Thanks to Productions Unlimited, Inc., the Kappel Rigging Trainer was able to return for USITT26 in Long Beach. Located in Roebuck, South Carolina, Productions Unlimited is an entertainment vendor offering a very wide range of services including system integration, rentals, sales, signature product manufacturing, and more. In addition to sharing their booth with the KRT, they donated all of the laser-cut steel and aluminum parts needed for the new prototype trainers. In the future, Productions Unlimited plans to offer products and services to help spread the KRT throughout the industry. Learn more at productionsunlimitedinc.com.

In preparation for USITT26, the new prototypes of the KRT are in-progress. These prototypes are sponsored in-part by Productions Unlimited, Inc. All of the laser-cut steel and aluminum parts were donated. Thank you Productions Unlimited! Also, thank you to the Krannert Center Scene Shop for supporting the build. Last but not least, thank you to Eben Alguire for helping with the 3D-printing and students Alex Cheney and Brian Zuckerman for helping assemble the new trainers. See below for some highlights from the build.

After the Kappel Rigging Trainer was unveiled at USITT25, it was time to share the greater personal story behind its creation. ESTA provided the opportunity for a feature article in Protocol magazine. Matt began writing the article in July 2025 and it was published on October 1st. To read the full article, visit the free online version of the magazine. The article is titled “Introducing the Kappel Rigging Trainer (KRT): How a tragedy formed Martin’s legacy.”

The Entertainment Services and Technology Association (ESTA) is a non-profit trade association for the entertainment technology industries.

Research Live! is a speech competition hosted by the Graduate College at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Graduate students have three minutes to explain their research and its impact to non-experts. The development of the Kappel Rigging Trainer was presented in a speech titled “Teaching Theatrical Counterweight Rigging in the Classroom.” This speech was selected as one of 13 finalists and received the “Storyteller Award.” For more information about Research Live!, visit the Graduate College website.

The KRT made its USITT debut in Columbus, Ohio at the University of Illinois booth. The KRT was also featured in a “poster session” slideshow as shown below. Special thanks to Rob Perry, Eben Alguire, Bronwyn Garrett, and Morgan Lin for helping make the KRT happen at the booth!

Poster Session

“Poster sessions” at USITT are publishing opportunities for academic work. The slides below were featured on a digital display in the conference center lobby.

The first KRT was designed and built in the fall of 2024 by Matt Grenier, as a Graduate Assistantship project while pursuing his MFA in Scenic Technology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The first version of the KRT was built from custom 3D-printed parts and commonly available scene shop materials using basic techniques and tools.

Photo Highlights

Video Demonstration

Observe how the first KRT could be used to replicate real situations, like overhauling a load onto the stage floor. The first KRT could also be used to demonstrate how a runaway occurs.

Build Highlights