The 32 x T2s together with 60 x Spiiders also from Events Light are being used for lighting Zodiac, a highly anticipated new musical production which is being lit by Marc Heinz. The show is staged at the amazing Koepelgevangenis, a former prison in the same city. It is set to open next month in this incredible domed venue, a heritage protected architectural masterwork designed by Johan Frederik Metzelaar that opened in 1886 and is based on the panopticon model.

Due to the pandemic, Zodiac’s production schedule has been somewhat fluid, but everyone has been equally determined to make it happen.

Towards the end of 2020, Robe’s Benelux distributor Controllux and other manufacturers conducted several tests and shootouts – one of them on-site at the venue – so Marc could evaluate all options and choose his optimal luminaires for the show.

The T2 – a larger and brighter version of Robe’s very successful T1 – was a prototype at the time of the demo but was nevertheless impressive enough to be selected for its power – the Koepelgevangenis is a huge venue – and for its colour mixing plus additional refined theatrical features.

Zodiac’s producers – the Zodiac Foundation - had worked with Events Light on previous projects and when they pitched to be a technical supplier on this, instead of substituting a fixture to make Marc’s design fit their existing stock, they agreed to supply the T2s he wanted … and were subsequently appointed to the contract.

Apart from the buzz and excitement of being the first in a country with new technology, Jeroen saw it as a smart move to “invest in the very latest Robe innovations” and placed his order for 36 x T2s together with some additional Spiiders, as they have also supplied 50 of these popular Robe LED wash beams to Zodiac.

Events Light’s journey with Robe had started a couple of years earlier in 2018 when they started supplying equipment and technical support to all theatrical shows at Efteling, the largest theme park in the Netherlands, for which they initially purchased BMFL WashBeams and Spiiders to fulfil a design by LD Wim Dresens created for the show “CARO”, which was scheduled to run for three years.

Delighted with the quality and performance of these and seeing Robe as a solid rental investment, the next purchases were LEDBeam 150s and then ESPRITES as Events Light grew as a company together alongside its reputation as a premium service provider.

Jeroen has worked in the industry since he was 16 and was still at school, simultaneously working as a freelance engineer and technician, and the company was first started in 2000, as a supplier of expert crew. The operation steadily grew to include lighting, video, audio, staging, rigging equipment and offering full production packages.

Clients like the fresh approach and the can-do mentality coupled with Jeroen’s willingness to provide and invest in what they want, rather than expect them to mould their shows around what was in the warehouse! This proved a prudent and successful long term growth strategy.

They moved to the current substantial new warehouse in Zevenbergen just outside the attractive historic city of Breda in 2019, just before the pandemic hit.

While things have been challenging over the last year, Events Light has kept going, focussed hard on communicating with its many contacts and has had at least some work throughout the period, enough to keep things ticking over. Jeroen is now hiring again as business and activities increase with restrictions being lifted and the industry eagerly goes about re-starting.

Photo Credit: Louise Stickland