Over 100 Years of Theater Excellence: A TIMELINE
JR CLANCY PIONEERS RIGGING
In 1882, young stagehand John Clancy wanted to figure out how to accommodate all of the staging challenges in New York’s debut of “The Romany Rye.” He worked out of his basement to develop a solution, ultimately devising a series of heavy-duty pulleys, sheaves, and other inventions that would not only make the scene changes possible, but reinvent theatre rigging as we know it.
CONTINUED INNOVATION
By 1887, J.R. Clancy’s catalog was packed with new products and innovative solutions to age-old rigging problems. The company introduced gas lighting systems, and new electric lights in 1891. In 1903, after the Iroquois Theatre fire in Chicago, Clancy immediately created the fire line and self-closing fire curtain, which remain the basis for fire curtains today.
AN ARTS POWERHOUSE IS BORN
In 2011, J.R. Clancy joined forces with Wenger Corporation, the world-wide leader in products and solutions for music and theatre education. Like John Clancy, Harry Wenger was a passionate visionary who understood the challenges faced by his fellow music teachers and band leaders. Wenger Corporation, with over 200 years of combined experience between both the Wenger and J.R. Clancy brands, brings a synergy of quality products and solutions to the industry.
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