White Light (WL) has supplied lighting solutions for the 2026 production of Cats at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, supporting an ambitious new interpretation of the Andrew Lloyd Webber classic. Running from 25th July to 19th September 2026, the production reimagines the beloved musical through a fresh visual language that embraces the theatre’s unique outdoor setting.

Designed by Jessica Hung Han Yun, the lighting design plays a pivotal role in transporting audiences into the magical world of the Jellicle Cats, whilst responding to one of the venue’s most distinctive features: the transition from daylight to darkness throughout each performance.

When first approached to light the production, Hung Han Yun saw an opportunity to rethink the musical for a new generation. She comments: “It felt like it needed to be something completely different from the original. The whole creative and production team were brilliant in seeing a new approach to Cats and viewed it as an opportunity to inject a fresh vision into the show.”

Working closely with director & choreographer Drew McOnie and set, costume & wigs designer Sami Fendall, Hung Han Yun helped create an environment that feels both ritualistic and otherworldly, reflecting a world the cats have inhabited for years.

“The space needed to feel magical and ethereal, filled with endless possibilities. We worked closely to integrate light within the set and props, creating a world where anything feels possible.”

Lighting also plays a crucial role in supporting the musical’s emotional journey. From moments of vaudeville-inspired spectacle to scenes of danger, mystery and elation, the design continually evolves alongside the score and choreography.

“The most important thing the design needed to do was support the storytelling of the musical narrative throughout.”

The outdoor environment of Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre presented both creative opportunities and technical challenges. Unlike a traditional theatre space, the show begins in natural daylight before gradually transitioning into darkness as the evening progresses.

“As a lighting designer, your relationship with light is completely different. The sunlight is there from the top of the show and slowly throughout the evening the darkness follows. You really track the story of the cats from sunset through to the appearance of the moon.”

This natural progression became an integral part of the storytelling, complementing the production’s themes of transformation and wonder.

Delivering the design required careful planning, with lighting positions influenced by the surrounding landscape, as well as the production’s moving set elements.

“At the park, there are certain locations where lights can be placed that are dependent on the position of trees and bushes. There are no overhead lighting positions either, so the way you approach the design is completely unique.”

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PLASA Show’s buzz and vibes are a perfect setting for Robe to reveal five brand new inventive moving light and LED products, and to showcase its other latest technologies – on Stand A70 – alongside its partner businesses, Avolites, Anolis, LSC Control Systems and Artistic Licence.

Robe products launched at PLASA Show 2026 are the Arianne 4 and Arianne 12 which expand the Arianne multisource LED IP65 series of fixtures following the launch of Arianne 2 and Arianne 6 earlier this year, making a complete family. Features include the 55W RGB Lime LED multichip source that seriously makes the colours pop, keeping everyone fully in the limelight!

Also launched is the LEDBeam 400, the iT10 Profile and the mySVOPATT – a new version of the unique SVOPATT luminaire – now with pan and tilt.

Also new

Robe’s new multifunctional laser source GigaPointe makes its first appearance at PLASA Show having had a great run of summer festivals all across Europe – and other product news for PLASA Show is that Robe has implemented its AERIS^TM patented technology to the entire LT series of luminaires.

Originally this started with the iPAINTE LTM which is a PLASA Innovation Award entry this year.

AERIS™ (Airborne Emission Removal In-head System) technology instantly filters and scrubs air in the moving light head compartment, preventing airborne residues (like oil and other volatile organic compounds) from settling on optical elements such as lenses, prisms, gobos, and dichroic filters. AERIS™ keeps the surfaces pristine extending service intervals and significantly reducing service and maintenance costs.

Beyond Reflection

A new Robe live show concept will be launched at PLASA Show 2026 titled, “A World Beyond Reflection – Where Light Reveals All”

A typically high-energy show narrative is framed in a hyper-stylized, high-tech anime world, where AI has taken control of everything that people see and hear, stifling emotions and preventing human imagination and creativity from functioning.

The audience will take a journey across a wide spectrum of musical genres, powered live by an incendiary 10-piece drum and brass band.

Playing rogue robotic musicians, the performers stumble onto the stage and activate an energy surge that rips through their instruments allowing them to manipulate the surrounding lighting. The burning question is can they arrest control from the bots … and forge a new path towards true human-based creativity?

The show will feature around 200 Robe lighting fixtures including all the launched products plus GigaPointes, Arianne 2 and Arianne 6s, Tetra2’s, iFORTE LTX’s, iESPRITE LTMs, PAINTE LTLs, iBOLTS, WTF!s and Footsies.

Each batch of different Robe products are integrated into the show to illustrate their capabilities in situ in a real-world show environment which will be relatable to PLASA Show visitors from all disciplines.

Lighting is programmed and controlled on an Avolites D9-215, a D7-215, utilizing two TITAN net Processors with media running on an Avo Q3 Pro Ai Server running the latest version of Prism.

The first show will be at 11 a.m. and it will play four times a day every two hours for the first two days, finishing on Tuesday with the 3 p.m. performance. It will be interspersed with informative ‘Voice-of-God’ product presentations

The stand will contain several demonstration areas where people can get more in-depth with all the products and chat to the Robe team.

On the left of Robe’s main stage is the Avolites booth, and to the right is Anolis, Artistic License and LSC.

Avolites

Lighting and visual control manufacturer Avolites highlights its complete console line-up at PLASA Show on Stand C28!

The culmination of the company’s Avo50 50^th year anniversary celebrations will be happening on the stand at 2.30 p.m. on Monday 7^th September, when the whole world will discover who wins a very special Golden Console to mark this landmark achievement.

After eight months of tantalising clues, intense leaderboard watching, and fierce competition, the Avo50 competition ends with one of the top 50 entrants being picked out of a hat and taking home the totally unique Golden Console.

There will be a huge toast to the winner and everyone who took part.

On the product front, from Avolites compact, portable ‘Travel Collection’ through to the flagship D9, the exhibition will offer visitors hands-on access to the full range in one place. Whether running a small touring rig or programming visuals for the biggest stages, there’s a console on the stand built for the task.

Avolites will be running the first Prism – media control platform and software – training sessions since the product’s launch, alongside free Titan training throughout the show, so people can see the software in action and talk directly to the Avo team about its optimisation for shows. Visitors can also see how Prism integrates with the full console range, getting a clear picture of how lighting and visual media can work simultaneously and harmoniously together as one system.

The R&D and product teams will be on hand throughout PLASA Show to answer questions, take feedback, and talk through what’s coming next from Avolites.

Anolis

Anolis will showcase a selection of architectural LED luminaires designed to bring precision, flexibility and durability to a wide range of applications. The booth display will highlight solutions for linear, façade, accent and in-ground lighting, demonstrating the versatility of the Anolis portfolio across different architectural environments.

Visitors will be able to explore Lamari™, a compact linear luminaire offering a wide range of beam angles for versatile architectural lighting, alongside the compact yet powerful Appoli™ for spot, accent and flood applications.

Also on display will be Agame™, creating a uniform line of light with a 180° beam angle to accentuate architectural features, and the in-ground Lyrae™, offering a variety of optical distributions and remote tilt adjustment up to 25° for precise surface illumination.

Together, the featured luminaires demonstrate Anolis’ focus on precise optical control, installation flexibility and robust design, providing adaptable lighting solutions for diverse architectural projects.

LSC Control Systems

LSC Control Systems will showcase its latest products, APSX and GENX. This advanced power distribution and dimming systems feature Ethernet connectivity to integrate seamlessly with modern control, monitoring, and automation workflows.

Also, on LSC’s display is the NEXEN range, the new Ethernet/DMX converter designed for rock-solid, reliable data control and distribution, enabling smooth conversion of entertainment-industry protocols, including ArtNet, sACN, DMX, RDM, and ArtRDM.

New for 2026, the NEXEN range adds a 4- and 8-port rackmount, a 2-port portable, and, for the installation markets, a 2-port wall mount version.

Visitors can also experience the award-winning UNITOUR portable power solution and the versatile UNITY dimming and power control cabinet installation system. With these product highlights, LSC Control Systems continues to deliver reliable and innovative solutions for the global entertainment industry.

Artistic License

Artistic Licence will be hard to miss at PLASA Show 2026, with new technology, hands-on demonstrations and expert insight offered across the event.

At the Cybersecurity Pavilion on stand K66, visitors can explore artPlay, while DMX Protect Extreme has been entered for a PLASA Award for Innovation. The team will also demonstrate the latest cueLumen developments, including the first outing for Composer – a free configuration utility designed to make system deployment faster and more efficient for installers and integrators.

Product Application Specialist Tim Smith will present “Getting Started with Sig-Net” on Monday 7^th September at 10.30am in the Lighting & Staging Theatre, introducing the next-generation lighting control protocol and its relevance to emerging cybersecurity requirements.

Visitors can meet the Artistic Licence team on stand A70+, experience the technology first-hand and discuss how its latest developments could support their next control projects.

The whole Robe team is looking forward to an amazing time at PLASA Show 2026!

The post Robe returns to PLASA Show 2026 appeared first on A1 Lighting Magazine.

Wilminktheater is the theatre space in the same complex. Head of lighting Paul de Vries has been there since 2008, when it first opened and he collaborates closely with Robin Bijker, head of technical for the Muziekcentrum. The Wilminktheater has a capacity of 1000, and the Muziekcentrum concert hall building can accommodate 1800 people standing and 800 seated.

These latest lights – which boosted the existing Robe products on the site – were purchased primarily to provide special orchestra lighting for the concert hall space.

The Phion, Orkest van Gelderland & Overijssel is one of the symphony orchestras regularly using the Muziekcentrum for rehearsals, concerts, and choral recitals, and this was the first orchestral venue in the Netherlands to use moving LED lights for this specific purpose.

Before the T1s arrived, the orchestra was lit with a series of aging MultiPARs which had been in place for around 20 years, so the upgrade was well overdue!

As the primary purpose of these T1s was to light the orchestra, the main requirements were for good brightness and colour temperature, together with silent running.

The fact that the T1s have a host of highly usable and useful multipurpose features was a huge bonus for the pop concerts that are also staged in the venue, but ‘suitable for orchestra’ was the first criterion.

Previously, when concerts were staged in the Muziekcentrum, Paul and the crew would purloin lights – including their existing Robe products – from the Theatre venue’s lighting rig for the evening.

That included the Theatre’s own Robe T1 Profiles, which were installed in 2018, CycBar 15s, which arrived in 2021 and LEDBeam 350s purchased in 2023.

The Muziekcentrum also already had some Robe moving lights in situ, in the form of 16 x T2 Profiles that were added in 2023 for front lighting, together with another 8 x T2s that are part of the theatre house rig, so Robe already had a good presence in the building.

The experience working with all of these Robes was excellent, however when it came to replacing the Concert Hall orchestra lighting, Paul and his team also looked at some other available options… before making a final choice, which was to again invest in Robe to achieve the best results.

The orchestra was also involved in this. Paul and the team showed them the lights they were planning to get, and the musicians were fairly rapidly convinced that Robe T1s were the way to go.

“Previously, they were not convinced about LED sources – like many in theatre, they initially thought outputs were low and the CRI was simply not hitting the mark,” explained Paul, “But of course, LED technology has advanced massively in the last 5 years, so when we showed them the T1 output and the CRI, they were impressed.”

This speaks volumes, as we all know how vital it is to create the right ambience and conditions for classical musicians to perform their best.

This part of the process was also aided by having the T1s in the theatre, so a proper real-world demo could be conducted with the orchestra, who are apparently now so satisfied with the T1s that they want to spec them for the other venues in which they work!

Paul further emphasised the importance of good relationships with the local distributor – and commented that the Controllux service is always spot on and also notes that the Robe products generally have been “very stable, reliable and don’t often need much maintenance.”

The Wilminktheater en Muziekcentrum Enschede in-house team light all the orchestral shows themselves, and their lighting rigs are used by the vast majority of the incoming ‘received’ shows in all venues. Additionally, they also stage their own productions for which all technical elements are delivered in-house by a technical team of 14, covering all departments and disciplines.

It is a busy and vibrant environment. Activities across the three venues on this site and two more in Enschede city centre – that are also administered and run by the Wilminktheater Muziekcentrum Enschede organisation – account for around 670 diverse shows and events annually. 

Photos: Louise Stickland.

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From the outset, the brief was clear: preserve Tempelhof’s raw airport aesthetic while ensuring flawless key lighting across every inch of the runway. Keylight Operator Ole Güllich and Lighting Designer Raphael Grebenstein, who served as Co-Lead Designers for Light Art Studios GmbH, set the creative tone early. “The overall goal was to keep most of the airport aesthetics; that was the main theme of the show,” Güllich explains. “We wanted to go rather minimalistic, no big rigs over the catwalk. But we also had to ensure good key light across the whole runway.”

The venue’s strict floor load limits and the absence of any roof rigging points made the challenge even greater. With nowhere to hang conventional infrastructure overhead, every fixture had to be positioned on the floor, balconies, or existing truss structures, often at angles as steep as 60 degrees. With up to 60 models, and four potentially on the catwalk simultaneously, manual coordination alone was never going to be sufficient. “We would not have been able to handle this with a normal follow spot system,” says Güllich. “You have four models at the same time on the runway, all in different positions, and you have to watch four positions simultaneously to hand off to the next fixture group. That wouldn’t be possible with any other system.”

The decision to use Follow-Me was made early in the planning process. Given the unconventional aiming angles of half the spotlights, manual operation by four operators through Follow-Me DELT∆ would have been impossible with traditional follow spots, or would have required a considerably larger number of operators. With Follow-Me DELT∆, the team was able to meet this challenge with just four operators, without compromising on creative control.

Rocketchris, who was commissioned by Light Art Studios GmbH and has been demonstrating the possibilities of Follow-Me for many years, deployed four DELT∆ systems paired with four Operator Boxes. 52 spots and 48 wash lights were connected to the system, with cameras mounted along the full 80-metre truss span.

At the heart of the setup was DELT∆’s new Operator Box, a significant upgrade that fundamentally makes work easier for the lighting team. Previously, operators juggled multiple camera feeds across multiple monitors. In this case with the Operator Box, each operator saw only their target, with the system automatically switching between camera feeds as performers moved along the runway. The result: four camera views on a single monitor per position, half the screens required, and far greater focus. “Normally on a runway this wide, you’re constantly compensating, switching views, second-guessing positions,” says Glatthor. “With the Follow-Me DELT∆ Operator Box, that just… disappeared. It gets so much easier!”

Four long-throw Robe iForte LTX units were calibrated using DELT∆’s Beam Map feature, maintaining a constant 600 lux and consistent beam size and sharpness across the full 80 metres. Setup, Glatthor notes, was far less daunting than it might sound. “Beam mapping sounds like a big thing, but in reality it was very manageable,” he explains. “We had our key points, did the checks, and within about half an hour it was done. After that, it just works without adding complexity for the operator.”

Zone and Action functionality handled the JB-Lighting P12 spots, Robe iForte LTX spots, and X5 wash lights,automatically adjusting intensity and fixture assignment as models moved between zones, with no manual button-pushing required. Crossfades, handovers, and fixture reassignments all happened in the background. “This removes a whole layer of manual coordination,” says Glatthor. “You’re no longer busy fixing technical stuff, so you can actually focus on what the lighting should look like.”

The Tempelhof fashion show marked the first full-scale, real-world deployment of Follow-Me DELT∆, and the first time Rocketchris had introduced the system in a live production context. With 25 years in the events industry behind him, he is not easily impressed by new technology, but DELT∆ was different. “I’ve never before experienced a successor system that works just as well as its predecessor right out of the gate,” he says. “With our first production using DELT∆, which required us to utilise the system at every level, the experience was exactly what we had expected: a lot of fun, and a huge relief for everyone.”

Rocketchris credits a close working relationship with Follow-Me’s support team and Technical Director Erik Berends as key to the system’s readiness for the show. Feedback provided back in February, specifically the need for automatic camera switching in the Operator Box, was implemented and confirmed swiftly, enabling the full DELT∆ commitment for the project.

“We are very proud to see Follow-Me DELT∆ received so positively,” Berends concludes. “This ABOUT YOU Tempelhof fashion show stands as a strong real-world example of the DELT∆ capabilities, and how complex lighting setups like these can become more manageable without compromising creative control.”

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The festival, which started in 2024 and is growing and developing each year, was staged in the gardens of the majestic and beautiful 11^th-century Château de Grillemont at La Chapelle-Blanche, south of Tours in France’s Indre-et-Loire region – a perfect summer environment for hosting the “Island of DJs”.

Loic worked closely with Corentin Poirier, the festival’s creative & executive director and founder, who designed the Maatea Stage’s dramatic scenography, based on a tall LED screen setup, which, together with the lighting, was based on the imaginative thematic concept of fire and rock, with the goal of creating a striking contrast between day and night atmospherics.

During the day, the need was for subtle lighting to highlight the depth and overall scenic texture created by the careful blending of stage and lighting designs, allowing the stage geography to stand out.

At night, the stage was transformed into a completely different space by the GigaPointe beams and their powerful and spectacular effects. The fixtures were installed in six vertical columns of eight fixtures, equidistantly spanning the stage and delivering a hugely impactful look and atmosphere, with video content featuring erupting volcanoes “reinforcing the visual universe,” explained Loic.

Loic stated that the organisers sought something unique and different in this design: “The main challenge was to create this new and different world, one that broke from a typical EDM festival stage design, looked distinctive and individual while still following a defined theme.”

This is the second time Loic – a lighting professional with 10 years’ experience – has lit this event, and the second time he had used Robe’s amazing, new, highly dynamic GigaPointe fixture, officially launched in February at the ISE 2026 Expo.

Tours-based rental company Multi Scéni – the lighting, audio and video equipment supplier to this event – has recently made this investment in GigaPointes, which were delivered by Robe France.

Loic has been an enthusiastic long-time user of Robe’s MegaPointe fixtures in his designs – choosing the fixtures for their versatility and scope. So, when he knew the GigaPointe would be available for this event, “it naturally stood out as the ideal choice!”

He comments on the GigaPointe’s “extremely powerful” laser source output, which “ensured that we could make a strong visual impact even over long distances.” He also appreciates its speed of movement, as well as the excellent array of new gobo and prism effects, which can be used to imagine a myriad of cool looks and scenes onstage.

One of the most important things for designing and programming EDM shows is to have a vast choice of distinctive looks – so the audience does not start seeing repeated scenes throughout the event… and this is exactly what GigaPointe offers.

The layout of the six columns of GigaPointes was instrumental to utilising the entirety of the stage dimensions – both horizontally and vertically – a geometric harmony that provided a balanced visual presence of all elements, with the fixtures a natural integrator/interpreter between the scenic fabrics and video surfaces.

Loic enjoyed many features of the GigaPointe, commenting that “the integrated rotating bar is particularly interesting, as it offers so many highly dynamic effects possibilities,” together with all the other features making it a potent, contemporary multi-purpose fixture ideal for all types of shows and events.

The festival’s logo, installed at the top of the structure, was also highlighted with two Robe iFORTES – rigged on the Layher structure – and another two iFORTES were used to front light the artists. iFORTE was chosen for this because it is a powerful fixture with excellent framing shutters and therefore perfect to pick out the detail of the 12-metre-wide logo, which was positioned 14 metres up on the structure.

Two Maatea Stage artists – Timmy Trumpet and Trym – brought their own lighting operators this year, who also appreciated the GigaPointes, and the rest were all lit by Loic and his team, including colleague lighting operator Lucas Bussy. They worked closely with video operator Bastien Sierakowski and SFX operator Paul Dubertrand under the project management of Charlène Rodrigues.

Loic regularly notes that Robe’s product range covers multiple applications – live shows, events and concerts or architectural lighting. “I always find a suitable solution using Robe,” he states, adding that the fixtures are reliable, high-performance, and versatile tools “consistently meeting the demands of our projects.”

Photo credit: Your Wolf Agency.

The post Moorea Festival Goes Giga with Robe appeared first on A1 Lighting Magazine.

White Light (WL) is proud to have supported the Watermill Theatre’s ambitious new production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, where lighting designer Jai Morjaria has delivered a bold and inventive design that transforms a compact venue into a world of spectacle.

Tasked with reimagining a much-loved musical within one of the UK’s most intimate theatre spaces, Morjaria approached the project with a clear brief to achieve the seemingly impossible. A single small stage needed to represent multiple locations while also accommodating a flying car, meaning lighting became central to how the story was told and experienced.

“We had to find a way to make a show that takes place in so many different locations exist within one small space, whilst still delivering the magic,” explains Jai.

This production differs significantly from traditional large-scale versions of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. With a cast of actor-musicians and limited space, the design relies on creativity rather than scale. Lighting plays a pivotal role in supporting illusion and enhancing the integration of puppetry, automation and set.

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The GigaPointes were right at the heart of a highly dynamic lighting and stage design by Sven Kučinić from LumiLas LLC – who was delighted to get his hands on them!

He also used 173 other Robe products on the rig, as the show spiked enormous interest on all platforms and was the largest and most significant that Jozinović has played to date.

Due to last-minute changes in the production requirements, the whole lighting rig for the 360-degree show was fully reimagined – completely from scratch – in just six days ahead of the show, involving some long days and nights and serious concentration by Sven!

This presented a brain teaser and a challenge, but he rose to the occasion and created a highly multi-dimensional interactive environment to connect the young star with his fans that enthralled everyone, especially those for whom it was their first live music concert experience!

In addition to the GigaPointes, Sven’s design utilised 32 Robe FORTES, 32 CycFX 8s, 16 PAINTES, 24 LedPOINTES, 32 Spiiders and 32 Tetra2s.

Four Robe BMFL WashBeams were the follow spots, ensconced high up at the back of the audience bleachers. They were manually operated using Robe’s LightMaster side handle kits, with pan & tilt controlled by the operators and all other parameters run from Sven’s lighting console.

The rectangular-shaped stage – with thrusts emanating from the two short sides – was positioned in the middle of the arena, and above it was a rectangular-shaped video cube with screens on four sides, primarily dedicated to an IMAG mix.

When he knew that the GigaPointes would definitely arrive in time for these shows, Sven made them central to the design, and they were used for everything apart from key lighting, and especially for all the large scale looks, plus an array of mesmeric effects.

“It’s always exciting to use a new product,” he stated, adding that for several years MegaPointes had been a go-to for most of his creative projects, so it was a logical progression to change up to this bright and highly flexible new luminaire.

However, Sven also ideally wanted more, and ended up using 10 MegaPointes as support to extend the high beam concept.

The GigaPointes were positioned on trusses above the long side of the video cube in positions giving the highest (16-metre) and longest throws, perfect for aerial effects, where they had BIG impact blasting out from the arena roof space.

The MegaPointes were rigged on trusses in corresponding positions along the short side of the video rectangle.

Sven even found himself at times moderating the intensity of the GigaPointes, remarking that it is always “good trouble” having a fixture that’s too bright!

“They are a solid next-gen all-purpose fixture,” he commented. In addition to the intensity, he appreciated the interchangeability and the way GigaPointes worked with MegaPointes and the other Robe fixtures.

Apart from all of that, Sven is a bit of a laser nerd, so what he totally loved was “the way you can make GigaPointes REALLY emulate laser effects when needed,” adding that, “they are also the only laser source I’ve encountered to date that look like an LED light when in Spot mode – which is impressive engineering.”

He appreciated that the GDTF file for GigaPointes was already made available by Robe, making his pre-viz work much easier.

The initial versions of the design were produced months in advance using Capture and based on MegaPointes, as at that stage, no-one could exactly pinpoint the GigaPointe delivery date.

The 32 FORTES were hung just below the video cube on a trussing grid formation.

Running gobos and texturing on the stage with these FORTES seamlessly blended with the floor’s video effects, so it was impossible to tell between lighting and pixels, which was pretty cool.

Sven also used the FORTES to shroud the stage in intense light combined with smoke for a dramatic entrance effect, as Jozinović popped up from the centre on a lift.

Sven has always liked Tetra2s, and for the show used all 32 that Mojo Rental Southeast Europe has in stock for framing the edges of the stage – low profile fixtures were essential to preserve sightlines. He took all of the company’s CycFX 8s as well, used in the mirroring positions on the trusses above stage.

Also on the floor were the 24 LedPOINTES, again picked due to their compact size and minimal impact on sightlines.

All the time Sven had to be acutely aware of how the show would look live as well as later on thousands of smartphones and subsequent SoMe channels.

The 16 PAINTES were his key lighting, rigged – together with the Spiiders – on four trusses further out from the video cube. These were ideal positions for lighting the band and Jozinović, and for the Spiiders to bathe the audience in rich and sumptuous colours.

For him, Spiiders are still a great choice of LED wash. “The colours, zoom, calibration, etc. are currently still unmatched!” he noted. In addition to lighting the fans, he used Spiiders for additional beam effects, working in conjunction with the GigaPointes.

Sven admits that two years ago, he was initially a little sceptical about how well PAINTES would work, but after a demo and using them a few times, they have also become a frequent pick for key lighting. He thinks that the shutters and gobos are excellent and that “they are really amazing fixtures.”

The general aesthetic goal for these shows was to create something original and memorable. “It needed to be grand and spectacular, but not tacky or pompous,” he explained, talking creatively.

Sven extended thanks to the whole Mojo Rental Southeast Europe team for helping make this happen in such a pressurised time window, and especially to his lighting crew chief, Sven Grbec “Maci”, who perfectly coordinated prepping all the Robe kit.

In addition to these Robe lights, some strobes, 2-Lites, and around 30,000 LED bracelets (over the two nights) were also programmed via Sven’s lighting console, further boosting the immersive audience visual experience.

Photo: Mario Poje, Jurica Cvitanic & Sven Kucinic.

The post First Robe GigaPointes rock southeastern Europe at Jakov Jozinović Zagreb shows appeared first on A1 Lighting Magazine.

Located in Surfers Paradise and one of Australia’s leading arts destinations, the 17-hectare HOTA precinct caters to everything from theatre, dance, opera, comedy, and live music to children’s shows, cinema, and visual arts. Surrounded by parklands and a lake, it is a thriving cultural hub where art, entertainment, culture and lifestyle meet.

An investment in the future

As part of its ongoing commitment to technical excellence, HOTA selected 16 Elation Paragon M profile luminaires and 16 Proteus Rayzor 760 wash/effects fixtures to replace every moving light in its main theatre rig. The fixtures were supplied by ULA Group, Elation’s Australian distribution partner, with procurement facilitated by audio-visual production company Krank’d Productions. The project was led by Luke Farrow, Head of Lighting at HOTA, who also oversaw the lighting design for the upgrade. Installation was completed in December 2025.

For HOTA Precinct General Manager Chris Dignan, the upgrade represents an investment not only in technology but in the venue’s future ambitions. “As the demands of live performance continue to evolve in the industry, it is essential that our technical infrastructure evolves with them,” he stated. “This upgrade gives HOTA a future-ready lighting solution that meets the expectations of today’s world-class touring productions, while supporting our long-term ambition to attract bigger, more ambitious shows and continue lifting the bar for what we deliver on the Gold Coast.”

Meeting the demands of modern productions

HOTA’s aging lighting system had reached the point where its discharge-based spot fixtures and older LED wash luminaires could no longer match the output and performance expected by contemporary touring productions. Rather than supplement the existing inventory, HOTA chose to replace its entire moving light system, ensuring the venue would remain technically competitive for years to come. Following a demo and fixture shootout, the Paragon M and Proteus Rayzor 760 emerged as the preferred solution.

Greater output and creative flexibility

The new lighting system has significantly enhanced both the output and versatility of HOTA’s theatre rig. The Paragon M fixtures deliver high-output beam, gobo, and framing capabilities that provide greater precision and visual impact across a wide range of productions. Complementing them, the Proteus Rayzor 760 fixtures combine bright, high-qualitywash coverage with advanced pixel-mapping and effects capabilities, making them particularly valuable for live music and contemporary performance. Together, the two fixtures provide a flexible platform that adapts to everything from dramatic theatre and opera to high-energy concert performances.

According to Head of Lighting Luke Farrow, output was one of the most important considerations in the fixture selection process, and the Paragon M delivered exactly the level of punch they were looking for. “Its brightness and beam quality have significantly enhanced the visual impact of our productions, ensuring the rig can compete with the increasingly powerful lighting packages that touring shows bring into the venue.”

Beyond its output, the Paragon M’s color quality was another standout feature. “We found the fixture delivered excellent color rendering and consistency, providing greater creative flexibility for designers.”

Elation’s award-winning flagship luminaire series, Paragon is available in S, M, or LT models, all with IP54 ratings. The platform integrates multiple advanced systems, including Elation’s TruTone variable CRI technology, an interchangeable lens system (Profile, Fresnel Wash, PC Beam), and more. At HOTA, the addition of Fresnel lenses further extends their functionality, allowing the fixtures to function as high-quality wash lights when required.

“The ability to utilize interchangeable lens options was a major advantage,” says Farrow, “allowing the fixtures to be adapted for different applications without compromising performance. This versatility was a key factor in selecting the Paragon M as the cornerstone of our upgraded lighting rig.”

A versatile system for diverse programming

The installation includes sixteen Paragon M fixtures, with eight located in the overhead rig and eight positioned across the front-of-house lighting bridges. The overhead fixtures deliver powerful beam and gobo effects across the stage, while the bridge-mounted units provide flexible key lighting and multiple specials to accommodate the venue’s varied programming.

Complementing the profiles are sixteen Proteus Rayzor 760 IP65-rated wash/effects fixtures. Their SparkLED background twinkle technology adds an engaging visual layer for concerts and live events, while their output and zoom range enable them to deliver a bright, even wash across the performance space. Together, the two fixture types create a highly adaptable lighting system capable of meeting the demands of everything from theatrical productions to contemporary live music performances.

Supporting the venue’s house lighting infrastructure are two Netron EN12i Ethernet-to-DMX gateways paired with BS10 button panels from Obsidian Control Systems, providing intuitive control and reliable distribution for the house lighting system.

A collaborative project

Installation was completed by HOTA’s lighting department under the leadership of Head of Lighting Luke Farrow, alongside Marcus du Toit (Technical Operations Manager) and Thomas Connolly (Director, Technical and Production).

Throughout the project, ULA Group provided technical guidance and strategic support. “ULA Group was an invaluable partner throughout the project,” said Farrow. “Rod Marshall provided significant support during the process, helping us assess the available options and identify the best solution for the venue’s needs.”

Beyond the technical aspects, Marshall also played an important role in articulating and presenting the long-term vision for HOTA’s lighting infrastructure. His expertise and industry knowledge were instrumental in building a strong case for investment, ensuring the final solution would not only address immediate requirements but also support the venue’s future growth and evolving production demands.

With a fully modernized moving light rig built around Elation’s latest technology, HOTA is now equipped to support an even broader range of productions while meeting the technical expectations of today’s designers, artists, and touring companies.

The post Australia’s HOTA elevates theatre lighting with Elation Paragon and Proteus appeared first on A1 Lighting Magazine.

Lighting designer, Ben Sassoon, has lit many of them, but this is his first time using Ayrton Diablo fixtures, which he specified after seeing lighting designer, David Howe’s, use of them on the West End production of A Christmas Carol Goes Wrong. This is also his first time working with Sparks Theatrical Hire which supplied nine of the compact Ayrton units as the show’s workhorse fixtures. “Sparks’ customer service is outstanding,” says Ben. “They have an incredible passion for theatre, and Paul Anderson is amazing. They have been true collaborators for us. As a non-profit organisation we don’t operate the same way as other productions but they were so helpful – they literally made miracles happen!”

Sister Act is set in the 1970s, and focuses on Dolores, a club singer who goes into police hiding in a failing nunnery, disguised as a nun, which she saves by the power of music, reinvigorating its choir to sing her style of soul disco music, and thus saving the church from financial ruin. This gives the lighting designer plenty of scope to play with the juxtaposition between dingy environments within a penniless nunnery and the colourful fantasy world of disco.

“I needed a fixture that was versatile enough to do all these things, but I didn’t have a lot of space or weight available to me,” says Ben. “The show has a lot of flying pieces, and the weight allowance on the bars was really quite tight, so I needed something that was small, lightweight, but still punchy.

“The theatre’s trim height is relatively low at 6.5m, so the fixture needed to have a really big zoom too. So, when you need something small, lightweight, bright and punchy with a big zoom, I think there’s really only one choice, which is Diablo. These things are amazing. You can literally carry them with one hand!”

Ben rigged seven Diablo over stage for back and high side light, keeping them close together to counter the lack of space, and two front of house for specials and general washes, and for ‘pulling out bits of scenery’.

“The show needed to move between many locations – the street, a club, the church – and moods, so I wanted to have the ability to go from really dingy moments when we first see the impoverished church, to really bright, poppy looks full of saturated colour for the disco fantasy moments,” he says. “To be able to show that big disparity was definitely key to the look I was trying to achieve.

“For the church, we kept to cools and gentle warms, and used the framing shutters on the over-stage Diablos to set the scene. We wanted to make it feel like you were in different locations without it looking repetitive, so being able to use the framing shutters to close in on different areas, make interior rooms and corridors, and really hone into specific areas was quite crucial.

“We also had a custom gobo of a gorgeous rose window made, through Sparks, to enhance the big stained glass rose window located at the back of the set. We put this in the upstage Diablo, which was rigged in a very tight space between two pieces of set, in a super wide focus and it filled the whole stage to give a nice shadowy, atmospheric effect. It was the only fixture that would fit in that space.”

For the disco fantasy moments Ben moved into ‘supersaturated mode’ to transform the vibe into true ‘70s vividness in the most dramatic way. “Diablo’s colours are great and still really bright, even when they’re saturated, which was extremely helpful,” says Ben. “We also used the front-of-house Diablos to project saturated colours onto a mirror ball, enhancing the effect on stage by using the prisms and dot gobos in the on-stage Diablo fixtures. The result was a massive area of light with all those little dots and cool beams across the set and auditorium, taking the mirrorball effect right out into the audience.”

Diablo’s speed was also essential part of Sasoon’s design: “With such a limited rig, the fixtures had to be able to jump between locations at great speed,” he explains. “For one song, Raise Your Voice, the action jumps between a series of quick-change locations in a montage as the nuns learn to sing – the hallway, the choir room, even in the shower – so it was crucial to be able to jump around all those places really quickly. With only nine fixtures, I didn’t have the luxury of a separate light for each location – just the same lights multi-tasking – so Diablo’s ability to make super-fast movements during the dark moments and come up in the right place was paramount.”

Diablo’s quiet operation, despite this being a musical, proved equally important for the quieter moments. “There’s a moment near the end of Act II where, in one of the fantasy dream sequences, the band suddenly stops and the whole stage goes silent, with Dolores in a solo, hard-edge spot from the Diablos. The audience is in close proximity to the fixtures, but you just can’t hear the Diablos at all: no loud fans, just silence, which is exactly what you want in those scenarios.

“The Diablos were definitely my workhorse, and I was very impressed with them. Many of the theatres I work in don’t have the best weight limits or space availability, so being able to pack loads on a bar is very helpful and not something you can do with many other fixtures. Diablo is definitely going to be the fixture I ask for in future.”

Paul Anderson, managing director of Sparks Theatrical Hire, comments: “We invested in Ayrton’s Diablos about four years ago, just as we were emerging from COVID, and they have proved to be very popular ever since. Their compact size is a big factor in their appeal with many of our clients, and what they pack into such a compact unit is staggering.”

Despite their small footprint, the Diablo fixtures deliver an extensive feature set including CMY colour mixing, a colour wheel, iris, shutters, seven rotating gobos, animation wheel, plus an exceptionally impressive zoom range. “I don’t know how they fit everything into such a small unit,” added Anderson “We are always topping up our Diablo stock levels, as we never quite seem to have enough.

“I was thrilled to be able to help Ben Sasoon with ‘Sister Act’ at the John McIntosh Arts Centre, supplying quite a large supplementary rig to complement what the theatre already owned. The lighting states Ben created were absolutely stunning, and I was very proud to play a small part in that.

“For me, it’s all about the relationship with designers, and I hope this is the start of a very fruitful one. The continued expansion of our Diablo inventory reflects growing customer demand for versatile, high-output fixtures capable of delivering premium performance in space-conscious applications.”

Ben was aided by associate lighting designer, Paul Evans, and production electrician, Robbie Bradshaw. “Paul and Robbie were essential to getting the show up and running in the limited amount of time we had available to us,” Sassoon says. “Their incredible support helped us achieve the impossible.”

Photo credit: © Ben Sassoon.

The post Ayrton Diablo takes to the nunnery for Centre Stage London’s Sister Act appeared first on A1 Lighting Magazine.

The contemporary glazed architectural masterpiece sits on the footprint of the previous 1976 theatre building (which replaced the original one built in 1934), providing a high-production-value performance environment and a cool 21^st-century counterpoint to the city’s historical Cathedral of St. John.

The new venue is a radiant modern entertainment and meeting hub, buzzing with energy and creativity in the heart of this picturesque city.

The Robe moving lights are divided between Theater aan de Parade’s two multi-purpose halls, the 920-seater Casino Hall and the Plein Hall, which accommodates 400 people.

The Robe product count breaks down to 23 T2 Profiles, 83 T1 Profiles, 11 T1 PC, 80 LEDBeam 350s, 3 TX1s, 12 CUETE Spots, 14 Tetra2s, which are used as cyc lighting, and 4 RoboSpot BaseStations with MotionCameras.

All of this was supplied via Robe’s Benelux distributor, Controllux, together with a number of other lights that completed the specification, plus control and networking infrastructure. Controllux’s project and sales lead Kuno van Velzen started work on this installation in 2022.

Theater aan de Parade stages over 300 performances annually from numerous visiting companies, plus an array of festival and business events, explained head of technical, Alphons Verhallen, who oversees a tech crew of 16.

The T1 and T2 Profiles were selected as the “best multispectral profile moving heads on the market,” commented Alphons.

Having a multispectral LED fixture at the core of the house lighting systems – as opposed to a white LED source – was a cornerstone of the lighting tender.

It is a frequent consideration for theatres and performance venues where perfect colour rendition and skin tones are vital. Robe’s additive colour mixing techniques ensure that these fixtures deliver the richest of saturated colours and the most delicate pastel shades, all with theatrical finesse and quality.

Highly flexible CCT control provides another layer of premium-quality whites that are key in lighting theatre, drama and dance pieces.

The T1 and T2 Profiles are located on the lighting bridges and over-stage bars in both halls. Seven of the T1 PCs are rigged on the Casino Hall portal bars and four on LX2 in the Plein Hall, where they are providing good wash capabilities, with the TX1s also used overhead in this space.

The LEDBeam 350s are multi-use fixtures and, among other things, replace six-bar moving PAR light effects in both halls. The Tetra2s are proving to be handy for cyc and effects lighting in the Plein Hall, especially for bands, concerts and music shows, together with the CUETE Spots, which are in this same location.

The RoboSpot systems are usually used with the T1 Profiles in either hall. They bring all the flexibility of a quicker setup, being able to position the operators backstage or offstage and enable the LD to choose which lights are used for spotting.

Alphons is very happy with the scenario and confident that the venue can offer its clients great value with this combination of technology.

He notes that some of the incoming companies are making full use of the lighting setup now on offer, while for some older touring shows still on the road with performances based on static and dimmed lightsources, the adaptation may take longer, but the process is definitely underway.

Technical planning for the new theatre originally started in 2018, and between then and now, the specs were modified slightly as new and more appropriate product choices came to the market. When the old building closed, Theater aan de Parade continued producing shows in a temporary venue – again with Robe products in the rig – while the construction was completed.

Alphons, who took up the technical management position for the new theatre to open its doors at the end of 2024, is delighted with the results so far. Apart from all the obvious advantages, the all-LED stage lighting is saving considerably on the previous operational power requirements.

Robe is a brand Alphons has been more familiar with since visiting the 2019 Prague Quadrennial, where Robe lit one of the main centrepieces, “Blue Hour” by Romain Tardy.

Key members of the tech crew have also visited the Robe factory in Valašské Meziříčí, and Alphons highlights the importance of a strong working relationship both with the brand and the local distributor.

Controllux also coordinated the installation of the lighting systems and their related control network.

Photo credit: Kuno van Velzen.

The post Theater aan de Parade reenergises with Robe appeared first on A1 Lighting Magazine.