The Week in Review

Changes at ETC: A couple of big changes have occurred at ETC's Middleton, Wisconsin home base. Bill Gallinghouse, who has been part of the company for many years, most recently as vice president of marketing and business, is going into business for himself. His new company, Specification Sales & Service, will assist small and mid-sized companies interested in developing new products and services for the entertainment market. Recently, he switched over to an outside consultant's role at ETC, dealing with its rigging products. Read about his new company at http://plasa.me/w6una. Meanwhile, David Lincecum is the company's new director of marketing. Lincecum has been at ETC for more than 20 years, most recently as product marketing manager. Overall, it has all the signs of a stable transition. Read about Lincecum at http://plasa.me/din96.

Is Kanye West's Tour on or Not?: Beats us; first we heard that, because of a truck accident that damaged the tour's video panels, the tour was on hold; then we heard that three or more performances were postponed. But the website Mlive suggests that West will be performing in Detroit next Sunday. Stay tuned, and check in on the story so far at http://plasa.me/6rl2y.

Safety Troubles at Cirque du Soleil: For many years, Cirque du Soleil has enjoyed a stellar reputation for safety, which is all the more remarkable given the outrageous staging concepts and high-risk acts featured in each show. In the last week, however, the reputation has been challenged. Earlier in the week, CDS and MGM Grand were both cited for several violations in the death of Sarah Guillot-Guyard, a cast member of KA. Key quote: "According to a report by the Nevada Occupational Safety and Health Administration released Tuesday, Guillot-Guyard's rope was freed from the pulley during her rapid ascent, scraping against a shear point and severing the wire." Apparently, CDS plans to appeal. More details at http://plasa.me/1qu6y. On Friday, a performer in Zarkana fell from the Wheel of Death, necessitating a hospital stay. For more, go to http://plasa.me/fuk4a.

Swimming Pool Opera: Here's something you haven't seen before. Ricky Ian Gordon's new opera Orpheus and Eurydice, is being staged in a 140,000-gallon swimming pool in Chicago. The presenter is Chicago Opera Theater, a smaller company that is known for its risk-taking ventures. The pool serves as the River Styx. For more, including a short video documentary, go to http://plasa.me/fawx8.