Live Design Master Classes:BLMC & BSMC Restructured

The Broadway Lighting Master Classes (BLMC) and Broadway Sound Master Classes (BSMC), May 20-24, 2006, will be held in separate venues at New York University and will feature an expanded Manufacturer's Showcase providing attendees with greater access to the gear on show.

“The idea for this year is to restructure the classes to allow for more direct interaction between the attendees, the manufacturers, and designers who are on the faculty,” notes David Johnson, editorial director of Live Design. “We feel it is important to provide as many opportunities for networking and personal interaction as possible.”

With this in mind, the idea of the Manufacturer's Showcase will be revisited, with new hours to enhance participation on the first two days of the BLMC, for example. On the third day, all corporate sponsors will have the chance to present a five-minute product overview at the New Technology Showcase, similar to the New Technology Breakfasts at LDI.

In addition, the equipment presented by the manufacturers will be limited to true table-top displays, so that representatives have more time to speak directly with attendees and faculty members. As the Manufacturer's Showcase will not be held on stage, but rather in a separate venue, it can remain open throughout the entire second day of the BLMC, so that companies can invite other guests from the New York area. Other networking opportunities will be available at an opening night cocktail party, and seated luncheons.

The BLMC will take place at NYU's Jack H. Skirball Center for the Performing Arts (566 La Guardia Place). The BLMC Manufacturer's Showcase will be held at NYU's Eisner and Lubin Auditorium, a flexible performance space that can accommodate lecture and film presentations, popular music concerts, and other student programming. Artec Consultants provided programming, theatre planning and equipment, sound and communication systems, and acoustics consulting services. Design Architects are the firm of Kevin Roche John Dinkeloo and Associates.

The fourth annual BSMC will be held in the Burrow's Theatre, a black box space at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts (721 Broadway). The cutting-edge sound equipment provided for the manufacturer's showcase will be displayed in the same space, allowing the possibility of product demos and immediate access by all participants. “We are very excited about this collaboration with NYU and Tisch School of the Arts, and bringing the Live Design Master Classes to the next level of professional training,” says Johnson.

Lighting designer Jules Fisher and sound designer Abe Jacobs will again act as creative consultants for the BLMC and BSMC. Produced by Live Design in conjunction with the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, the 12th annual BLMC and fourth annual BSMC represent in-depth professional training in lighting and sound, with sessions by top designers

Information about corporate sponsorship opportunities for the BLMC and BLMC and registration details can be found at: www.livedesignonline.com/masterclasses where an updated schedule of events will be posted as available.

Tuition for the classes is as follows: