NFTRW Weekly Top Five

Here are the top five comment generating posts of the past week:

How to Follow Up on a Job Interview (Without Being Annoying)

lifehacker.com: You just interviewed for a job and you haven't heard anything. Sometimes this is a sign of bad news, and sometimes it isn't. You want to follow up and find out what's going on, but you don't want to be annoying. Here's how to handle this situation effectively.

Posted by David at 4/29/2012 01:11:00 PM<-- Comments Here

5 Ways You Can Hold All the Aces When You Video Interview

thegrindstone.com: Video interviews are gaining popularity because they save an enormous amount of time and money for companies and job seekers alike. A study of 506 organizations by the Aberdeen Group revealed that 52% of companies are utilizing video-enabled applications to conduct their interviews already.

Posted by David at 4/29/2012 01:12:00 PM<-- Comments Here

The Home 3-D Printer Is More Real Than Ever--And Costs As Much As An iPad

Fast Company: Solidoodle is a new effort from a former COO of MakerBot, Samuel Cervantes, aiming to bring the 3-D printer within reach of the average consumer with a price tag under $500. But it's not the only project in its class, and with at least a couple more systems on the way it's likely that 3-D printing will happen in your home sooner rather than later.

Posted by David at 4/29/2012 01:13:00 PM<-- Comments Here

Standardized Tests in College?

CollegeSurfing Insider: After years of enduring standardized tests, from elementary school (it starts in 3rd grade in New York) all the way through high school and then college entrance exams, most students breathe a sigh of relief at the lack of standardized testing at the undergraduate level. Unless you’re going to grad school or entering a credentialed profession, your college admission is a chance to say goodbye to those dreaded, broad-stroke assessments.
Not so fast.

Posted by David at 4/27/2012 04:14:00 PM<-- Comments Here  

Visual effects artists aim to create better work environments

latimes.com: They called it the zombie walk.
After midnight, when the coffee and Red Bull had worn off, Sari Gennis and her co-workers would take a brisk stroll to make it through their graveyard shift. For four months straight, often seven days a week, a team of visual effects artists worked 12-hour shifts to complete the 3-D conversion of movie blockbuster "Titanic."Gennis said the long hours aggravated a severe arthritis condition. She'd already had both knees replaced, and needed a third surgery, but couldn't afford to take time off for the operation. "If I continue these kind of hours, it could kill me," the visual effects veteran said.

Posted by David at 4/28/2012 02:47:00 PM<-- Comments Here

Person of interest: Actor Jonathan Visser

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: For those of you who have seen "Ruthless! The Musical" at CLO Cabaret, a question you're all asking yourself as you leave is, "How tall is Sylvia St. Croix?" So let's set that straight. Jonathan Visser, who plays Sylvia, is a lean 6 feet, 5 inches without the 3-inch heels he wears in the role. And those heels are nothing, said Mr. Visser, the 33-year-old native of a Seattle suburb. A few years back, he was performing a British panto show in Oregon that required a huge wig, gaudy costume and spike heels. Even though he had done stilt work, it was a rough go. "I was quite a sight," he admits.

Dance Council's next season to present diverse styles

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: The Pittsburgh Dance Council has a question: What is dance? The answer may seem obvious, but the possibilities for how to reply are plentiful and not always so simple. Next season's program will offer some suggested responses when two international acts (Akram Khan Company and Black Grace) and a handful of troupes from across the United States (STREB, Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo and Mark Morris Dance Group) -- including Pittsburgh native Kyle Abraham's New York-based Abraham.In.Motion -- showcase their talents at Byham Theater, Downtown.

AV: Why Measured System Response Doesn’t Match What’s Heard

Pro Sound Web: Many audio field technicians are now in possession of measurement systems that can be used to assist the listening process in equalizing sound reinforcement systems. But, they’re often surprised to find that the measured system response correlates poorly with subjective impression of how the system sounds.

Tupac's Ghostly Performance At Coachella

livedesignonline.com: AV Concepts supplied a Musion® Eyeliner™ 3D Holographic Projection System setup during the first weekend of Coachella that allowed a life-sized 3D Tupac to perform with Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg.

A Conversation with Artie Siccardi

livedesignonline.com: The Broadway Technical Theatre History Project presents “Backstage Legends and Masters: A Conversation with Artie Siccardi. This special event will be held on Monday, April 30, at 7pm in conjunction with the Design/Technology Program, Conservatory of Theatre Arts, School of the Arts at Purchase College, State University of New York.

Event Safety Alliance Meets with Indiana Safety Officials

PLSN: Members of the Event Safety Alliance, including founding members John Brown of Brown United, Inc. and Jim Digby, production manager for Linkin Park, met April 23 with Indiana governor Mitch Daniels and state safety officials to discuss ways for the entertainment industry and government to work together in the interest of life safety. The meeting included officials from the NFPA, IATSE, IDHS, IOSHA and Daniels' staff.

David Henry Hwang Honored At 2012 Inge Festival

KCUR: The four-day William Inge Theatre Festival in Independence, Kansas includes dozens of plays, readings and workshops, and concludes with a salute to a particular playwright or composer. Joining a list that includes Arthur Miller, Edward Albee and Stephen Sondheim is this year's honoree, David Henry Hwang, whose body of work has been informed by his Asian-American heritage.

“In the Shadows of IRIS, They Play with Light”

CirqueClub: The team comprises of six full-time staff, four on-call staff and two artists. Each evening, they film live footage, process the images at light speed and project shadows. Tom, Head of Projections, explains what’s special about IRIS. “Other Cirque shows, such as LOVE, Mystère or KÀ, mainly project pre-recorded images. Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour and CRISS ANGEL Believe also use live clips.

Artist Payments at Nonprofits, By the Numbers

hyperallergic.com: As a supplement to “Why Are (Most) Artists (So Fucking) Poor?” here is some of the data from the 2010 W.A.G.E. survey of payments received by artists who exhibited with nonprofit art institutions in New York City between 2005 and 2010.

The Home 3-D Printer Is More Real Than Ever--And Costs As Much As An iPad

Fast Company: Solidoodle is a new effort from a former COO of MakerBot, Samuel Cervantes, aiming to bring the 3-D printer within reach of the average consumer with a price tag under $500. But it's not the only project in its class, and with at least a couple more systems on the way it's likely that 3-D printing will happen in your home sooner rather than later.

5 Ways You Can Hold All the Aces When You Video Interview

thegrindstone.com: Video interviews are gaining popularity because they save an enormous amount of time and money for companies and job seekers alike. A study of 506 organizations by the Aberdeen Group revealed that 52% of companies are utilizing video-enabled applications to conduct their interviews already.

Cirque Presents: AMALUNA!

cirquefascination.com: Amaluna, the all-new creation by Cirque du Soleil presented by Desjardins Group, has now begun its run in the Old Port of Montreal where it will perform until July 15. Directed by Diane Paulus, a renowned director from New York, Amaluna will then be presented at the Port de Québec starting July 31.

How to Follow Up on a Job Interview (Without Being Annoying)

lifehacker.com: You just interviewed for a job and you haven't heard anything. Sometimes this is a sign of bad news, and sometimes it isn't. You want to follow up and find out what's going on, but you don't want to be annoying. Here's how to handle this situation effectively.

Cirque du Soleil vies with Russian rivals for stars

CBC News: When Cirque du Soleil first set up in Moscow’s Kremlin theatre in February, Russian circuses were nervous about losing their audiences.
That hasn't happened, as the Montreal troupe’s Zarkana differs from the traditional Russian circus fare. However, the Cirque then began hiring away their performers — about one-quarter of the acrobats on the Moscow show are Russian-trained.

At Millburn’s Paper Mill Playhouse, Children Able to Perform

NYTimes.com: “I’m a little scared,” confessed one of the children in the black-box theater at the Paper Mill Playhouse here on a recent Friday.

One Hundred and Twenty Seconds

2AMt: A lot has been said about the Guthrie’s season announcement, and probably a lot more will be. I want to focus on one part of it. But first, I want to say that while I don’t disagree with most of the criticism the Guthrie has worked hard over the last decade or so to foster –I’ve yet to hear anyone I’ve known from Minnesota stand up for Dowling—it should be clearly stated that the Guthrie is not alone.

J-O-B PM

GALA Hispanic Theatre, Washington D.C.

Production Manager

http://www.galatheatre.org/

Responsibilities:

The Production Manager will work closely with the Producing Artistic Director and Associate Producing Director to plan and coordinate production schedules for all season productions, youth education programs, and special presenting series.

1.    Controls and maintains the master schedule including all performances, rentals and other special events;

2.    Drafts and executes contracts for actors, directors, and designers. Also executes contracts for rentals;

3.    Recruits and hires designers and technicians to staff GALA productions and rentals of the space;

4.    Supervises and supports all technical personnel, including the Technical Director.

5.    Recruits, trains, and manages production interns;

6.    Organizes all casting calls;

7.    Schedules all travel and lodging for visiting artists;

8.    Oversees the technical aspects of all of the performances by the Paso Nuevo workshop;

9.    Oversees all venue maintenance needs;

10.   Supports Producing Artistic Director and company members during rehearsals and performances;

11.   Represents Producing Artistic Director as needed at meetings, workshops, rehearsals, and performances;

12.   Prepares appropriate season budgets, production reports, including production expense reports, as required.

Qualifications:

*     Degree in theatre or a related field is required, preferably with a technical background.

*     Must be able to lift up to 50 pounds.

*     Evening and weekend work required.

*     Proficiency with Word and Excel.

*     Experience with stage management required.

*     Valid driver's license.

*     Understanding of the creative design process. Good financial, organizational and communication skills. Proficiency in written and oral Spanish is a must. Ability to multi-task, prioritize and manage competing priorities.

This is a full-time salaried position. Benefits include partial health insurance coverage, paid holiday and vacation time. GALA Theatre is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

To apply, please send cover letter and resume listing three references to Rebecca@galatheatre.org.

Wilson to Address Grads

CMU: With a program celebrating its unique blend of strengths across disciplines, Carnegie Mellon University announces that the critically acclaimed actor, alumnus and CMU board of trustee member — Patrick Wilson (A'95) — will deliver the keynote address for its 115th Commencement.

Heather Knight and Data: A Researcher and a Robot Walk Into a Bar...

Creating - WSJ.com: When they appear on stage, Heather Knight, a robotics graduate student, and Data, her stand-up-comedy-performing robot, seem like a futuristic Odd Couple. Ms. Knight is tall, blond and human while Data—sheathed in a white plastic shell and about a third her size—resembles a RoboCop action figure. Data plays the feisty star; Ms. Knight takes on the role of the "straight man." At a performance last year, Data, perched on a stool, waved to the crowd. "I would say it's a pleasure to be here, but I am a robot and don't know emotion," he said in a fittingly electronic voice. Then he turned his head slowly toward Ms. Knight and pointed at her with his left arm. "Heather, how about you get working on that emotion program?" he asked. "I am, Data!" she responded, in a mock-defensive tone.

Carnegie Mellon is home to nation's only graduating bagpipe major

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: It's not unusual for young boys to be spellbound by pirates. But when Nick Hudson would watch the movie version of Robert Louis Stevenson's "Kidnapped" as a child, it wasn't for the sword play or the adventure on the high seas. Rather, he was completely captivated by a bagpipe duel. More than a decade later, Mr. Hudson is a senior at Carnegie Mellon University -- and the nation's only graduating bagpipe major.

MakerDate Call for Artists: Deadline Extended

TECHBurgher: Assemble, a community space for arts and technology, announces a call for artists and makers of all kinds for a unique and interactive fundraising event. MakerDate 2012 is an auction pairing skill seekers with opportunities to learn something new. This event will also feature a raffle of of original art objects and handmade crafts.

Why MR-16 lights are an attractive LED lighting product

Blog on EDN: Lighting Science Group (LSG), the largest producer of LED bulbs in North America, has broadened its product line to include the MR-16 light.

New York IATSE Boss Indicted; DOL Sues Benefits Trustees

National Legal and Policy Center: For more than seven years, John McNamee, Jr. avoided getting caught. Then reality caught up. On February 15, McNamee, formerly president and secretary-treasurer of Stage and Picture Operators Local 829, an affiliate of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), was indicted in Manhattan federal court on charges of embezzling nearly a quarter-million dollars from the New York City union and filing false financial reports.

Visual effects artists aim to create better work environments

latimes.com: They called it the zombie walk.
After midnight, when the coffee and Red Bull had worn off, Sari Gennis and her co-workers would take a brisk stroll to make it through their graveyard shift. For four months straight, often seven days a week, a team of visual effects artists worked 12-hour shifts to complete the 3-D conversion of movie blockbuster "Titanic."Gennis said the long hours aggravated a severe arthritis condition. She'd already had both knees replaced, and needed a third surgery, but couldn't afford to take time off for the operation. "If I continue these kind of hours, it could kill me," the visual effects veteran said.

Life imitates art: Subscription models still going strongs:

Analysis from TRG Arts: How many times have you heard that the arts need a new business model, or that subscriptions are dead? There’s not a lot of people out there advocating for subscriptions. In fact most speak of abandoning it, or make conclusions or assumptions based on reports that the number of arts subscribers in America is down. But, is the subscription model really dead? Really?

How Grad School Changed (and Didn’t Change) My Life

HowlRound: For the last three years I have participated in that sacrificial rite of passage that so many theater artists have undertaken (and so many more theater artists have questioned): an MFA program. In my twenties, I was cobbling together a living as an “NYC-based director” (which means I lived near Manhattan and was predominantly working out of town). During that time, I saw several of my friends head off to get an MFA then return to the city. For some, the experience was positively transformational, but several of my friends simply returned three years laterolder, poorer, and more disillusioned with the profession than when they left. Many were quietly humiliated to have to return to the temping or the barista counter—the only difference now being the three letters behind their name and a percentage of their infrequent artistic paychecks going to union dues and their new-found agent/manager.
Am I being unfair? Perhaps.



How Grad School Changed (and Didn’t Change) My Life

Put a Little Gaga in Your Marketing Strategy (from Arts Watch)

ARTSblog: As I continually seek new information to contribute to our various electronic and print publications, I come across a ton of info that I want to pass along to the field, but they end up sitting on my desk waiting as other topics or projects rise to the top over that information.
In light of that, I thought this blog post can serve as an early spring cleaning (we definitely haven’t had a real winter in D.C. this year) of some of the marketing content I’ve been holding onto.

Photo Gallery: New Fantasyland, Disney California Adventure Park Models in Detail

Disney Parks Blog: Earlier today, models of New Fantasyland, Cars Land and Buena Vista Street were shared with the media here at Walt Disney World Resort. Photographer Kent Phillips stopped by and snapped these fun shots of the models up close.

Video Pick: A New Way to Think About Creativity

freelanceswitch.com:This week we look at A new way to think about creativity by Elizabeth Gilbert. In this video “Eat, Pray, Love” Author Elizabeth Gilbert muses on the impossible things we expect from artists and geniuses — and shares the radical idea that, instead of the rare person “being” a genius, all of us “have” a genius. It’s a funny, personal and surprisingly moving talk..

Bricolage examines racial division by reviving controversial 'Dutchman'

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: "Dutchman" is either a powerful expression of America's endless cycle of racial bigotry or a cliche from another era, while the character of Lula represents the worst of humankind or panders to biases.
In other words, the controversial 1960s play by LeRoi Jones, who was about to become Amiri Baraka when he wrote "Dutchman," is a conversation waiting to happen, and that's what collaborators Tami Dixon and Mark Clayton Southers are counting on.

Charles 'Roc' Dutton, great August Wilson actor, here in 'From Jail to Yale'

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: The star actor was here last night (Wednesday), telling his autobiographical tale, "From Jail to Yale," at the annual celebration of the Pittsburgh Chapter of the A. Philip Randolph Institute. Randolph, of course, was the long-time labor leader and civil rights pioneer, and the institute is dedicated to investing in communities and breaking the chain of poverty. A crowd of labor leaders, politicians and community leaders packed the August Wilson Center for a celebratory reception and then Charles "Roc" Dutton's performance.

Shakespeare Festival Shopping for Theater Space

wfpl.org: The Kentucky Shakespeare Festival is shopping for a new indoor performance space. Festival leadership has expressed interest in purchasing a Theater Square building that currently houses the Roxbury Nightclub and Lounge.
The board of directors recently approved a new strategic plan that calls for expanded programming. Producing artistic director Brantley Dunaway hopes more plays and a longer production season will transform the festival from a free summer program into a robust tourism destination.

Sylvia Waters Steps Down at Ailey II

NYTimes.com: Somewhere near the top of the modern-dance family tree, where the foliage is plentiful, you’ll find Sylvia Waters.

Animation contract talks break down

Variety: The initial round of contract talks between Hollywood union animators and producers have broken down after three days, three months before the current deal expires on July 31.
The Animation Guild, which reps about 2,000 animators through Local 839 of the Intl. Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, did not disclose when the negotiations for a new three-year deal will resume.

Visual Effects Artists Seeking to Unionize at Sony Imageworks

The Hollywood Reporter: Call it a tale of three Sonys: the studio’s live action crew members and its Sony Pictures Animation employees are unionized, but visual effects artists at sister facility Sony Pictures Imageworks are not – even though they work hand in glove on both live action product, such as next month’s Men in Black III, and animated films like Smurfs 2, due out next year.

'Follies' and 'Death Takes a Holiday' Top Drama Desk Nominations

backstage.com: "Follies" and "Death Takes a Holiday" received the most nominations for the 57th annual Drama Desk Awards, which were announced by Broadway stars Donna Murphy and Brian d'Arcy James at a press conference at Feinstein's at the Regency on Friday. Both performers are previous Drama Desk winners. Murphy will be featured in a revival of "Into the Woods" at the Delacorte Theatre this summer and d'Arcy James is currently starring NBC's "Smash."

Drama Desk Nominations Announced; Death Takes a Holiday and Follies Lead the Pack

Playbill.com: Tony winner Donna Murphy, who will be seen in the Public Theater's summer staging of Into the Woods, and "Smash" star Brian d'Arcy James announced the nominations for the 57th Annual Drama Desk Awards April 27 at Feinstein's at Loews Regency.

The Key To A Great Meeting Is Kicking Some People Out Of It

Fast Company: The small-group principle is deeply woven into the religion of simplicity. It’s key to Apple’s ongoing success and key to any organization that wants to nurture quality thinking. The idea is pretty basic: Everyone in the room should be there for a reason. There’s no such thing as a “mercy invitation.” Either you’re critical to the meeting or you’re not. It’s nothing personal, just business.

Voiceover Artists Choose Sides in War of Political Ads

backstage.com: Turns out there is a positive takeaway from the explosion of negative political campaigns. Just ask voiceover artists.
Many say that starting with the 2004 presidential election, they've found more work voicing television, radio and Internet ads touting one candidate or another. And with President Obama and GOP rival Mitt Romney already having raised about $300 million for the current campaign (plus millions more pouring in from loosely regulated super PACs), there likely will be more ads than ever before that require narrators and other voice talent during the next six months.

ShopBot

Cool Tools: The ShopBot is a low-cost CNC, or computer controlled router. Think of it as a large-scale milling machine. It is great for small-scale production runs of machine parts in wood or metal.

Standardized Tests in College?

CollegeSurfing Insider: After years of enduring standardized tests, from elementary school (it starts in 3rd grade in New York) all the way through high school and then college entrance exams, most students breathe a sigh of relief at the lack of standardized testing at the undergraduate level. Unless you’re going to grad school or entering a credentialed profession, your college admission is a chance to say goodbye to those dreaded, broad-stroke assessments.
Not so fast.

Study Says 65% Of Bosses Say Dress Is The Deciding Factor Between Two Job Candidates

thegrindstone.com: Make sure that pantsuit looks really good. According to a new infographic from Highest Paying Careers, 65% of bosses say that dress could be the deciding factor between two similar job candidates.
“That first impression on an interview counts so much, and you don’t want to be out of the race before the interview even begins,'

Virtual Team Links

Technical Direction Tidbits: This quarter I have been taking a class on using technology for leading teams. While in theatre most of the team tends to be in the same location - there is always a part of the team, the designer, or director prior to the rehearsal period that is not usually local. Thus the blending between an in house team and a virtual "show" team is an interesting topic to me. It has been interesting so far, and I am sure it will be the fodder for a series of blog posts.

Switch on your phones: theatre must embrace the interactive age

guardian.co.uk: On Friday evening at Sea Odyssey I stood behind a family group as the not-so-little Little Girl and her dog were put to bed. What I found interesting was that this family weren't just watching the show, they were engaging with it on several different levels. Teenage daughter was taking pictures on her iPhone, and texting all the time, Mum was videoing it on her phone and when I spoke to them they told me that Dad had been tweeting for much of the day.

Guthrie Theater's debt to women and diversity

Minnesota Public Radio: Guthrie Artistic Director Joe Dowling is struggling to protect his theater's reputation after a week of outrage in the arts community over the Guthrie's new season, which some have declared "a tragedy.

Spring Carnival booths need more variety every year

The Tartan Online: Booth is one of the most noticeable and celebrated events of Spring Carnival. It is the only festivity that is truly affected by the overarching theme of Carnival every year; no other activity, such as Sweepstakes or the annual Scotch’n’Soda show, depends on an interpretation of the Spring Carnival theme.

Waffle Shop to close in August

The Tartan Online: The Waffle Shop, located at 124 South Highland Ave., has become a unique part of the Pittsburgh arts community over the past four years. The Waffle Shop and the programs it facilitates will continue to operate through the summer. However, the popular combination art project and restaurant will close its doors on Aug. 1.

Preview: Bricolage examines racial division by reviving controversial 'Dutchman'

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: "Dutchman" is either a powerful expression of America's endless cycle of racial bigotry or a cliche from another era, while the character of Lula represents the worst of humankind or panders to biases.
In other words, the controversial 1960s play by LeRoi Jones, who was about to become Amiri Baraka when he wrote "Dutchman," is a conversation waiting to happen, and that's what collaborators Tami Dixon and Mark Clayton Southers are counting on.

_Drowsy Chaperone_ shatters fourth wall

The Tartan Online: From the moment the lights dimmed, it was clear that The Drowsy Chaperone was not your conventional Broadway musical. The whining voice of the narrator instantly made an impression with his grumbling criticism: “I hate theater. Well, it’s so disappointing, isn’t it?”

Pyrotopia hopes to blaze trail for eastern fire-arts festivals

| TribLIVE | Pittsburgh: During the day, artist/musician/inventor Eric Singer builds musical robots. At night, he likes to watch stuff burn.
No, he's not an arsonist.
Singer, of Squirrel Hill, is an artist working with the still-obscure, but undeniably spectacular medium of fire. This Saturday, he has assembled Pittsburgh's first ever festival of "fire arts" -- Pyrotopia.

Costume tour charms guests

The Tartan Online: The way the event was advertised, one would have thought that costumes from the immensely popular British drama Downton Abbey would have been on display in the lobby of the Purnell Center for the Arts last Friday afternoon. Instead, it ended up being a tour of the costume shop and a commentary on both the drama school’s collection of historical clothing and on the clothing used in the BBC show, which — while a bit of a surprise to the 20–30 visitors who attended — was nonetheless fascinating.

Lubovitch performances made as 'dance for our time'

| TribLIVE | Pittsburgh: Pittsburgh Dance Council searches for adventuresome artistry. Sometimes, the result is a relatively new group just making its mark.
But Dance Council also presents iconic figures that we anticipate with eagerness, such as Lar Lubovitch. Noted for his sensitivity, musicality and humanity, Lubovitch was declared by the New York Times to be "one of the 10 best choreographers in the world."

Booths widely interpret ‘As Seen On TV’ theme

The Tartan Online: The theme of this year’s Spring Carnival, “As Seen On TV,” allowed for a number of creative individual booth themes, but also provided some challenges for certain organizations. Instead of basing booths on cheesy infomercials, as the theme might suggest, most groups chose television shows for their booth themes.

Do You Need Glue

Popular Woodworking Magazine: After three days of work, we are going to start assembling the workbenches we are building at the Marc Adams School of Woodworking tomorrow and are coming to a familiar fork in the road.
Should we assemble the benches using glue or not?

2012 Olivier Award Winners Announced

Lighting&Sound America Online - News: The 2012 Olivier Awards, representing the best of London theatre over the last twelve months, were presented in a glittering ceremony at London's Royal Opera House Sunday, April 15th.

High End Systems Celebrates a Decade of Digital Lighting

Lighting&Sound America Online - News: This year marks a monumental milestone for High End Systems, a Barco company. As of February 2012, High End Systems has been selling digital lighting products for 10 years; no other company in the industry has the same level of experience in this market segment.

PLASA Focus: Nashville Announces New Event in July

Lighting&Sound America Online - News: PLASA Focus: Nashville 2012 welcomes a raft of new exhibitors as the two-day event continues to grow, with over 20 companies now committed to taking part and as many applications being processed. The event takes place July 11-12, at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium, Tennessee, and is the first of its kind to be held in the region.

CadFaster Collaboration Software Now Available for Vectorworks Users

Lighting&Sound America Online - News: Nemetschek Vectorworks, Inc. and CadFaster have joined together to offer CadFaster|Collaborate for users of Vectorworks software. This announcement comes on the heels of the launch of Vectorworks Cloud Services, and will further broaden the ability for Vectorworks users to access their design files from any location.

What should you do with that newsletter of yours? Not these 7 things!

Katya's Non-Profit Marketing Blog: Do you have a print newsletter? An email one? Both? Should you keep one, both, neither? What if you want to re-purpose the print version for email? Or vice versa?
If you have ever asked any of these questions, Network for Good and Kivi Leroux Miller have all the answers. Because we hear these questions so often, we created a free Guide on the topic. You can download it here.

Do You Work for Free?

Elisabeth Hobbs: Musicians become musicians because they have a passion and a talent. They also have high levels of self-discipline and perseverance. To become a professional musician takes a lifetime of work. Most will have started playing by the age of ten: at that age, you might practice half an hour a day, but as you improve that soon becomes an hour, then three, then five hours (that’s per day, not week, on top of your schoolwork). By the time you’re at music college – if you’re one of the very tiny minority who make it through the highly competitive audition process – you are likely to be practising six or seven hours a day, in addition to a daily schedule of rehearsals and classes.

CNC Panel Joinery Notebook

MAKE: I’ve been collecting clever ways of slotting flat stock together since I first read Nomadic Furniture back in 1999, well before the advent of the accessible hobby-class CNC tools that, today, make manufacturing parts like these pretty easy. Now, the world is full of people designing models, project enclosures, sculpture, furniture, and all kinds of other cool stuff to be assembled from parts made on laser cutters and CNC routers, and I keep expecting a definitive book or website to emerge that covers the “bag of tricks” in an organized way. So far, I haven’t found it. I may have missed it. Or maybe this article can serve as a jumping-off point. In any case, I think it’s time to open up my file.

Anti-Merger Lawsuit Lives on Even Though SAG Doesn't

backstage.com: SAG filed its answer today in the federal lawsuit brought in February by opponents of SAG/AFTRA merger who sought to enjoin the merger referendum ballot count.
Yes, the lawsuit lives on, even though the judge denied the injunction four weeks ago and merger passed overwhelmingly, with an 82 percent thumbs up from SAG members and 86 percent from AFTRA.

$18 Million Gift for Theater at Yale

NYTimes.com: The Yale School of Drama and Yale Repertory Theater announced on Wednesday that they had received an $18 million gift — the largest in their history — to finance the creation of new plays and musicals through commissions to writers, developmental workshops and productions at both Yale Rep and other theaters that stage the work.

Attendance at Vancouver Playhouse show called ‘embarrassing’

The Globe and Mail: It was an opening night that almost didn’t happen. God of Carnage was supposed to end the season for the Vancouver Playhouse Theatre Company, but when the company announced its abrupt closing last month, the production was left in the lurch – as was the co-producer, the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre.

ULS

Thursday, April 26, 2012

4:30 pm • PorterHall 100 (Gregg Hall)

THE HUMANITIES CENTER LECTURES, 2011-2012: Imagining Planetarity

Anne Balsamo, Professor of Interactive Media in the School of Cinematic Arts, and of Communication in the Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism, University of SouthernCalifornia

In response to the “Imagining Planetarity” project, Anne Balsamo will address one of its key questions: “how might the world to come be thought into existence constructively?” She approaches this question by looking at the role of the body (or more specifically) the “hand” participates and mediates placemaking and the creation of a world. She reports on her new project that investigates the rise of DIY culture in the United States and the development of shanzhai practices in China as modes of innovation that serve as important sites for the reproduction of culture.

http://www.cmu.edu/uls/april/balsamo.html

Monday, April 30, 2012

4:30 pm • Porter Hall 100 (Gregg Hall)

The Distinguished Lecture Series in Environmental Science, Technology, and Policy: Human Dimensions of Technology

The Global Environment and Human History since 1900

John McNeill, Georgetown University

http://www.cmu.edu/uls/april/mcneill.html

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Graduate Biomedical Engineering Society (GBMES) presents:

The 6th AnnualGBMES Distinguished Speaker Symposium: Discussions at the INTERFACE of NATURE & TECHNOLOGY

3:00-4:00 pm: Informal NetworkingPoster Session/ Grand Room, 3^rd Floor Posner Hall

Register to present a poster at http://bit.ly/gbmes2012 or email gbmes-exec@lists.andrew.cmu.edu.

4:30-5:30 pm: Keynote Lecture/ Porter Hall 100

Synthetic biology: from parts to modules to therapeutic systems

Ron Weiss, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

The "6th annual GBMES Distinguished Speaker Symposium: Discussions at the INTERFACE of NATURE & TECHNOLOGY" will explore multidisciplinary research areas that have emerged from unique intersections of nature, science and engineering, such as synthetic biology, and the potential impacts of these fields on medicine, technology, and entrepreneurial prospects. Main events include lunch, an informal discussion forum, student presentations in the form of a networking poster session, and the keynote seminar.

Thursday, May 3, 2012

4:30 pm • Porter Hall 100 (Gregg Hall)

The Distinguished Lecture Series in Environmental Science, Technology, and Policy: Human Dimensions of Technology
Prosaic Disasters
Charles Perrow, Professor Emeritus, Yale University

Reviewing a number of recent catastrophes discloses similar scripts of regulatory failures, unheeded warnings, bumbling responses, cover-ups, and little learning. Complexity and tight coupling set the stage for many failures, but production pressures and cost cutting creates the fuel, and prosaic, commonplace errors provide the spark. I will amble through the disaster landscape, which includes our economic meltdown, but Fukushima is the poster child of what should never have been built.
http://www.cmu.edu/uls/may/perrow.html

Other Lectures of Interest:

March 24 - April 22, 2012

Reception: Friday, March 23, 6-8 pm

Carnegie Mellon 2012 MFA Thesis Exhibition

The You Inside of Me

Organized by the CMU School of Art

Artists: Jonathan Armistead, Agnes Bolt, Sung Rok Choi, Jesse England, Riley Harmon, Oscar Peters, Nina Sarnelle

http://millergallery.cfa.cmu.edu/exhibitions/mfa2012/index.php