--- title: et cetera... a blog of bright ideas from ETC | Kate Foster description: Kate joined ETC in 2012 after several years spent creating sets, props, and the occasional hack lighting design in the basement theaters of New York City. In addition to writing for ETC, she has worked on numerous in-house design projects, including tradeshow booths and the New York office’s Art Deco lobby. In her free time, Kate practices figure drawing, explores obscure corners of NYC, and pines for mountains. image: https://blog.etcconnect.com/hubfs/Logos%20-%20Icons%20-%20Design%20Elements/ETC_4c-1.png --- - [ETCCONNECT](https://etcconnect.com/) - [ABOUT](https://blog.etcconnect.com/about) - [AUTHORS](https://blog.etcconnect.com/blog-authors) - [CONTACT](https://blog.etcconnect.com/contact) [Follow us on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/ElectronicTheatreControls) [Follow us on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/ElectronicTheatreControls) [Follow us on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/electronic-theatre-controls) [Follow us on LinkedIn](https://www.youtube.com/user/ETCVideoLibrary) [![EtCetera\_319x104](https://blog.etcconnect.com/hs-fs/hubfs/EtCetera_319x104.png?width=319&height=104&name=EtCetera_319x104.png "EtCetera_319x104")](https://blog.etcconnect.com) [![ETC Blog](https://blog.etcconnect.com/hs-fs/hubfs/EtCetera_319x104.png?width=319&height=104&name=EtCetera_319x104.png "ETC Blog")](https://blog.etcconnect.com) - [SPOTLIGHT](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/spotlight) - [ETC CULTURE](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/etc-culture) - [GEAR](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/gear) - [LEARN](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/learn) - [ODDS & ENDS](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/odds-ends) - [BRIGHT IDEAS](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/bright-ideas) Search ## [![blog-header](https://blog.etcconnect.com/hs-fs/hubfs/blog-header.png?width=476&height=155&name=blog-header.png "blog-header")](https://www.etcconnect.com) [Follow us on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/ElectronicTheatreControls) [Follow us on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/ElectronicTheatreControls) [Follow us on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/electronic-theatre-controls) [Follow us on LinkedIn](https://www.youtube.com/user/ETCVideoLibrary) [✕](https://blog.etcconnect.com/author/kate-foster#gwen-offcanvas-primary) - [SPOTLIGHT](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/spotlight) - [ETC CULTURE](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/etc-culture) - [GEAR](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/gear) - [LEARN](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/learn) - [ODDS & ENDS](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/odds-ends) - [BRIGHT IDEAS](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/bright-ideas) ![Kate Foster](https://blog.etcconnect.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog%20Images/kate.png?width=200&name=kate.png) # Kate Foster Kate joined ETC in 2012 after several years spent creating sets, props, and the occasional hack lighting design in the basement theaters of New York City. In addition to writing for ETC, she has worked on numerous in-house design projects, including tradeshow booths and the New York office’s Art Deco lobby. In her free time, Kate practices figure drawing, explores obscure corners of NYC, and pines for mountains. [![](https://blog.etcconnect.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/turnthelightsoff3-750x500.jpg)](https://blog.etcconnect.com/2020/06/virtual-light-lab) [Eos](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/eos) ### [When lighting class goes virtual](https://blog.etcconnect.com/2020/06/virtual-light-lab) By [Kate Foster](https://blog.etcconnect.com/author/kate-foster) 2-Jun-2020 How do you teach lighting design without any lights? Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, educators around the world have had to quickly and creatively shift their classes online. One such story comes from Clemson University in South Carolina, where lighting instructor Tony Penna faced a conundrum... [Read More](https://blog.etcconnect.com/2020/06/virtual-light-lab) [![](https://blog.etcconnect.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Museum_ELS2-750x500.jpg)](https://blog.etcconnect.com/2019/01/from-the-museum-the-first-official-etc-console) [Consoles](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/consoles) ### [From the Museum: The first “official” ETC console](https://blog.etcconnect.com/2019/01/from-the-museum-the-first-official-etc-console) By [Kate Foster](https://blog.etcconnect.com/author/kate-foster) 11-Jan-2019 We continue our [tour](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/from-the-museum) through ETC’s repository of gear and ephemera of lighting days gone by with another entry from the company’s early history: the 1982 Entertainment Lighting Control System (ELC). After a number of years partnering with Berkey Colortran to produce the [Channel Track](https://blog.etcconnect.com/2017/01/monthly-museum) desks, the... [Read More](https://blog.etcconnect.com/2019/01/from-the-museum-the-first-official-etc-console) [![](https://blog.etcconnect.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/IMG_0183-1-750x500.jpg)](https://blog.etcconnect.com/2018/11/from-etc-museum-skirpan-autocue) [From the Museum](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/from-the-museum) ### [From the Museum: Skirpan Autocue](https://blog.etcconnect.com/2018/11/from-etc-museum-skirpan-autocue) By [Kate Foster](https://blog.etcconnect.com/author/kate-foster) 23-Nov-2018 Today we take a look at another behemoth from ETC’s collection of lighting industry equipment and ephemera: a Skirpan Autocue Astral Stage Lighting Control System from 1977. [Read More](https://blog.etcconnect.com/2018/11/from-etc-museum-skirpan-autocue) [![](https://blog.etcconnect.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/8D120E34-216F-427A-8E3D-9E22265A828A-750x500.jpg)](https://blog.etcconnect.com/2018/02/monthly-museum-the-evolution-of-the-gio-prototype) [Control](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/control) ### [From the Museum: Early Gio console prototypes](https://blog.etcconnect.com/2018/02/monthly-museum-the-evolution-of-the-gio-prototype) By [Kate Foster](https://blog.etcconnect.com/author/kate-foster) 23-Feb-2018 Welcome to the [Monthly(ish) Museum](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/from-the-museum), where we take a look into the historical lighting collection at ETC. In this entry, we’re keeping it in-house with a look at some industrial design prototypes for the Gio console. [Read More](https://blog.etcconnect.com/2018/02/monthly-museum-the-evolution-of-the-gio-prototype) [![](https://blog.etcconnect.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/23755642_1890176784330467_5317249836921941064_n-750x500.jpg)](https://blog.etcconnect.com/2017/11/tradeshow-talk-ldi-2017) [Video](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/video) ### [Tradeshow Talk: LDI 2017](https://blog.etcconnect.com/2017/11/tradeshow-talk-ldi-2017) By [Kate Foster](https://blog.etcconnect.com/author/kate-foster) 28-Nov-2017 Couldn’t make it to Vegas this year for LDI? Now that the Thanksgiving turkey has settled in our collective stomachs, here’s a recap of highlights from the show floor… [Read More](https://blog.etcconnect.com/2017/11/tradeshow-talk-ldi-2017) [![](https://blog.etcconnect.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/IMG_4618-1-750x500.jpg)](https://blog.etcconnect.com/2017/10/programming-pumpkins-for-a-halloween-extravaganza) [SPOTLIGHT](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/spotlight) ### [Programming pumpkins for a Halloween extravaganza](https://blog.etcconnect.com/2017/10/programming-pumpkins-for-a-halloween-extravaganza) By [Kate Foster](https://blog.etcconnect.com/author/kate-foster) 10-Oct-2017 Fall is in the air in Croton-on-Hudson, NY, and the annual [Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze](https://www.hudsonvalley.org/events/blaze) event is underway…with thousands of pumpkins powered by a Gio console. [Read More](https://blog.etcconnect.com/2017/10/programming-pumpkins-for-a-halloween-extravaganza) [![](https://blog.etcconnect.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/patchpanel1-750x500.jpg)](https://blog.etcconnect.com/2017/10/monthly-museum-patch-panel) [History](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/history) ### [From the Museum: Patch panel](https://blog.etcconnect.com/2017/10/monthly-museum-patch-panel) By [Kate Foster](https://blog.etcconnect.com/author/kate-foster) 3-Oct-2017 Welcome to [Monthly(ish) Museum](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/from-the-museum), where we periodically feature highlights from ETC’s collection of historical lighting industry gear and ephemera. This installment: a Kliegl Bros. patch panel. [Read More](https://blog.etcconnect.com/2017/10/monthly-museum-patch-panel) [![](https://blog.etcconnect.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Fireside1-750x500.jpg)](https://blog.etcconnect.com/2017/09/video-live-programming-pros-talk-eos-at-the-cue-fireside-chat) [Eos](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/eos) ### [Video: Live-programming pros talk Eos at the CUE Fireside Chat](https://blog.etcconnect.com/2017/09/video-live-programming-pros-talk-eos-at-the-cue-fireside-chat) By [Kate Foster](https://blog.etcconnect.com/author/kate-foster) 19-Sep-2017 A panel of top Eos programmers convened at ETC’s CUE conference for an evening of live-programming war stories, show file strategies and cat memes. [Read More](https://blog.etcconnect.com/2017/09/video-live-programming-pros-talk-eos-at-the-cue-fireside-chat) [![](https://blog.etcconnect.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/IMG_0189-750x500.jpg)](https://blog.etcconnect.com/2017/06/monthly-museum-piano-boards) [tracking](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/tracking) ### [Monthly Museum: Piano boards and “portable” dimmers](https://blog.etcconnect.com/2017/06/monthly-museum-piano-boards) By [Kate Foster](https://blog.etcconnect.com/author/kate-foster) 6-Jun-2017 Welcome to the [Monthly(ish) Museum](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/from-the-museum), where we make periodic dives into ETC’s collection of lighting industry gear and ephemera. In this installment: piano boards. [Read More](https://blog.etcconnect.com/2017/06/monthly-museum-piano-boards) [![](https://blog.etcconnect.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/marquee-crop-750x500.jpg)](https://blog.etcconnect.com/2017/05/tech-table-talk-programming-anastasia-broadway) [SPOTLIGHT](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/spotlight) ### [Eos on Broadway: Anastasia](https://blog.etcconnect.com/2017/05/tech-table-talk-programming-anastasia-broadway) By [Kate Foster](https://blog.etcconnect.com/author/kate-foster) 23-May-2017 Welcome to Eos on Broadway, where we take a look at the behind-the-scenes control that makes a large-scale show tick. In this installment, Eos programmer Scott Kearns Tusing talks about the controls work that went into bringing the musical *[Anastasia](https://www.anastasiabroadway.com/)* to Broadway.The production opened on April 24th... 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