Capstone 2019:The Effect

I had a blast being the lighting designer for The Effect. Having the opportunity to design for the 2019 senior show was a very fulfilling process. I am very proud of my senior class and how we worked together to create something that was loved and appreciated by audiences night after night. 

 

The play takes place in an fabricated psychiatric drug trial with text that is very grounded in realism. With this in mind, our class made the decision use expressionism in the design of the show. After months of research on expressionism, I found myself wanting to light this play like a dance performance. After making this discovery, I found a painting that truly embodied the concept I was aiming for with my design. 

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I used the McCandless method to create natural full-stage coverage with a cool wash (R360- Clear Water) and warm wash (R05- Rose Tint). I used a down-light Nexera wash to give myself vibrant color ability. Additionally, I hung two Nexeras backstage parallel with the platforms on both sides to create colorful side-light.

 

My favorite aspect of my design above all were the six Ape Light Maxi's. These petite but powerful wireless LED lights were moved throughout the show by our ensemble. I had a great time collaborating with Director Bonnie Lambert to find interesting ways to utilize them. With Bonnie's encouragement, I was able to start working with the ensemble on the proper care and positioning of these lights a whole week before tech.

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One of the greatest challenges I faced with this show was time management. The way that the season had to be scheduled only allowed us three weeks in the space including Spring Break. Knowing that there would be a major time crunch, I prepared as much as possible in advance. My preliminary plot and channel hookup were finished a week before their due date. All of the instruments were hung, circuited, patched, and troubleshot within four days of me having access to the space. I cued the show over Spring Break before the focus call. I continued to run cues along with the actors every night during rehearsal following focus. By the time tech rolled around, the board op was just hitting GO. My early preparation allowed me to get so far ahead of schedule that the students enrolled in lighting laboratory ran out of lighting tasks.

 

Working on this show was a fun way to showcase all of the things that my peers and I have learned at Southwestern University.  I was not only allowed, but encouraged to go big and bold with my design choices, and we all had each other's backs. I am grateful to have worked with such a great team and am excited to see what the future holds for all of us.