ETC Holds Successful CUE End-User EventFrom July 22 through 25, 150 end-users from around the globe convened in Madison, Wisconsin, to "Create, Understand, and Experience" at ETC's CUE 2013 event. CUE began with a full day of training on Eos- and Congo-family consoles, followed up by three days of hands-on classes led by ETC employees and other rigging and lighting experts. The classes covered 75 different topics, including busking live shows, working with media servers, the theater-renovation process, the evolution of stage-machinery safety standards, and proper ETC equipment maintenance. And throughout CUE, attendees got to try out new tips and tricks in ETC's light, rigging, and controls labs. The keynote addresses delivered by ETC CEO Fred Foster and Tony award-winning Broadway lighting designer Donald Holder were highlights of the event. In his address, Foster told his emotional firsthand account of ETC's history, from the early days working out of his parents' garage, to the company's current role as a leading lighting and rigging manufacturer. He also hinted at some of the technologies that ETC is researching, which may lead to new product innovations in the future. Holder wowed the CUE crowd with an address about "the brave new world" of lighting design. He used photos of his spellbinding designs to show how he has added emerging technologies to his work. With a nod to ETC's "layers of light" concept, Holder explained: "We need to reduce power and carbon emissions, but we shouldn't use certain sources just because they serve as a maintenance or power solution. The look of the light should override other considerations." He summed up his presentation by wondering what new tools will change the lighting landscape in the future. CUE attendees themselves served as educators, doing short presentations on topics of their choice. They covered everything from museum lighting and costume illumination, to university productions and puppetry. There were also three special events during CUE. The first was a Congo-themed party, where programmers toasted the product family and got a sneak peek at a completely new line of consoles that ETC will release later this year. It was followed by an exciting welcome reception, which gave attendees the opportunity to network with other rigging and lighting professionals and meet the ETC staff behind the equipment they use every day. There was also a barbecue at ETC's headquarters, where two musical groups performed in ETC's outdoor amphitheater. CUE attendees took home a wealth of new knowledge to apply to their work. Kristi Ross-Clausen, IATSE member and lighting designer, says that CUE is "one of the best educational experiences available for theatrical-lighting, architectural-lighting, rigging, and 'electrical geek-type' folks everywhere." 
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