Page 8 - Lighting & Sound America (December 2019) Magazine

LETTERS

What a roller-coaster 2019 has been! As always, I Don’t look now, but the world of concert touring
am grateful to be a part of an industry that works design is changing. It has to do, I think, with the
so closely together and gives so much back along rise of singular talents like Billie Eilish and Khalid,
the way. With thanks to PLASA, ESTA, NAMM, whose music requires a fresh approach, as well
USITT, Avixa and so many other groups and asso- as DJ stars like Deadmau5, who suppress their
ciations that work all year long to improve our own personalities in favor of onstage spectacle.
industry while making it as fun as humanly possi- The latest example is the Chainsmokers’ World
ble, too! It was nice to see so many of you at the War Joy Tour, which doesn’t look quite like any-
recent LDI show as well. In this issue, we cele- thing we’ve covered before. It represents a uni-
brate the great technology and design on Tina: fied approach to scenery, lighting, and video that
The Tina Turner Musical on Broadway, Fantasia’s produces striking results. Sharon Stancavage
Sketchbook Tour, The Chainsmokers’ World War Joy Tour plus our popular delves into the details for you. And, for good measure, she reports on
LSA Technical Focus series with City Theatrical (check out their cool belly- Fantasia’s Sketchbook Tour.
band cover wrap), ETC, Sennheiser, and much more. Please enjoy your free Speaking of divas—we were, weren’t we?—Broadway has been invaded
2020 Wallplanner poster on page 19. If you’d like additional free posters for by Tina: The Tina Turner Musical and the only possible response is total
your colleagues, friends, or family, just email LSA@plasa.org (limited sup- capitulation. This is a different sort of star bio musical and it has a design
plies). Thank you to this year’s Wallplanner sponsors: RC4 Wireless, Robe, that is elegantly minimal when it needs to be and loaded with glitz and
Applied Electronics, ELC, Antari, Inlight Gobos, Barbizon, and Link. And glamour when the occasion calls for it. We report on all of it, including a
thanks, as always, to the hundreds of companies, schools, consultants, and fascinating sound system that is designed to be suitable for all occasions.
more who support LSA all year long. Also, Joe Ciaudelli, of Sennheiser, reports on the efforts to create an
See you all at the busy and fun annual NAMM trade show, January 16 – international resolution for wireless mics, a gargantuan task given the many
19 in sunny Anaheim, California, www.namm.org/thenammshow/2020. stakeholders involved. Richard Cadena looks at ETC’s Relevé Spot, which
Check out LSA’s NAMM featured exhibitors on page 13 and all of their lat- is well-poised to bring automated color-mixing LED to markets that couldn’t
est products and services in this issue! Come see us at the LSA, LSi, and previously afford it and City Theatrical’s Multiverse—a product that, Richard
PLASA booth (#10847) and stop by our networking cocktail reception on predicts, will be hugely influential. He also reviews Laura Frank’s new book
Thursday January 16, from 4-5:30pm. Screens Producing & Media Operation, a first-of-its-kind text. Mark
Not least, a thousand thanks to an amazing team here at LSA, just wow. Johnson examines Sennheiser’s IE 500 PRO in-ear monitors, the latest in
What a pleasure to work alongside such hard-working, talented, and kind the company’s expanding pro line. And Phil Ward casts a typically skeptical
professionals. All the very best of health, eye at object-based audio.
success, and happiness to everyone and As I write, it’s beginning to look a lot like
your families and friends in the coming year! Christmas. This has been an incredible
See you soon. year—in all sense of the word—so my 2020
$ # ! # !# $ ! $" " vision is for a calmer and prosperous year.
! #" # #"$ $ $ #" ! " ! !# We can all raise a cup of eggnog to that.
$ !# !# $ $ " $ ! $" " $ $ "

Revival.
Theatres are places for

Sometimes the most exciting thing
about theatre is seeing something for
the first time—again. Whether that’s a
gem of an old auditorium, or reliving
your favorite show.

Victoria Palace Theatre Learn more at
Photo: Philip Vile www.theatreprojects.com