Not all the stars of song and stage stand in the spotlight. With the advent of music streaming services, musical sensations go viral across age groups, incomes, and countries at surprising speed. Phenomena of the theatre like Hamilton and Wicked grow fan bases that keep shows running in theatres across the country and around the world for months and years. While fans swarm to the new and trendy, classics like Anything Goes and Guys and Dolls regularly appear on marquees to delight audiences. The singers and dancers get the spotlight, but there is another set of stars who play a critical role in making these shows sensational and they often work in near darkness.

Musical theatre musicians—often called pit orchestras—play in dimly lit, tight spaces behind, beside, or even below the stage. Woodwind instrumentalists often have the extra challenge of doubling—playing multiple instruments in the same show and, sometimes, the same song. These musicians switch between instruments with only moments to spare so that the stars of the show can wow crowds and tell the stories we love. With instruments that cost thousands to tens of thousands of dollars each, it’s important that musicians can quickly, quietly, and safely switch between instruments and trust that they are placing the tools of their livelihoods with precision and stability.

Traditional woodwind instrument stands respond to the basic needs of musicians by providing stability and durability to temporary instrument storage. However, these stands do not provide the visibility necessary to keep instruments safe when lights are low and space is limited. Instruments that are knocked over or misplaced can result in costly repairs or even costlier replacement.

Backstage Beacon stands with integrated lighting maintain the stability and durability of traditional stands while enhancing safety and convenience with integrated, low-glare and rechargeable LED lighting. No more hoping for the best when switching instruments in a dark pit, clipping hot or cumbersome lights to stands, or worrying that someone backstage might trip over an expensive horn. Spotlight Stands are rechargeable, travel-ready, and customizable with options for light intensity, light color, and modular attachments that support any combination of woodwinds.