The 2011 Wally Russell Lifetime Achievement Award went to Rusty Brutsché, PRG. The founder of Vari-Lite, Brutsché helped to usher in the modern era of this industry with the invention of the moving light, and many other pace-setting products.
In the booth categories Performance Truss Fabrications, was cited for best small booth, while Chauvet took the ward for best large booth, Clay Paky was cited for most creative use of light, and Christie Digital won the nod for best product presentation.
The award for best staging/rigging product went to Eco Live Systems' Rising Sun solar-energy charged modular battery road cases. In the special effects category, the award went to : Firelinx Aegis wireless pyro control system from Birket Engineering. In the relatively slim sound category, the winner was the Green-Go advanced digital multi-channel intercom system by ELC Lighting. The widget winner was City Theatrical's SHOW DMX SHOW BABY wireless transceiver. Showman Fabricators sponsored a best green product award, which went to the ArcSystem house light, manufactured by GDS. In the projection category, the winner was Dataton Watchout Version 5. In the lighting category, there was a tie: The winners were Clay Paky's Alpha Spot QWO 800 and PRG's Best Boy 4000 Spot. Martin Professional took an honourable mention in the lighting product category for the AURA compact LED moving head wash light.
The Redden Award for Excellence in Lighting Design, created in memory of Craig Redden and sponsored by Epic Production Technologies, had three winners. In the theatre category, the winner was Etienne Boucher, whose credits include productions at Cirque du Soleil and the current Ring Cycle at the Metropolitan Opera. In the concerts category, the winner was Butch Allen, whose many credits include Kelly Clarkson, Gwen Stefani, and New Kids on the Block. In the corporate/events category, the winners were Steven Rosen and Ted Mather, of Available Light, for such projects as the Connecticut Science Center in Hartford and the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.
(Claire Beeson)
