The Week in Review

PLASA 2011 Begins: The 2011 edition of the PLASA Show kicked off on Sunday with lively crowds and plenty of new products. Among those products receive official press launches on the first day, Cooper Controls showed the ORB XF console and the new Solution Series, all of which feature updated software giving them matrix control possibilities. The company also donated £1,000 ($1,600) to Light Relief. Cadac launched the CDC Eight, a new sound console for the high-end live market. Coemar introduced UK showgoers to the Reflection LEDko line. And Avolites announced a strategic alliance with Immersive. The latter gives Avolites ownership of the Addict show control system; Avolites now has a new division, Avolites Media, which will handle the product.

Also before the show opened, many American exhibitors and attendees gathered at the PLASA Central Bar for a moment of silence to commemorate the events of 9/11.

Knight of Illumination Awards: After the PLASA Show, hundreds of attendees gathered at the Knight of Illumination Awards, sponsored by Clay Paky. This year's winners included Simon Butcher, for the television drama Casualty, Roger Williams for the variety series Tonight's the Night, Matt Carter for the morning talk show ITV Daybreak, Al Gurdon for the Super Bow Halftime Show, Michael Straun for the Glasvegas tour, Nick Whitehouse for the last Kylie tour, Jamie Thompson for The Script's current tour, Charles Atlas for the dance production Tate Project, Wolfgang Goebbel for the opera Tristan und Isolde, Bruno Poet for the National Theatre production of Frankenstein, and Hugh Vanstone for the West End musical The Wizard of Oz. Special congratulations to Richard Pilbrow, winner of the lifetime recognition award.