ETC (electronic theatre controls)

ETC (electronic theatre controls)
Name	Electronic Theatre Controls
Founded	1970s
Founder	Fred Foster
Headquarters	Middleton, Wisconsin, United States
Products	Lighting control consoles, dimming systems, LED fixtures, architectural controls, software
Employees	1,000+ (approx.)

ETC (electronic theatre controls) is a manufacturer of lighting and rigging control systems serving the entertainment, architectural, and live event industries. Founded in the 1970s, the company grew into a global supplier whose products are used in theatres, television studios, concert venues, houses of worship, and corporate events. ETC's range of consoles, dimmers, LED fixtures, and software integrates with industry standards and competitors' systems to support productions by designers and technical crews.

History

ETC was founded by Fred Foster and expanded during the rise of modern stagecraft alongside organizations such as Royal Shakespeare Company, Metropolitan Opera, Lincoln Center, Royal Opera House, and Broadway. In the 1980s and 1990s ETC competed in markets alongside Strand Lighting, Avolites, Vari-Lite, Coemar, and Martin Professional, while supplying venues like Sydney Opera House, Garrick Theatre, Lyric Opera of Chicago, La Scala, and Globe Theatre. ETC's development paralleled technological advances featured at trade shows such as LDI (Live Design International), PLASA Show, and Prolight + Sound, and its milestones were noted by institutions including United States Institute for Theatre Technology, British Theatre Association, and Dramatic Literature Organization.

Through acquisitions and partnerships ETC engaged with companies such as Acclaim Lighting, Obsidian Control Systems, Robe Lighting, Barco, and ETTAB (as part of joint projects), while its products were adopted in broadcast environments like BBC Television Centre, NBC Studios, CNN Center, CBS Broadcast Center, and MTV Studios. Regulatory and standards bodies including Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers, ANSI, IEC, CENELEC, and IESNA influenced ETC's compliance efforts. ETC's corporate history intersects with patrons and designers associated with Peter Brook, Julie Taymor, Robert Wilson, Julie Taymor, and Gareth Fry.

Products and Technology

ETC produces control consoles, dimming racks, and luminaires used by companies and venues such as Cirque du Soleil, Madison Square Garden, Wembley Stadium, The O2 Arena, and Royal Albert Hall. Notable product lines and technologies are comparable to offerings from ETC competitors and include desk-style consoles inspired by earlier control surfaces used at Royal Opera House and Sydney Theatre Company. ETC's hardware integrates with industry fixtures from Sennheiser, Shure, Avolites, Martin, and Clay Paky and complements rigging equipment from Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm-era suppliers and contemporary providers like Stageservice GmbH and GAM Products.

Products incorporate LED engines and color-mixing technologies similar to developments by Philips Lighting (Signify), Osram, Bridgelux, Cree Inc., and Nichia Corporation. ETC's dimming and power control solutions coexist with systems from Hubbell, Eaton Corporation, Schneider Electric, and Legrand. ETC also manufactures fixtures and architectural products used in installations at institutions like Smithsonian Institution, Tate Modern, Guggenheim Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum, and The Getty.

Software and Control Protocols

ETC's software, workflows, and networked control integrate with standards and protocols including DMX512, sACN, Art-Net, and concepts developed by bodies such as USITT and IEEE. Software tools are used alongside third-party applications from WYSIWYG, Capture (lighting design), LightConverse, Vectorworks, and AutoCAD. ETC consoles support show file interchange with manufacturers like MA Lighting, ETC competitors, Hog LTD, and Chamsys, as well as communication with media servers from Green Hippo, Disguise, and Resolume.

ETC's control architectures reflect trends driven by networking advances from Cisco Systems, Juniper Networks, Arista Networks, and Belden Inc., while cybersecurity considerations align with guidance from NIST and ISO. Software updates and firmware practices mirror deployment models used by Microsoft, Apple Inc., Red Hat, and Oracle Corporation, and integrate with timecode systems like SMPTE Timecode used by broadcast facilities such as BBC Studios and NBCUniversal.

Applications and Markets

ETC products are applied across theatre, television, live music, corporate events, education, and houses of worship, with clients including Royal National Theatre, Royal Court Theatre, Almeida Theatre, Barbican Centre, Carnegie Hall, Sydney Festival, Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and Munich Philharmonic. ETC systems are installed in academic institutions such as Juilliard School, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Yale School of Drama, University of California, Los Angeles, and New York University. Live touring and production companies like Live Nation, AEG Presents, Trafalgar Entertainment, Cirque du Soleil, and Broadway Across America use ETC equipment. Architectural lighting markets include projects for City of London Corporation, New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, and cultural sites like Palace of Versailles.

Company Structure and Operations

ETC's corporate structure includes manufacturing, research and development, and global sales operations with distribution partners and service centers in regions served by Americas, Europe Union institutions, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, Middle East, and Africa Union markets. The company maintains relationships with trade associations such as International Association of Venue Managers, Association of British Theatre Technicians, Professional Lighting and Sound Association, and Event Safety Alliance. ETC's operations follow supply chain practices involving suppliers like Foxconn, Flex Ltd., Jabil, and logistics providers such as DHL, FedEx, and UPS.

Key company initiatives have engaged with workforce development programs at institutions like IATSE, Equity, Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, Historic Royal Palaces, and regional arts councils including Arts Council England and NEA (National Endowment for the Arts). Corporate governance and executive leadership have interfaced with financial and legal advisors similar to those used by multinational corporations such as KPMG, Deloitte, PwC, and Ernst & Young.

Category:Stage lighting companies