Vari-Lite Celebrates 20th Anniversary

Twenty years ago, Vari-Lite Inc revolutionized the entertainment lighting industry. On Sept. 25,1981, in a dusty bullring in Spain during the first night of the Genesis Abacab tour, Vari-Lite debuted the world’s first automated lighting system. "We couldn’t have known back then what kind of impact we would have on the lighting industry," said Rusty Brutsché, chairman and chief executive officer of Vari-Lite. "But we’ve continued to change with the times, creating innovative new luminaires and control consoles, moving into new markets and always trying to provide excellent, versatile lighting products to lighting designers in all segments of the lighting industry. As we move into the next 20 years, we will continue developing new products for the lighting and production industry."

Vari-Lite’s humble beginnings trace back to a "eureka moment" in 1980 at a Dallas barbecue restaurant. Employees from Showco, originally the parent company of Vari-Lite, came up with the idea of developing an automated lighting system that used a computer to control the movement, colour, dimming and beam shape of each luminaire. Within a year, Vari-Lite was formed as engineers developed and tested the first automated lighting system. "We wouldn’t have made it this far without the people who put their hard work and genuine love into everything we do," Brutsché said. "That includes the people working for Vari-Lite who have created, developed, manufactured and used some of the most advanced lighting systems in the world, the lighting designers who have used Vari-Lite products to create mind-boggling light spectaculars, and the audiences who have enjoyed the ride. We thank everyone who helped Vari-Lite reach this milestone."

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