Updated March 1, 2022
After several days of social media rumors it has been confirmed that WorldStage, Inc, event technology services provider and legendary industry resource, has shut down laying off all its employees.
Terry Jackson, 30-year industry veteran and vice president, director of lighting at WorldStage, announced on Facebook, "Over the last two years, WorldStage has done everything it could to enable it to continue as a viable business —but due to an unprecedented unstable industry, where we all faced increasingly improbable odds for success, WorldStage regretfully has decided to cease business operations, as of February 21, 2022." He went on to say, "Know that I appreciate the time, energy, and effort of every single person that has graced our doors over the years. More than most will ever know."
As information about the WorldStage winding down leaked out this week, other industry figures were quick to talk about the impact the company had on their careers. Bob Bonniol, award-winning creative director and co-founder of MODE Studios, commented, "Scharff Weisberg will always be one of the very best shops we ever worked with. 
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International media designer, consultant, and teacher Zachary Boravay simply stated, "I wouldn’t have a career if it weren’t for the amazing support and kindness (and brilliance) of Peter Scharff and Josh Weisberg. Seriously."
Formerly Scharff Weisberg, the AV, staging, and lighting company merged with Video Applications in 2007 and rebranded as WorldStage in 2011. LDI has a long history of working with the innovative company on events and reporting on projects it supported. "First Scharff Weisberg and then WorldStage were always extremely supportive of our professional training programs at LDI," says Ellen Lampert-Gréaux, creative director for LDI/Live Design. "i am still striving to understand half of what truly visionary people like Michael Kohler, director of emerging technologies at WorldStage brought to the table, and thank everyone there for their support."
"We were saddened to hear this news confirmed over the last two days," says Marian Sandberg, vice president and market leader for LDI, XLIVE, and DSE. "We've worked with the teams at WorldStage from back when it was Scharff Weisberg and Video Applications, right up until this past November. From LDI to our various Master Classes events over the years, they always provided amazing people to work with, and that's what we'll surely miss most about those collaborations. I have to think all that talent will find a home soon enough."
Pat Basteri, president of Stagedge, commented, “Stagedge is disheartened to hear of the closure of WorldStage. These are unprecedented times and while they continue to be challenging for the event production industry, the teams at Stagedge continue to rise to that challenge. We (Stagedge) are proud of our continued growth in year 46 as a woman-owned business and industry pioneer and remain committed to providing world-class services to our clients and support to our immensely talented teams. Our success in this ever-changing market is a testament to our leadership team’s ability to make tough decisions, to adapt, and to cautiously return to full staffing; we believe this will have profound positive effects on the recovery of the industry and economy.”
Stagedge extends a hand to our industry: We are always looking for freelance talent – if interested please send your resume to our HR Manager at [email protected]