Stage Directions

In space, you may have heard, no one can hear you scream. However, in North Bergen, NJ, when you scream in outer space, you can be heard around the world.

That was the case when North Bergen High School mounted Alien the Play, an adaptation of and homage to Ridley Scott’s celebrated 1979 film, which at the root of the movie’s stunning visual sci-fi design, was about a group of people trapped in a haunted house with a monster, only in this case, the house was a space ship.

JR Lighting Design, Inc. is now JRLX, Inc. “We are NOT a design firm and this rebranding is a great opportunity to tell our story of evolution,” says Director of Operations Kevin Rosenhagen. “Lighting is “in our DNA” - it is front-and-center - “LX” is a well-known industry abbreviation for “lighting”,” states JRLX, Inc. President Jason Reberski. “X” represents an unknown, defining variable – and that is EXACTLY what it will always represent for us – it can change as needed to encompass any industry discipline. We are solutions-driven and often integrate video, special effects, and custom fabrication elements for our touring and integration customers in addition to lighting. We have recently expanded our tour-prep/rehearsal and pre-viz facilities in Chicago and launched a multi-substrate printing and graphics department to assist our touring and production customers,” Reberski continues.

Point Source Audio (PSA) announced that it has appointed China’s EAD and South Korea’s Capstone Pro to be distribution partners for its SERIES8 and EMBRACE™ microphones as well as its CM-i series of patented in-ear headsets. The appointments come on the back of an expansion effort in response to increased sales and product awareness outside of the USA for Point Source Audio. These partnerships further expand the company’s worldwide reach, which now includes international partners in the United Kingdom, Australia, Japan Italy, Norway, Finland and France, among others.

Pilote Films, a distribution partner for Pliant Technologies’ solutions in France, recently worked with local integrator Geste Scenique to deploy and install Pliant’s CrewCom wireless intercom system at Opéra de Limoges, a three-floor, 1,500-seat live theater venue located in Limoges, France.

The nominations for the 2019 American Theatre Wing's Tony Award®, presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing, were announced live by Bebe Neuwirth and Brandon Victor Dixon. The 73rd Annual Tony Awards, hosted by James Corden, will air on the CBS Television Network on Sunday, June 9, 2019 (8:00-11:00 PM, ET/delayed PT) live from Radio City Music Hall in New York City.

The 1932 Criterion Theater, located in Bar Harbor, ME, has recently received $80,000 in grant support from the TEW Foundation in Seattle, WA to begin upgrading its 1980's-era sound system and to complete its HVAC overhaul.  In addition to this funding, the Juniper Foundation, also of Seattle, has pledged an additional $30,000 in matching funds towards completing the sound system upgrade and updating the Criterion's theatrical lighting system to modern high-efficiency LED/digital equipment.  This means that the Juniper Foundation will match every donation dollar-for-dollar up to $30,000 - resulting in a combined total of $60,000 on top of the $80,000 already raised.

The Tony Awards Administration Committee has announced that they will present the 2019 Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre to four outstanding contributors to the Broadway industry: Broadway Inspirational Voices founded by Michael McElroy; Peter Entin, retired Vice President of Theatre Operations for the Shubert Organization; Joseph Blakely Forbes, Founder and President, Scenic Art Studios, Inc., and FDNY Engine 54, Ladder 4, Battalion 9. Here's a video interview from Scenic Art Studios with Joseph Forbes about his company and The Studio and Forum of Scenic Arts: {youtube}v=b_h1wKg-hzk{/youtube} 

The Seattle Symphony has expanded creative possibilities for musical performance and composition throughout the community with the opening of Octave 9: Raisbeck Music Center, an intimate venue inside the orchestra’s home at Benaroya Hall in downtown Seattle. Equipped with Meyer Sound’s Constellation^® active acoustics and Spacemap® spatial sound, Octave 9 affords virtually limitless potential for exploring new ways to create, present, and experience music from all genres and eras — from string quartets and vocal ensembles to contemporary electronic — in a richly immersive environment.

Nominations for the 64th Annual Drama Desk Awards were announced, and the list of design and show nominees is available below. The 64th Annual Drama Desk Awards, hosted by Michael Urie, will take place on Sunday, June 2, 2019, at 8:00 PM at The Town Hall in Manhattan.In keeping with the Drama Desk's mission, nominators considered shows that opened on Broadway, Off-Broadway and Off-Off-Broadway during the 2018-2019 New York theater season.

Opus Lighting, led by Principal, Brandon James, has announced the acquisition of Gel Services, Inc. (GSI) and all of its assets. GSI’s business operations, which ceased operations as of March 31, 2019, were moved to Opus Lighting as of April 1, 2019. GSI customers can immediately contact Opus Lighting for customer service and purchasing needs.