A quick look at some recent industry happenings:
Congratulations to all involved in the new Steinmetz Hall, which opened this month at Dr. Phillips Center in Orlando, FL. An acoustically advanced theater, Steinmetz Hall officially achieved an N1 sound rating—the lowest level at which humans can detect sound. It is also one of the rare venues that has transformable shape, seating, and sound to accommodate a variety of performances and events—amplified or not. With seating on four levels, the capacity can range from 1,597 to 1,741, depending on the desired configuration. The design team, all of whom deserve feathers in their caps, includes architect Barton Myers, acoustician Damian Doria, theatre consultant Richard Pilbrow and his team at Theatre Projects. Stay tuned for Live Design’s in-depth coverage of this exciting new venue.
It’s Super Bowl LVI countdown to the Pepsi Halftime Show on Sunday, February 13, at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. This year’s show features rap and R&B titans Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, and Kendrick Lamar. The industry gets to flex its muscles on this one, with the fastest concert set up ever, for this star-studded show that takes place mid-field once again (after last year’s end-zone stage). Vendors such as PRG and ALL ACCESS are in countdown mode, and Live Design is once again preparing its award-winning editorial touchdown of the design and technology uses to pull off this tour-de-force. And check out our award-winning coverage of last year’s show! Here's a reminder of what goes into such a show from 2017:
To quote Joe Fucini on behalf of Chauvet, “Even a very big, bold rig that reaches 48' above the stage can convey engaging moments of warmth and intimacy through the artful use of colors and washes. Patrick Dierson and the team at The Activity (John Ellar, Justin Cheatham, and Manny Conde) demonstated that at the January 15 iHeart Radio ALTer EGO concert with help from the CHAUVET Professional Maverick MK3 Wash supplied by 4Wall Entertainment. Kudos also to CW2 Rigging…” Read more about it here.
Everyone loves the Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s The Little Prince as a book and its adaptation as an international stage musical with a mix of dance, aerial acrobatics, video, and music is headed to Broadway this spring. Due to Covid-19, its opened has been delayed and will now start previews at the Broadway Theatre on Tuesday, March 29, with opening night on Monday, April 11. The production, which, had been set to begin performances on March 4. The creative team includes lighting designer Stephane Fritsch, sound designer Tristan Viscogliosi, video designer Marie Jumelin, video projection by Etienne Beaussart. Take a peek here.