Bill Irwin in an homage to Irish playwright Samuel Beckett from the Irish Repertory Theatre is a joy to watch. He is the consummate actor/comedian/vaudevillian, and stars in On Beckett/In Screen, which won a Lucille Lortel Award in 2018 when seen live in New York City. As a pandemic pivot, it was filmed in an empty theatre (all crew socially distanced) for a 90-minute performance, with lighting by Michael Gottlieb, sets by Charlie Corcoran, music, sound design, and mix by Florian Staab, and Brian Petchers serving as director of photography. Online all weekend (details below).... and a lovely break for any literary-minded folks. There are also some cool conversations, webcasts, and screenings, including Pentacle's Fall Further IX, so enjoy the weekend of November 20-21-22.
Webcasts & Training:
• November 20 @ 4pm Eastern: USITT Education Commission, Online & Distance Learning: The USITT Education Commission welcomes all members of USITT to join a series of conversations specifically aimed at sharing online and distance-based teaching practices. Whether you are looking for innovative approaches to challenging circumstances this fall, or are able to share successful ideas with others this is an opportunity to specifically connect with academic colleagues in your discipline. Register Here.
• November 20 @ 3pm Eastern: Live Events Coalition: Hangin' Tough: Episode 1:Where's The Money: Conversations on National Policy: Featuring Michael Strickland of Bandit Lites and #WeMakeEvents; Stephanie Freed and Grant MacDonald, co-directors of #ExtendPUA; and Adam Valen, PA precinct captain NIVA, as they discuss national policy initiatives including the HEROS Act, RESTART Act, and Save Our Stages. Watch Here.
• November 21 @ 1pm Eastern: Conversations Without Walls: This special Conversation Without Walls is between dancer and Danspace co-founder, Barbara Dilley, and artist, Yvonne Rainer, facilitated by writer, Wendy Perron. This CWW celebrates the 50th anniversary of the legendary, leaderless group of improvisors, Grand Union‘s first performances and the publication of Perron’s new book, The Grand Union: Accidental Anarchists of Downtown Dance, 1970 – 1976 (Wesleyan University Press, 2020). Watch Here.
• November 22 @ 7pm Eastern: 4Wall Sunday Roundtable: A chat with some of the top design educators in the country. Current, future, and recently graduated students of theatrical design and production will not want to miss it... Guests: Jorge Arroyo, Assistant Professor of Lighting Design | Boston University; Jennifer Dasher, Assistant Professor of Costume Design | University of Florida; Anne Mundell, Associate Professor of Scene Design | Carnegie Mellon University; Justin Townsend, Assistant Professor of Lighting Design | Brooklyn College. Watch Here.
Looking Ahead, Register In Advance:
• November 25 @ 2pm Eastern: Bill Sapsis Free Remote Training: Equity and Inclusion: Part 2 of an ongoing discussion to be held monthly.Registration for this session opens 11/20 at 10am Eastern. Register Here.
• December 1 @ 11am Central: Harman Learning Sessions: How Technology Drives the Art of Audio with Robert Margouleff: This presentation will feature the technology and philosophy of the modern use of headphones in changing the way we compose and experience music in the age of personal listening. Register Here.
New Webcasts and Podcast:
• GLP 10 Out Of 10 With Tobias Rylander: Swedish born conceptual and lighting designer, Tobias Rylander joins us GLP this week's episode of 10 Out Of 10. Tobias is best known for his work with The 1975, Skepta, FKA Twigs and The XX. Watch Here.
• Geezers Of Gear: #123 - The Bridge... A Pivot to Remote Shows: With Patrick Dierson (The Activity / The Farm) and Matt Geasey (Just Networking / The Bridge) brought to you by www.GearSource.com. Listen Here.
• Introduction to Show Networking with John Huntington: On PST #084, John Huntington introduced us to show networking. We covered the basics of how ethernet networks provide a platform for entertainment control and audio/video media distribution. For applications in concerts, theatre productions, corporate and special events, cruise ship revues, wrestling shows, houses of worship, museum presentations, fountain spectaculars—any show presented live for an audience. Watch Here.
Live Design Master Classes: Watch On Demand:
• Live Design Virtual Master Classes: Design & Production In Virtual Environments: Intro to XR and Virtual Production; Advanced XR Production Techniques & Case Studies; The Role of XR in Compelling Storytelling. Sessions hosted by Vickie Claiborne, disguise Training Manager in Americas, and additional industry experts. Sponsored by disguise. Free. Available On Demand. Register Here.
• Live Design Virtual Master Classes: Lighting: Three sessions focus on various angles of lighting: GDTF & MVR, a look at his innovative new technology and the bi-directional exchange of data developed by Vectorworks, Robe, and MA Lighting as an open standard for the entertainment industry. Plus a look at 2021 updates, with Matt Geasy of Clear All Visuals; LED Color Mixing, Color Temperature, and Light Quality, with Kevin Lawson and Greg Cohen of UVLD; Designing Immersive Lighting: The design and technical challenges of creating compelling immersive lighting for visual storytelling, using Pip’s Island, an interactive kid's experience, as the quintessential example. Speakers include: Al Crawford, Roya Abab, Zakaria Al-Alami, Manuel DaSilva, and Nicholas Palatella. Free; sponsored by ETC. Register Here to watch on demand.
For Your Viewing Enjoyment:
• Thru November 22: On Beckett/In Screen: Bill Irwin on Irish Rep' digital stage to bring us On Beckett / In Screen, a new meditation filmed for our current times. Buy Tickets Here.
• November 20 @ 7pm Eastern: Fall Further IX: Pentacle's annual dance showcase is of course digital this year with screenings of a series of films and performances by contemporary choreographers including Cynthia Berkshire (image above). Live post-show discussion with choreographer/filmmaker Marta Renzi. Tickets starting at $5. Info and tickets here.
• Crystal Palace, Paris Opera Ballet: A 2014 revival of George Balanchine's 1947 ballet:
• Thru December 2: Emilia: A play by Morgan Lloyd Maclom, inspired by the life of 17th-century poet and feminist Emilia Bassano, who may have been Shakespeare's "Dark Lady." Watch Here.
Emilia trailer:
• The Royal Shakespeare Festival Online: More Info Here.
- Macbeth (2018), directed by Polly Findlay with Christopher Eccleston and Niamh Cusack
- Hamlet (2016), directed by Simon Godwin with Paapa Essiedu
- Romeo and Juliet(2018), directed by our Deputy Artistic Director Erica Whyman
- Much Ado About Nothing (2014), directed by Christopher Luscombe
- Othello (2015), directed by Iqbal Khan with Hugh Quarshie and Lucian Msamati
- The Merchant of Venice (2015), directed by Polly Findlay
Hamlet excerpt:
• The Metropolitan Opera: Week #36 of nightly streams from the opera archives. Watch Here.
An Important Conversation:
• Live Design and USITT co-hosted "A Conversation On Diversity And Anti-Racism In Entertainment Design," moderated by David Stewart, production manager for Disney Parks Live Entertainment, and an important voice in the ongoing quest to increase diversity in our industry. The full panel for this important discussion includes lighting designers Rachael Blackwell, Porsche McGovern, and Xavier Pierce, lighting/projection designer Roma Flowers, lighting designer/event coordinator Ebony Madry, and production manager Lawrence Bennett. Watch Here.
Training & Webcasts When You Want:
• Marsha Stern on The History of NIghtclubs and Architainment: Lighting expert Marsha Stern covers the evolution of analog to automated lighting systems and how that revolutionized our industry, providing the bridge for entertainment technology to be included in the architectural lighting design environment. Watch Here.
• GLP 10 Out Of 10: What's The Best Advice Anyone Gave You (Profess): This episode of 10 Out Of 10 features Robb Jibson of So Midwest, Inc. As a scenic, lighting, and production designer, Robb has worked with artists and productions such as Train, Chevelle, Fall Out Boy, Baby Shark Live, Weezer, and Whethan. Watch Here.
• Anne Valentino: A Life In Control: On the event of her retirement, Steve Terry and Dennis Varian talk to Anne Valentino about her long career at ETC and the tremendous influence she has had on the global professional lighting control market. How did the Obsession and Eos family of consoles come to be? A delightful celebration of Anne’s work.Watch Here.
• CI To Eye With Joshua Dachs: Jokes Land Better In Tight Spaces and Other Theatre Design Trade Secrets: In this episode, Joshua Dachs and Erik Gensler lift the curtain on the mysteries of theater design. They discuss how seat layout impacts the way comedy is received, why some roadhouses have "absurd capacities," and why Broadway theaters are so uncomfortable. Listen Here.
• Bill Sapsis Rigging Classes: Fall Arrest Harnesses: What you don’t know could kill you. There’s a lot more going on than just sticking your arms and legs in and tightening the straps. This session will help you harness up safely. One of "uncle Bill's" free remote training sessions. Watch Here.
• Notch Showcast: Algorithm Studio use Notch and the Noitom V2 motion capture suit to create an intimate music video in the peak of social distancing. Creative director Kev Freeney and Notch designer Dillon O’Sullivan welcomed the challenge of creating The Blizzards ‘Pound The Pavement’ music video during a national lockdown. Watch Here.
• Strand and Vari-Lite: A series of online training videos on various aspects of lighting systems. Watch Here.
• History In The Making: Steve Terry In Conversation With Dave Cunningham and Gordon Pearlman... A time machine talk about the advent of computer-controlled lighting consoles. Watch Here.
• Elation Professional Online Learning Center: Provides lighting professionals with easy-to-access learning options, the new resource site is full of free educational and training material. Watch Here.
• The Elation Hour: A series of interviews with leading designers from film/TV, theatre, concerts, corporate events, festivals, and more... Watch here.
• Scott Parker: A lot of training videos to choose from, from his Stage Seminars to a book review of Richard Pilbrow's Stage Lighting Design. Watch Here and Here (Stage Seminars)
• Lighting designer Mike Woods: Online training videos. Watch Here.
• Ross Video: Ross Live | 2020: A weekly series of presentations, podcasts, and product launches designed to highlight best practices across a range of live production environments. Watch Here.
• frame.work videos are now online, a conference for video professionals. Watch Here.
• 4Wall Entertainment: Archives for Sunday Roundtables and Thursday Tales From The Road. Watch Here.
• ETC Story Q&A with Tom Littrell: thoughts from Outreach and Training Specialist Tom Littrell on LEDs. Read Here.
• Unreal Interactive Demo. Watch Here.
• Opera America – live streams.
• ETC On Headset: The Billington Files
• TDF Stages, list of streaming performances updated daily.
Podcasts:
• Artistic Finance: Ebony Madry Podcast: Lighting designer and project manager Ebony Madry talks about generational wealth, stocks versus franchising, and the importance of saving for retirement. Listen Here.
The Lumen Brothers, Light Talk: In this episode of Light Talk, The Lumen Brothers celebrate the life and legacy of "The Dean of American Stage Design", and a true Mensch, Ming Cho Lee. Steve, Stan, and David welcome special guests Ann Sheffield and Chris Barreca to LIGHT TALK, as they discuss: Their relationships with Ming; the amazing partnership of Ming and Betsy; Ming's studio hijinks; The Clambake; Ming's devastating critiques of David's set designs; Ann and Betsy's CVS trips; Arguing about politics; Wrangling Ming; What Ming meant to education; Ming the mensch; and Ming's amazing theatrical legacy. Listen Here.
• Surroundscapes Podcast Series 2, with host Graeme Harrison, VP and GM of Bluesound Professional: A focus on the “Future of the Workplace” theme, exploring current trends, how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected things and what the workplace might be like as we look to the future. Episode One: Josef Hargrave, Associate Director and Global Foresight Leader of Arup. Listen Here
• Real Talk With Mason Brady: A talk with Brad Berridge is a sound artist at Feld Entertainment, which is the company that produces Disney ON ICE!, Marvel Experiences, and others. He has worked across the United States bringing his sound design and composition to tons of different theaters and auditoriums. Listen Here.
• USITT TECHnically Speaking: A COVID-19 Discussion With Kathy Perkins: The Summer 2020 edition of Theatre Design and Technology (TD&T) explores racism in the theatre in an important piece by Taylor Leigh Lamb. TECHnically Speaking talks with lighting designer Kathy Perkins, interviewed for the article, to discuss her 1995 TD&T article, how the conversation on racism in the industry has shifted, and if Black designers are finally getting the industry recognition they deserve. Listen Here.
Industry Resources:
• USITT Women In Theatre Network
• LDI on demand videos and webcasts
• Magnum’s complete list of free training and resources