If you had asked me about a year ago if I would be attending such a prestigious event as the Broadway Lighting master Class in NYC with some of the most important and accomplished lighting designers of our time I would have never answered yes. It is such an honor to be here and to be exposed so imtimately to the processes and design instincts of such respectable artists. This event is truly a gift to any aspiring designer and has served as a reminder that as people of the theatre we are all a part of the same community and share the same passions. My ambitions for the future have grown immensly within the last few days, and I have many people to thank for allowing me the opportunity to be here. I will soon be a first year graduate student studying for my masters in lighting design and cannot imagine a better way to start this journey.

~Carla Linton

Suny New Paltz 07′

Kristin Hayes (left) and Carla Linton

Greetings all from NYC. I love New York in June, but May ain’t bad either.

I digress.

As usual the BLMC is a great event to be a part of - interaction with students, professionals, and other manufacturers - it is a great place to learn, and of course, to promote our products.

It’s nice to be able see what the competition is doing, what people want to see from us in the future, and where the lighting industry is headed…

If you are missing this, you are missing out - come by next year - we’ll be here - and so should you!

~George Masek, product manager, Vari-Lite

George Masek gets his blog on.

Wow. I haven’t even processed the fact that I graduated from college on Monday because I have been inundated ever since with words of wisdom, inspiration, and a good deal of fun from some of the Broadway legends I have been learning about for the last four years. It has been an amazing experience, and I’m glad to have more time to spend with the friends I made at the Kennedy Center Festival last month. I know we are all so grateful to have this kind of opportunity, and I look forward to the rest of the seminars!

~Kristin Hayes

Emerson ‘07

I’ve been a fan of Broadway theatre since I was too young to enjoy it properly. Even so, as a Los Angeles native, I had never been able to see Broadway shows much, and certainly never been able to really seep myself into the Broadway community. Last night’s Live Design Honors for Hal Prince, however, felt very much like a backstage pass to Broadway’s past and present. The thoughts and quips of such legends as Richard Pilbrow and Eugene Lee brought me into the Broadway process and inspired in me a new respect for the work of hundreds of creative individuals on and off Broadway every day.

- Ryan Hindinger, lighting designer

This is my second day here at the BLMC. It’s certainly been worth the effort to travel from Sydney, Australia to share the insights and expertise of major figures in stage lighting such as Jules Fisher, Peggy Eisenhauer, and Chris Akerlind. Their depth of experience and ability to articulate the finer nuances of the lighting design process has provided me with more critical creative edge. New York is fabulous.

- Christopher Venn, lighting supervisor

Sydney Opera House