatre achieve their ultimate sound goals in every production.

Times are tight—it’s time to tighten up your grant app. too.

Over the five years of running my company I have, much to my surprise, learned to actually enjoy the process of grant-writing—to the point where even if some day Theatre Askew is fortunate enough to have a full-time development staff, I can’t imagine myself not intimately involved in the conceptualizing, writing and editing of every proposal that we put out. Which, I would argue, is how theatre management should approach this vital component to ensuring the ongoing financial health of its organization.

An Oresteia by Anne Carson

Plays and playwrights that still speak to us—and the human condition

Kurt Boetcher's filling cabinet floor set design allowed for quick set changes in location as well as traps to hide props and even dispose of a body.

Kurt Boetcher and Boston Court bury the body

The Theatre at Boston Court produced the world premier of Laura Schellhardt’s Courting Vampires in May. Set Designer Kurt Boetcher stopped by TheatreFace.com for a chat interview to talk process and how they solved the problem of burying a body onstage.