ESTA's Midwest Rigging Intensive Returns with Touring Rigging Theme

	"The importance of MRI is that it brings together an entire community of rigging trainers in a way that few other training opportunities can match," says Leahy.

ESTA's Midwest Rigging Intensive (MRI) returns August 14-16, offering a hands-on training experience for rigging professionals in the entertainment industry. Registration is now open for the event, which will take place at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, just outside Chicago. It will bring together some of the most respected rigging trainers in the field, with an emphasis on touring rigging.

"The Midwest Rigging Intensive is a one-of-a-kind training event that exposes participants to real-world challenges in an environment that allows them to workshop various solutions while not being under the pressure of an actual production schedule," says MRI instructor Tracy Nunnally, of the Cortland, Illinois-based flying effects company Vertigo. "Time is so often a critical resource when working through solutions on a show tour, and MRI 2025 will allow the time to work through a variety of solutions for complex problems encountered by many touring productions."

"The importance of MRI is that it brings together an entire community of rigging trainers in a way that few other training opportunities can match," says Ed Leahy, of Chicago Flyhouse, who is also an instructor for the event. "Attendees get the perspectives of many different experts in the field and then get to combine conceptual knowledge with practical application of those concepts in a single event."

This year's MRI will focus on touring rigging, training content that has never been presented at a national level. "Touring is a huge part of our business, but few people have access to learn about the process unless they sign on to do it," Leahy explains. "This event will give folks a chance to see what good touring looks like and practice skills that are useful for touring technicians or those who host touring events."

MRI will carry ETCP education renewal credits. ETCP program manager Christina Smith encourages ETCP technicians to attend: "To have so many ETCP Recognized Trainers work together to develop new curriculum each year, much of which is hands-on, creates a meaningful training experience. The attendees are often ETCP-certified riggers or riggers pursuing certification, and their insightful questions and experience add to the value of the intensive. An ETCP-certified rigger would be well-served to attend MRI."

ESTA cites the contributions of the event's Chain Level sponsor, DeLong Rigging Solutions, and Cable Level sponsor, ETC. Sponsorship opportunities are still available; contact mri@esta.org. To find out more and register for MRI, visit esta.org/mri.