Automation Comes of Age, Lighting and Sound International

'Today, Stage Technologies employs around 160 people worldwide, and is perhaps unique in its field for the breadth and flexibility of its offering. Its commitment to nurturing the market continues: it has been a prominent sponsor of the first North American conference (NATEAC) in 2008 and the quadrennial International Theatre Engineering & Architecture Conferences in London in 2002 and 2006 - and is
providing sole platinum sponsorship of this year’s conference (13-15 June). More recently, the company was also instrumental in organising the first UK Education Symposium on the subject, hosted by the Centre for Excellence in Training for Theatre, based at the Central School of Speech and Drama in Swiss Cottage, London.

Today, according to Mark Ager and John Hastie’s book Automation in the Entertainment Industry (see side panel), 5% of the world’s theatres use automation, compared with 0.3% 25 years ago. It’s growth that Stage Technologies has enjoyed, and to some extent helped to create, since its formation in 1994. The forecast for the next 25 years is a six-fold increase to 30%. As the market matures further, and knowledge and understanding of the role of automation becomes more widespread, the future looks assured for this homegrown success story.'

For the full article please open the pdf attachment below.

Reproduced courtesy of L&SI magazine February 2010