FocusTrack Lighting Documentation Software Supports Tony-nominated Designs

FocusTrack congratulates all of this year's Tony nominees for Best Lighting Design in New York: for plays, Paule Constable, Jane Cox, Natasha Katz and Japhy Weideman, and for musicals, Kevin Adams, Christopher Akerlind, Howell Binkley, and Donald Holder.

At least two of the nominated productions--Kevin Adams's design for Hedwig and the Angry Inch and Donald Holder's for The Bridges of Madison County, used FocusTrack to precisely document their show lighting, allowing it to be accurately maintained for the run of the show or easily re-produced in future productions, the company says.

Numerous other Broadway shows are also making use of FocusTrack: Recently opened shows include the new revival of Cabaret, lit by Peggy Eisenhauer & Mike Baldassari; the play All The Way, lit by Jane Cox; and Beautiful: The Carol King Story, lit by Peter Kaczorowski. These join long-running shows including Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella, lit by Kenneth Posner, and Once and Motown, both lit by Natasha Katz. FocusTrack also continues to assist with the transfer of shows into New York, including the forthcoming production of Macbeth from the Manchester International Festival, which arrives at the Park Armory in the middle of the year.

"We're delighted that so many designers, associates, and programmers have recognised the help FocusTrack can provide in documenting the show lighting they work so hard to create--particularly with the ever-increasing possibilities offered by automated lighting," says FocusTrack's creator, Rob Halliday. "Congratulations to all of those nominated--and to everyone else whose lighting work has appeared in New York this year."

"It's been great working with many of these designers and their teams over the last year," adds Kevin Barry, FocusTrack's US representative, "providing help and advice as to the best ways of using FocusTrack and scheduling it into the hectic production period of Broadway shows, then watching as they start using it to great effect." New York-based Barry is available to provide assistance or support as required to all Broadway and off-Broadway FocusTrack users, ensuring users have access to immediate support in addition to in-depth backup from FocusTrack's London base.

Beyond New York, FocusTrack continues to be used on a range of productions around the world, including Billy Elliot and Les Misérables in London, Blue Man Group in Las Vegas, touring productions by Cirque du Soleil, tours of Evita and The Phantom of the Opera, and more. Able to import show data from ETC Eos, MA grandMA1, grandMA2, and Strand 500-series lighting consoles, FocusTrack can automatically provide a detailed breakdown of how a show is constructed--which moving lights are used in which focuses, which gobos and colors are actually used, what's patched to where and whether it's actually turned on in the show, and a full cue-list--and can then control the console and camera to allow documentary photographs to be taken at high speed, the company says.