ABTT 2013 Theatre Show Opens June 12

With only a week to go before the ABTT 2013 Theatre Show opens its doors on June 12, organizers report all aspects of this year's show are off the scale compared to previous years. The number of visitor registrations is greater than previous years; exhibitors have been on waiting lists to get the chance of occupying the last few remaining stands; the seminar program has almost tripled in scale and required two separate spaces accommodating close to 150 people with sessions every hour from start to close on both days of the show. Plus many exhibitors have announced news of product launches and the introduction of new products and services at the show.

Show director Roger Fox said, "We set out to make this a landmark 'theatre' exhibition for 2013, and we have been delighted with the support for the idea from the widest span of theatrical suppliers. Some are attending for the first time, like Stagebitz from Australia that offers on-line props, scenery, and inventory management, Bumat from Germany who make innovative stage revolves, Showforce, a company which provides technical crews, and Technical Theatre BSL, which supports deaf technicians."

Almost one in five of the 115 exhibitors attending are promising to present theatre-specific products for the first time at ABTT 2013, ranging from lighting, sound, and rigging equipment to publications, scenic materials, and production resources. Visitors to London's Old Truman Brewery in Brick Lane, E1, June 12 - 13 will be treated to these and other new products for the first time:
• ABTT: launch of the completely updated and all-new edition of Technical Standards for Places of Entertainment 2013
• Audience Systems: new lecture theatre seating
• Autograph: new DiGiCo T software
• Backstage Academy: a new course starting January 2014
• Bristol Paint: ecologically-produced brushes
• Canford Audio: new TechPro intercom products
• Cartey & Co: RVE's brand new TwinLED compact Fresnel and profile spots
• City Theatrical: the new Cognito lighting controller and LED dimmers
• d&b audiotechnik: the latest ArrayCalc software
• Doughty Engineering: a new motorized lectern
• Entertainment Technology Press: two new books
• Gerriets: new batten clew
• Highlite: Performer range of LED luminaires
• Lex Products: new six-circuit lighting cable assembly
• MilTec (UK): new Blakite speaker range and Mini-Map LED screen
• Prompt Side: seam-less textile welding
• ShowTex: EasyDrape pipe and base screen system
• Stage Electrics: MAGIC FX gas-based special effects
• Unusual Group: new power flying automation systems
• White Light: new Altman, CORE, James Thomas, and Chromolech lighting products

The show is a vital contact point for training, and in addition to representatives of the main industry associations (ABTT, ALD, ASD, BECTU, PLASA, SMA, Theatres Trust, Theatrical Guild) the specialist colleges and trainers are represented including: Backstage Academy, Mountview, Rose Bruford, and the RWCMD. Visitors who are either teaching theatre or starting out on a career in theatre will enjoy seminars that range from careers advice to the experiences of theatre practitioners.

The two-day seminar program has something for everyone. Sound designers will be interested in "essential skills for musical theatre" and "sound system planning" sessions. There are several seminars organized by the ABTT to explain the latest updates to relevant industry regulations. Set designers, production and stage managers will be attracted to seminars on storing and recycling sets, working at height, international stage management, and British Sign Language for deaf technicians. For the lighting enthusiasts there are seminars by veteran lighting designer Mick Hughes, and advice from Adam Bennette on lighting with LED and tungsten. Details of these and many more seminars are on the website (free registration for visiting the show and seminars is recommended) - visit the URL below for more information.