NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE, ON—IATSE has released a statement in response to the Shaw’s Fest lockout and the union’s subsequent strike. The IA’s statement said the sticking point in the contract was “the Festival’s desire to have the ability to replace, in whole or in part, union employees with others who would work under a contract service” and Local 461 President Doug Ledingham criticized the Fest’s “misleading” statements about its position that there would be no loss of jobs during the contract. According to Ledingham “The actual offer was to suspend any contracting out until after Dec. 31, 2011, after which they would again have the ability to replace these employees at any point.”

NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE, Ontario—The Shaw Festival announced today that it is implementing a lockout of the employees represented by IATSE, Local 461 in the Shaw’s Facilities Department. These are the 16 employees that provide maintenance, grounds crew and housekeeping services. The lockout is effective at 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 10, 2010 and is limited to the Facilities Department. The employees of the Production and Audience Sales and Services departments, whose contracts expired November 30, 2008, are not included in this lockout. The Shaw fest provided a statement surrounding the lock out. A representative for IATSE Local 461 could not be reached for comment, efforts are ongoing to get a statement from IATSE.

LAS VEGAS—TheatreFace.com, a Stage Directions Web site, has started a new feature to give its members an even deeper look at the backstage world, interactive product reviews. Rather than simply report on gear for its readers, members of the Gear Review group on TheareFace.com (http://www.theatreface.com/group/gearreviews) can become a part of the process of reviewing a piece of gear, to make sure that it passes all their tests and giving everyone a greater sense of what the equipment can do.

Albert Wolsky will receive the 2010 TDF/Irene Sharaff Lifetime Achievement Award for costume design

NEW YORK—Legendary costume designer Albert Wolsky and world-renowned scenic designer Ming Cho Lee are among the 2010 TDF/Irene Sharaff Awards recipients. The awards will be presented at a ceremony on Friday, April 23 at 6:30 p.m. at the Hudson Theatre (145 West 44th Street).  Two-time Academy Award-winner Albert Wolsky will receive the 2010 TDF/Irene Sharaff Lifetime Achievement Award for costume design, and Tony Award-winning scenic designer and educator Ming Cho Lee will receive the TDF/Irene Sharaff Robert L.B. Tobin Award for Sustained Excellence in Theatrical Design. In addition to Wolsky's TDF/Irene Sharaff Lifetime Achievement Award and Lee's Robert L.B. Tobin Award for Sustained Excellence in Theatrical Design, costume designer Alejo Vietti will receive the TDF/Irene Sharaff Young Master Award, and famed theatre craftsman/designer John David Ridge will receive the TDF/Irene Sharaff Artisan Award.

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.

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.