First I'd like to take the opportunity to thank the many readers, advertisers, friends, and colleagues who have offered words of encouragement to all of us here at Entertainment Design and Lighting Dimensions over the past month. We received numerous good wishes and many more words of advice (what else would you expect from this industry?), and we appreciate all of it.
It's been an incredibly challenging 30 days, filled with a lot of late nights and heavy lifting, but — let me toot our own horn here for a moment — I personally think we all did a stellar job in pulling together to get the last several issues of both magazines out the door. Art director John Scott, sales reps Aimee Eckert and Holly O'Hair, consulting editor Ellen Lampert-Greaux, group publisher Bob MacArthur and myself worked tirelessly to try and maintain as much continuity as you, the reader, should expect from a monthly magazine. And though a few things may have fall through the cracks, I'd like to think the disruption was minimal.
And now, hallelujah, reinforcements have arrived, and with them, a whole new era. As you'll see on page 2, we have re-staffed the editorial department of both magazines. Marian Sandberg-Dierson, whom I've considered a friend ever since a NAMM show several years ago where we swore Alan Parsons of the Alan Parsons Project was stalking us, has signed on as editor of Lighting Dimensions. She has a vast knowledge of the industry; a strong mix of contacts among manufacturers, distributors, designers, programmers, and technicians; and a wealth of ideas for the magazine. She also has a great sense of humor — a must for this office — and a pretty cool husband in lighting designer Patrick Dierson, the knucklehead who contributes regularly to our “On Lighting” column. (Don't worry, she's not stealing him from the pages of ED — you can find his thoughts this month on page 24.) Marian will focus exclusively on LD, and will be instrumental in reshaping and redesigning that magazine for a new generation — I hope you will all wish her the best of luck. She can be reached at 212-224-1818 (email: [email protected]).
Also on board are managing editor Mark Newman and editorial coordinator Lauren Thompson. Having not had a strong back-up editorial team for a long time now, I can't tell you how much the addition off these two take-charge individuals will improve the quality of the editorial product. Mark's experience in the lighting industry as the editor of Lighting Design + Application will be invaluable, and young Lauren's previous experience as an editorial assistant — not to mention her time as a bartender in a London pub — will also come in very handy indeed. Please join me in welcoming these talented individuals as well; Mark can be reached at 212-204-1817 (email: [email protected] and Lauren at 212-204-1813 (email: [email protected]).
Now, at long last, let's all take a deep breath, exhale, and focus on the future. We've got some changes ahead for both magazines — mostly on LD, but a few surprises for this book too. Also on the boards are our hugely popular Broadway Lighting and Sound Master Classes, as well as the always-entertaining EDDY Awards, all happening June 16-20 here in New York City. Go to http://blmc.net/ to get all the latest information.
Now that we are finally back to normal (or as normal as we'll ever be), we'll be focusing on getting out there to meet and talk with as many of you as possible. Although we are all bursting with ideas for the future, we know that these are your magazines as much as they are ours, and we're eager to get your input. So expect a call from us soon. The new era has officially begun.