Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pennsylvania, a small liberal arts college with a strong technical theatre program, has used ETC's Expression-family control consoles to handle its stage lighting for 15 years. With a performance-heavy schedule and tech students testing their lighting design know-how on a variety of shows, Muhlenberg has now graduated to ETC's new Ion.

According to master electrician on staff Paul Theisen, it took only a short time to acclimate to the new state-of-the-art console: "We were impressed with how quickly we were able to get the board up and running and how smoothly it was to transition into a tracking console."

Ion's user-friendly style of control not only speeds training, but makes it a great teaching board. "Our students come to us with varying degrees of skill and interest in technical theatre," according to Mr. Theisen. "Any console we use can't intimidate new students, but should still have the power that advanced students and professional guest-designers want."

In its first "exam" at Muhlenberg, Ion was used on a dance concert showcasing 10 student-choreographed pieces. Its next assignment at Muhlenberg will be the spring show, Shakespeare's Love's Labor's Lost, followed by summer schoolwork on Muhlenberg's productions of Kiss Me Kate and Tommy.

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J.R. Clancy, Inc., designers, manufacturers, and installers of theatrical rigging equipment, now provides a service reminder light for its automated rigging products to remind operators to have periodic safety inspections of the equipment. The yellow service light is built into all control stations for J.R. Clancy's automated rigging products. When regular system service is required, the service light comes on automatically.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires a thorough, annual inspection of hoisting machinery. The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standards include the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) standard B30.16 for Overhead Hoists (Underhung), which requires inspection of hoists at least once a year. Additionally, some state laws require periodic visual and building condition surveys as part of a risk reduction program.

When the service light comes on, operators should notify theatre management, who in turn can call J.R. Clancy at 800-836-1885 or e-mail marilynlarsen@jrclancy.com.

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Rose Brand's depth of inventory allows it to pass along fantastic savings and discounts on many fabrics, sewn curtains, and miscellaneous production supplies.

Visit www.rosebrand.com and search the Closeout tab. Velour curtains, assorted fabrics, curtains, scrims, and production supplies are offered at deep discounts.

Many event and theatre productions are on a budget and this is the perfect way to get some of the supplies, fabrics, and curtains while staying on budget. Visit Rose Brand online or call 800-223-1624 in New York or 800-360-5056 in California with the number of the item.

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After constant touring following the release of its first album, Songs About Jane, in 2002, the multiple Grammy Award-winning group Maroon 5 released its second album, It Won't Be Soon Before Long, in May 2007.

Creative Stage Lighting provided equipment such as James Thomas Moving Light Truss and 4-Lite units, Avolites Diamond 4 lighting consoles, Reel EFX DF-50 Hazers, PixelRange Pixel Micro W LED fixtures, and Martin Mac 2000 Profile II "E" moving lights.

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As the last seconds of the first half of Super Bowl XLII came to an end and the two teams headed to the locker room for halftime, another team consisting of hundreds of crew and volunteers raced onto the field where, in less than seven minutes, they assembled the stage for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' halftime performance. There was no margin for error and no time for technical problems.

Lighting designers Bob Dickinson and Bob Barnhart and production designer Bruce Rodgers depended on PRG to pull it off.

At halftime, 60 carts (35 of which contained lighting equipment) were pushed onto the field to create the stage. To make the lighting system work, nearly 150 separate connections needed to be made.

After Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers brought down the house, all the connections were quickly undone and the carts were swiftly removed.

For more information on PRG, visit www.prg.com.

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