In a move which could have a significant effect on the New York professional lighting market, Big Apple Lights Corp. will afilliate with IATSE Local one, the theatrical stage employees union, in New York City.
Big Apple Lights, located at 533 Canal Street, is a full-service entertainment industry lighting rental and sales shop supplying equipment to the Off and Off Off Broadway communities and has long been popular with lighting designers from those markets. Now, with the IA agreement, it will be able to supply Broadway shows and other union-staffed events.
With the consolidation of other New York lighting houses into Fourth Phase Lighting, part of Production Resource Group, Big Apple has seized the moment; the company notes that its has experienced threefold growth in the last two years, and is currently expanding into the growing architectural and system sales/installation markets. Big Apple Production Services, a new division of Big Apple Lights, provides complete staffing and a labor for events and productions and will provide comprehensive equipment packages as well. The company stocks a complete inventory of GAM, Rosco, and Lee products and is a dealer for ETC and Altman equipment.
Big Apple was closed last week, given its proximity to the World Trade Center disaster, but this week is back open, as the security area around the Twin Towers has been reduced to below Canal Street. Patrick O’Rourke, the company’s president, notes that no one on his staff was injured and is fully operational.