Segment Disclosure - Net Income by Segment (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Jan. 25, 2014	Jan. 26, 2013	Jan. 25, 2014 segment	Jan. 26, 2013
Segment Reporting Information
Number of business units			5
Net sales	$ 115,369	$ 111,050	$ 415,730	$ 393,840
Contribution margin	15,901	13,397	67,846	66,263
Depreciation and amortization
Depreciation and amortization	3,581	3,954	10,952	11,785
Non-allocated operating expenses:
General and administrative	6,685	6,717	20,788	20,148
Product design and development	5,649	5,611	17,330	17,477
Operating income	3,567	1,069	29,728	28,638
Nonoperating income (expense):
Interest income	290	386	945	1,165
Interest expense	(62)	(28)	(189)	(151)
Other (expense) income, net	(237)	(193)	(351)	(224)
Income before income taxes	3,558	1,234	30,133	29,428
Income tax expense (benefit)	687	(1,476)	9,753	8,493
Net income	2,871	2,710	20,380	20,935
Commerical
Segment Reporting Information
Net sales	39,016	30,997	117,690	109,127
Contribution margin	7,903	4,262	24,026	19,030
Depreciation and amortization
Depreciation and amortization	1,064	1,253	3,181	3,746
Live Events
Segment Reporting Information
Net sales	33,428	26,528	146,680	121,641
Contribution margin	4,530	1,244	23,159	16,393
Depreciation and amortization
Depreciation and amortization	1,092	1,095	3,354	3,361
Schools & Theatres
Segment Reporting Information
Net sales	11,010	11,778	47,750	51,639
Contribution margin	(217)	80	5,286	6,091
Depreciation and amortization
Depreciation and amortization	513	546	1,588	1,683
Transportation
Segment Reporting Information
Net sales	13,531	23,546	41,811	57,713
Contribution margin	2,842	6,317	9,747	18,321
Depreciation and amortization
Depreciation and amortization	292	385	856	1,054
International
Segment Reporting Information
Net sales	18,384	18,201	61,799	53,720
Contribution margin	843	1,494	5,628	6,428
Depreciation and amortization
Depreciation and amortization	210	206	629	565
Unallocated
Depreciation and amortization
Depreciation and amortization	$ 410	$ 469	$ 1,344	$ 1,376

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The aggregate expense recognized in the current period that allocates the cost of tangible assets, intangible assets, or depleting assets to periods that benefit from use of the assets.

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The aggregate total of expenses of managing and administering the affairs of an entity, including affiliates of the reporting entity, which are not directly or indirectly associated with the manufacture, sale or creation of a product or product line.

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This element represents the income or loss from continuing operations attributable to the economic entity which may also be defined as revenue less expenses from ongoing operations, after income or loss from equity method investments, but before income taxes, extraordinary items, and noncontrolling interest.

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Amount of current income tax expense (benefit) and deferred income tax expense (benefit) pertaining to continuing operations.

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Amount of the cost of borrowed funds accounted for as interest expense.

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Amount after accretion (amortization) of discount (premium), and investment expense, of interest income and dividend income on nonoperating securities.

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The portion of profit or loss for the period, net of income taxes, which is attributable to the parent.

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Number of segments reported by the entity. A reportable segment is a component of an entity for which there is an accounting requirement to report separate financial information on that component in the entity's financial statements.

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The net result for the period of deducting operating expenses from operating revenues.

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The net amount of other income and expense amounts, the components of which are not separately disclosed on the income statement, resulting from ancillary business-related activities (that is, excluding major activities considered part of the normal operations of the business) also known as other nonoperating income (expense) recognized for the period. Such amounts may include: (a) dividends, (b) interest on securities, (c) net gains or losses on securities, (d) unusual costs, (e) gains or losses on foreign exchange transactions, and (f) miscellaneous other income and expense items.

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The aggregate costs incurred (1) in a planned search or critical investigation aimed at discovery of new knowledge with the hope that such knowledge will be useful in developing a new product or service, a new process or technique, or in bringing about a significant improvement to an existing product or process; or (2) to translate research findings or other knowledge into a plan or design for a new product or process or for a significant improvement to an existing product or process whether intended for sale or the entity's use, during the reporting period charged to research and development projects, including the costs of developing computer software up to the point in time of achieving technological feasibility, and costs allocated in accounting for a business combination to in-process projects deemed to have no alternative future use.

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Total revenue from sale of goods and services rendered during the reporting period, in the normal course of business, reduced by sales returns and allowances, and sales discounts.

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