SHOWTECH emphasises its role as the world forum for the stage

This is emphasised by the representative business survey regularly conducted at SHOWTECH. Although the skies above Berlin were not yet entirely cloudless, the economic mood in the industry has brightened noticeably. The business barometer is clearly pointing upwards. 40 percent of the theatres and event companies interviewed expect a positive development both in the overall economic climate and their own business situation. At the previous SHOWTECH, impressed by the impact of the global financial and economic crisis, only 18 percent had held this view. On the other hand, only 19 percent of the theatres and companies polled in the survey expect developments in the industry to stagnate. Two years ago, this number was still 41 percent. An assessment which is supported by the SHOWTECH exhibitors. According to the results of the survey, 56 percent of them expect a "very good" or "good" medium-term development, another 19 percent consider the prospects at least "satisfactory".

A trend that is also reflected in the significant increase in the willingness to invest. While two years ago, a mere eleven percent of those surveyed were planning investments exceeding 200,000 euro, this number is currently growing significantly. More than 28 percent of theatres and companies presently plan investments of more than 200,000 euro, primarily for projects and acquisitions in stage technology, lighting and projection technology and equipment.

Qualified expert exchange among colleagues that is what SHOWTECH stands for more than any other event worldwide. This was also demonstrated during the 15th edition of the trade show and conference. The topics of the DTHG conference, the symposia and the open forums all met with a strong echo. The spectrum of topics ranged from lighting technology to energy efficiency and the latest radio microphone technology to the Safety Action Stage featuring live demonstrations to the Costume-makers Symposium which was organised for the third time by the Gesellschaft für Theaterkostümschaffende and attracted more than 300 participants.

This prize for the most creative stage technology in theatres and events, presented for the first time, was awarded during SHOWTECH NIGHT in a ceremony attended by 1,000 guests. A total of 27 well-known theatres and event agencies had applied for the prize offered by DTHG and SHOWTECH. Nine of these had been nominated in the run-up to SHOWTECH. The Hessische Staatstheater Wiesbaden went on record as the first WIZARD winner with its stage set for The Barber of Seville. For this production, the historic front facade of the auditorium was covered and a smaller-scale reproduction of the proscenium arch installed. This false arch can be tilted both to the front over the orchestra pit and the stalls and towards the rear onto the stage. DTHG president Karl-Heinz Mittelstädt as the spokesman for the Jury commented: In an outstanding manner, the production by director and set designer Michiel Dijkema from the Netherlands embodies the theatrical understanding between the audience and the performers, as well as the supporting technical wizardry, and absolutely deserved to be awarded the first prize. The second and third places went to Bayerische Staatsoper München for the stage technology for its current production of Fidelio and to Theater Kampnagel Hamburg for the stage technology of the pop opera Krrk-krrk Eine Kammerjäger-Oper.

The next SHOWTECH will take place from 18 to 20 June 2013 in Berlin.

Details: www.showtech.de