Theatre Design & Technology - May 1970 - 34

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
03.01. Frequently directors desire toexpand
the area on which they can make notes
when processing a play script for production.
Certainly the enlargement of the usual acting
script to an 8Y,' x 11" notebook size
stage manager's script will provide a satisfying increase in his efficiency. The tedious
process of providing center cut-outs to fit
acting editions (or the bulky method of
using two texts) can now be discarded with
the use of paper provided with such windows. G. H. Reynolds (Cambrian College,
P.O. Box 478, North Bay, Ontario) has
8Y,' x 11" paper available in two sizes:
6 7 / 8" x 4" (best for sizes like the
Dramatists Play Service texts) and 6" x 3 3/ . '
(best for Samuel French editions). (See Figure 1). These can be purchased in 20 lb.
paper at $4.50 per ream and 24 lb. paper
at $ 5.00 per ream.
05.01 The need for a high-tensile wire in
theatre has been met in the past by the use
of music wire and airplane cable. A new development by the National-Standard Company (Niles, Michigan 49120) provides advantages heretofore not available. In addition
to a non-reflective finish (black oxide), their
NS-355 Rocket Wire provides more tensile
strength than standard music wire. This finish is offered in all diameters of 0.020"
and coarser. The 0.060" or 1/16" diame·
er, which can serve as a familiar example,
will support at a minimum 1,138 Ibs., while
the same diameter in standard music wire
will support only 885 Ibs. and has to be
treated to make it non-reflective in most
uses on stage. National-Standard's 0.032"
or 1 /32" diameter Rocket Wire has a tensilestrength of 314 Ibs. or 391 (KSI); their
0.020" or 1/48" diameter,thesmallestdiameter for which the black oxide finish is
available, will support 1281bs. or407 (KSI).
For detail ed specifications, send for th e company's specification sheet No. SWT-1 01.

GARY W. GAISER

Lamps for Studios, Theatre and Television
Lighting," and "Tungsten Halogen Substitution Lamps for Studios, Theatre and Television Lighting." General Electric (Nela Park,
Cleveland, Ohio 44112) has also issued two
similar guides, including many tungsten
halogen lamps:
SS-l, "Stage / Studio
Lamps: Quartzline and Incandescent List,"
and SS-3, "Stage / Studio Lamps: Relamping Guide."
06. and 07.01.00 Acoustic holography is
now possible as a result of developments described in a recent patent (No. 3,469,107)
issued to Dr. Charles H. Townes. Laser
beams are used to ampl ify and modulate light
and acoustic waves. By directing light beams
through transparent materials and capitalizing
the resultant scattered light and acoustic

waves as intense as the Iight, acoustic holograms are developed. This development
sounds much I ike the new multi-media tool
an Ann Arbor firm advertises (though itdoes
not use holography). It is called "Sonovision," il proj ected, ever-changing wall of
rhythmically glowing light designs produced
by a laser beam controlled by the sounds
stimulating the transducer components. The
projection can be aimed front or rear. One
can literally write his own light show with
music. It is available both in black and
white and color, the latter costing around
$20,000 as against the less than $5,000
for the black and white models. Forinformation, write Sonovision, Inc., 2306 Industrial
Highway, Box 1746, Ann Arbor, Michigan
48106.

06.00 Presently two new sources are available to help one through the maze of new
tungsten-halogen lamps and assorted substitutions for instrumentation, old and new. Sylvania (730 Third Avenue, New York City
10017) has available two brochures, entitled, respectively, "Tungsten Halogen

Figure 1

THEATER DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

MAY, 1970

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Theatre Design & Technology - May 1970