We welcome AKT3 Company as a new Sustaining member of USITT. Vice President Thomas Kennedy is the main USITT contact for the company. He can be reached at 703-820-3233 or tbk@akt3.com.

AKT3 are manufacturer's representatives specializing in control systems for automated rigging, and theatrical and architectural lighting.

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Period Corsets has introduced several new products to its costuming line. They include: Anna c. 1560, a corset that epitomizes the Tudor and early Elizabethan silhouette; with a modest upward-curved front neckline, strong boning, and conical shape that are classic lines of this period; Cone Farthingale, also called a Spanish Farthingale, a skirt support that is a companion to the Anna c. 1560 corset and creates the inverted cone shape worn in many European courts of this same period; Romantic Chemise, a voluminous chemise with long, full sleeves that suits the opulence of the Tudor and Elizabethan periods; Marie c. 1790, a corset designed to be worn with the round gowns of the late eighteenth century; and Shift, a simple chemise with a fitted three-quarter length sleeve.

Period Corsets' product development team is working constantly to fill corset, skirt support, and underwear needs. They can be found online at www.periodcorsets.com.

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The latest level in Grosh Scenic Rentals' 75-year transition from the early days of telephones and automotive delivery to online orders and air express is its new website at www.grosh.com. Leaders in the industry since 1932, the Hollywood, California company is one of the largest providers of scenic backdrops for theatre and event productions in the world. Grosh is believed to be the first scenic rental company to offer online rentals.

Robert Louis Grosh, founder, was a visionary but even he might have blinked at the move to computerization and overall expansion allowing for real-time accuracy in the rental process. Clients can see if the drop they want is currently available, get a firm quote, including round trip shipping, and complete the rental transaction at their convenience. The Grosh website enhancements provide all types of customers with the ease and convenience the industry has come to expect. It is user friendly and showcases 5,000 plus backdrops and drapery in an organized manner.

Grosh also opened a second warehouse in Evansville, Indiana to help save on shipping costs and recently incorporated a brand new tracking feature.

Although Grosh Scenic Rentals has a presence on the World Wide Web, it can still be found in its original location at 4114 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, California. For more information visit the website, call 877-363-7998, or e-mail info@grosh.com.

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TOMCAT USA announced the return of its Hoist and Truss Workshop for the 2007 LDInstitute. The workshop will take place at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida November 14 to 15 in conjunction with the LDI Show.

During the course of the ETCP-recognized workshop, participants will receive top notch training from industry experts. Day one consists of a full day of motor instruction taught by Don Dimitroff of Columbus McKinnon during which participants will disassemble and reassemble a one ton CM Lodestar and receive instruction on troubleshooting and maintenance. Day two includes a half-day course on fall protection led by Morgan Neff of Mine Safety Appliances and a half-day course on truss design, use, and theory taught by Keith Bohn, design department manager for TOMCAT USA. Online registration is available here. Just use the TOMCAT workshop course number L27.

For more information regarding any TOMCAT USA workshop, contact Lisa Jebsen at 432-694-7070 or e-mail LJebsen@tomcatusa.com.

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American Idol's successful North American tour, held July through September 23 had Upstaging, Inc. to meet the various artistic demands of the show. The tour, featuring the televisions show's final 10 contestants, had to be designed based on themes rather than personalities. A Kinesys motor control system was used to move the show's lighting rig during the show, providing added design flexibility and some unique effects.

Upstaging was the first United States production company to add the Kinesys motion control system to its inventory. Kinesys motion control systems are manufactured in the United Kingdom and distributed in the Americas by TMB. To learn more about the many innovative products available from TMB, go to www.tmb.com.

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Cobalt Studios in White Lake, New York has announced its fall lineup of seminars.

Offerings include Sign Painting for Film & Television for five days, November 12 to 16, and Interior Marble for five days, December 10 to 14.

For more information, visit the Cobalt website at www.cobaltstudios.net or call 845-583-7025.

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