Vari-Lite Provides `The GM Experience' With Extensive Lighting System; GM Exhibit Called `10 Times Larger' Than Typical Show

    DALLAS--Jan. 29, 2001--Vari-Lite, Inc. provided one of the largest lighting systems in the history of corporate events for the General Motors Corporation at the Greater Los Angeles Auto Show on January 4-14.
    Eric Hanson, Vari-Lite Account Manager from Vari-Lite Chicago, described the scale of the project. "Our comprehensive lighting services covered four acres of the LA Convention Center and required months of planning led by Vari-Lite Project Manager Jimmy Lewis. The project was at least 10 times the size of a typical corporate event, requiring over one mile of trussing, and was the largest ever assembled by Vari-Lite's production services."
    "The General Motors Exhibit represented one of the most impressive lighting rigs that Vari-Lite has ever provided for a corporate event," said Rusty Brutsche, chairman and chief executive officer of Vari-Lite. "Corporate events are greatly enhanced with the use of automated lighting, but a lighting system this large changes the entire makeup of the show and transforms the venue into a memorable experience for everyone involved."
    The lighting system included two Virtuoso(TM) control consoles, 100 VL6(TM) and VL6B(TM) spot luminaires, 38 VL5Arc(TM) wash luminaires, 12 VL2416(TM) wash luminaires, 1,250 Source 4(TM) Pars and Ellipsoidals. The truss system included 5,500 feet of truss and over 200 chain hoists.
    Lighting designer Tom Bagnasco of Lighting Design Services, Inc. is a member of the GM Experience Design Team. He has provided the lighting design for General Motors' corporate events for 12 years.
    "General Motors plans to do these shows worldwide, so I needed a company with global capabilities," Bagnasco said. "Vari-Lite's strong reputation as a leader in the lighting industry, along with the company's experienced personnel, made the choice an easy one. It really doesn't get any better than this. My intent is to continue this wonderful relationship with Vari-Lite."

    About Vari-Lite

    Vari-Lite International is a leading worldwide designer, manufacturer and distributor of proprietary automated lighting systems. The Company also provides related equipment and services to the entertainment industry, serving markets such as concert touring, theater, television and film and corporate events. The Company sells and rents its VARI*LITE automated lighting systems through a domestic and international network of Vari-Lite offices and independent dealers. For more information, visit www.vari-lite.com.
    Vari-Lite International, Inc. shares are traded on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol LITE.

    The foregoing paragraphs contain certain forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Although the Company believes the expectations contained in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. These expectations may involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, factors detailed in the Company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings.

Note to Editors: The last name of Rusty Brutsche should be written with an accent on the "e."