Serapid, Inc., a supplier of stage lifts, orchestra pit lifts, and scenery wagon transfer systems for the entertainment industry, showcased its award-winning products at the Palm Expo May 28 through 31 at the China International Expo Center in Beijing, China.

The LinkLift, which was recently seen during the 2008 Olympic Opening Ceremonies in Beijing, accommodates high trim lifting applications quietly, smoothly, and safely. The square links work like building blocks to form a tower stack. The shape and locking technique of the links allow extra-high rigidity and strength. It is also able to absorb tensile forces, such as those found through the seismic vibrations or the wave motions on a cruise ship.

For more information about Serapid, visit www.serapid.com.

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Earlier this year, TOMCAT USA completed work on equipment for the second national tour of Wicked, provided equipment for Sarah Brightman’s Symphony tour, and launched a new product line of truss.

This tour of Wicked will continue with stops in Birmingham, Alabama; Jacksonville, Florida; Norfolk, Virginia; Indianapolis, Indiana; and Memphis, Tennessee. Additional cities will be announced in the future.

When the time came to create the setting for Sarah Brightman’s Symphony tour, the design team for the world famous soprano turned to TOMCAT to fabricate custom stage components and create the lavish settings that have become the hallmark of Sarah Brightman concerts. The tour kicked off in November 2008 with dates throughout North America and played a series of dates across Asia through April.

TOMCAT is introducing a new product line of truss, (core). This product line initially consists of 12” x 12”, 12” x 18”, and 20.5” x 20.5” box truss. The focus was to develop a stronger, slightly lighter and ultimately less expensive box truss based on market demands.

For more information on TOMCAT, visit the company’s website. TOMCAT GLOBAL is part of the Vitec Group plc.

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Nestling against the dramatic backdrop of the Cornish coast, almost at Britain’s most southerly point, lies the Minack Theatre, a gloriously visual outdoor performance venue.

Northern Light recently completed the upgrade of the house lighting, which included cabling infrastructure, fixture renewal and DMX distribution.

New Blues System LED fittings were manufactured by Global Design Solutions Ltd. (GDS) and supplied by exclusive distributor TMB.

Find out more about Northern Light at www.northernlight.co.uk. Learn more about Blues System and other innovative and exciting products from TMB at www.tmb.com.

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It is all about the experience!

This summer’s course offerings by Stagecraft Institute of Las Vegas (SILV) are set to include Drafting/CAD, Theatrical Rigging, Automated Rigging, Lighting Technology, Moving Lights, Sound Technology, Special Effects, and Make-up with each course formatted to an intensive five-day segment. Each segment consists of 40 contact hours which is equivalent to a three-hour class that meets once a week for a semester in a traditional educational setting. Each attendee will be evaluated at the completion of each session, and a positive evaluation will result in a certificate. Additionally, attendees of the full eight-week program will have the opportunity to qualify for the prix d’or in Technical Training.

As SILV begins its third year of training, the Clark County School District of Las Vegas has agreed to be an operations partner, and Gary Sessa, secondary fine arts project facilitator for theatre and dance for the district, continues to serve as liaison. As a result, CCSD will host SILV in the theatre and ancillary spaces of the Bonanza High School.

For more information, visit www.stagecraftinstitute.com or call 702-388-7458 or 702-966-9805.

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A new iPhone application by Wybron, Inc packs more than 1,500 gobos into a sleek device that fits in the user’s pocket, and Apollo gels and gobos are being added. The Moiré Gobo Library lets users browse, search, and experiment with A-size gobos from GAM and Lee.

More than 1,300 Apollo gobos have joined the Moiré Gobo Library, and 150 Apollo gels will be integrated into Wybron’s award-winning Gel Swatch Library. The updated version of the gobo library, available now, also features 500 gobos from InLight Gobos. With the addition of InLight and Apollo, the gobo library now includes more than 3,300 different patterns.

Wybron’s Gel Swatch Library was recently named one of Live Design magazine’s Products of the Year for 2008-09. It took home an ESTA Member’s Choice Award from LDI in October 2008.

To buy the Moiré Gobo Library for $9.99, visit Apple’s App Store through the icon on the iPhone or iPod touch, or go through iTunes.

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Would you, or someone you know, like to know more about structure and content for a theatrical scenic painting class at the college level?

Cobalt Studios will offer a course taught by Susan Crabtree and Pam Knauert Lavarnway from June 22 to 29. It will address how to create structure and content of a theatrical scenic painting class.

Cobalt Studios will also offer a seminar on working with students painting scenery for high school plays July 6 to 10. This will be taught by Joe Rial and Sean O'Skea.

For more information, click here; call 845-583-7025, or e-mail mail@cobaltstudios.net .

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Thern, Inc. announced the launch of its new theatre division – Thern Stage Equipment. TSE is a fully owned and operated division of Thern, Inc., bringing Thern’s reputation for manufacturing excellence and customer satisfaction to the theatre and entertainment market.

TSE is dedicated to working closely with customers to fully understand their applications and provide high quality products that meet their needs. With a continually growing line of products available, TSE is able to provide theatre operators with hoisting and rigging solutions to best fit their applications in venues large or small. In addition to winches and hoists, TSE is proud to offer top quality curtain track from Hall Stage. TSE can be found online at www.thernstage.com.

Celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2008, Thern, Inc. is a major manufacturer of winches and cranes for a wide variety of commercial markets. Learn more about Thern Stage Equipment products at www.thernstage.com, e-mail info@thernstage.com, or phone 1-800-553-2204.

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