The Long Reach Long Riders and The ESTA Foundation will host their annual raffle to benefit Behind the Scenes at the USITT Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina, March 10-12. The Behind the Scenes Boutique will also be open for business during the show.
Tickets for the raffle are $5 each or 5 for $20, and can be purchased at the Behind the Scenes booth #754 throughout the show. Winning tickets for ten regular prizes and one grand prize will be drawn at 1 pm on Saturday, the final day of Stage Expo. Pre-drawing activities generate excitement and a surge in last-minute ticket purchases, and special surprises are also planned for this year. In 2010, so many tickets were purchased in the final hour that it led to an event record for the total amount raised.
The prizes, provided by generous donors, are: Smart Move® DMX Gobo Rotator provided by Apollo Design Technology; Backstage Technician Package provided by BMI Supply; scholarship to the 2012 CM Hoist school hosted by Mountain Productions; Pneumatic Effects Kit and Costume Rental gift certificate provided by Norcostco; Swisson X-MT-120-Set DMX Tester provided by Production Advantage; 6x6 LitePad HO+, single fader dimmer, and battery holder provided by Rosco; gift certificate to RoseBrand.com; two full-conference registrations for the USITT 2012 Conference & Stage Expo in Long Beach, California; 3 pairs of tickets to the Utah Shakespeare Festival; gift certificate from Vincent Lighting Systems. The Grand Prize is Spotlight with Renderworks provided by Nemetschek Vectorworks.
The Behind the Scenes Boutique will have note cards, pins, earrings, polo shirts, tanks and t-shirts available for sale. Purchasing items featuring the unique Behind the Scenes logo not only generates revenue but also increases awareness of the program. The boutique will be open the same hours as Stage Expo.
All proceeds from the raffle and boutique sales benefit Behind the Scenes, which provides financial assistance to entertainment technology professionals who are ill or injured.