NY To Helsinki And Back Again

Thank God it's summer — well, maybe not technically by the calendar, but it's close enough for me, and I know our staff is really, really glad to welcome June and know that May is, well, over.

May was a whirlwind to be sure. I had the opportunity to spend six days in Helsinki on the production of the Eurovision Song Contest, mingling among the lighting, video, and sound crew and managing to stay on New York time while there (you do the math). What a fantastic experience — great designers, fantastic crew, intense production. We'll have more on that in our exclusive coverage in July.

Now add to that our Broadway Master Classes, an event that took place right after I got back to New York — all worth it, but a ton of work. We had the most manufacturer sponsors ever assembled to show off their goods (think: smaller version of trade show floor with no space left to fill), and so many say it's one of the best events of the year. Take newcomers from Clear-Com, whose Ed Fitzgerald said about his first time at the classes, “…hard to imagine, considering how long we've been at this intercom gig. Seeing the young and ‘older’ at the Master Classes and the enthusiasm they bring made my weekend. More importantly, if you listen, even an old feller like me will learn something.” Or another newbie sponsor, VectorWorks, whose Jeremy Powell noted, “The atmosphere of the exhibit is youthful, vibrant, informative, and a joy to be a part of.”

And there was BSMC attendee Rick Thomas who noted, when lamenting the lack of a Tony for sound design, “After hearing these sound designers talk about their art, it's so hard to understand why the rest of the industry doesn't get it — ‘it’ being the difference between sound as an art form, and the technology and engineering required to pull it off.”

All in all, a very productive few weeks, followed closely by — gulp — a print deadline. Ah, the glamorous life of publishing. Memorial Day beckons as I write…