I am living in a wonderful story.
Some of the chapters may be harder to live than others, yet it seems with every new page comes a unique experience or a new person from which or from whom I can learn. I did not set out to practice at the convergence of theatrical lighting, architectural lighting, and digital media, though I have moved between the worlds for many years. In fact, I thought of the worlds as quite separate until I turned one page of my story. I was fortunate to meet with an interesting individual who could look at photographs of my theatrical work and point out my architectural sensibilities. I did it naturally, subconsciously, the results of fascinating experiences in earlier chapters.
In Chapter One
I was a young farm boy growing up amidst the Midwestern cornfields, learning the value of hard work from a father who, to this day, continues to rise before the sun to tend to the crops. Somewhere in Chapter Two or Three I became involved in drama clubs and extracurricular activities like singing, acting, and even a little tap dancing. In Chapter Five I started playing with light in earnest, setting up lighting for schools and community theatres while I carried on the busy life of a high-schooler.
I have come a long way in the interim chapters between then and now and enjoyed some wonderful episodes. Working in Carnegie Hall’s high-tech Zankel Auditorium with the renowned Nathan Gunn and Julie Gunn is one such highlight, as are five seasons with the nation’s largest African-American professional theatre company, The Saint Louis Black Repertory. Given my location, there is of course a section of my story focused on Chicago, including the Chicago equity premier of Edward Albee’s The Lady from Dubuque, my architectural design for the Hyde Park Arts Center, and work with the Organic Theatre Company, the American Blues Theatre company, Dance Chicago, and others.
My story also has travel chapters beyond the region, including several stories of work on the Las Vegas strip at the Luxor, MGM Grand, and Rio casino/hotels as well as the Red Rock Canyon Visitor’s Center. I recently returned from an artistic collaboration with Portland’s Third Angle New Music Ensemble, where I provided digital imagery to support a recital of portions of the upcoming world premier opera Paradises Lost, and look forward to several more trips to the west coast this year.
In all these most recent chapters,
I have come to focus on my role as a visual storyteller, stringing narrative together with light, space, and image. I draw from architectural sensibilities to create detailed realism onstage. I draw from theatrical experience to bring heightened drama to architecture. And- when the story can benefit- I use digital media to tie it together.
My story is not over. I will not be writing the next chapter by myself- my art form flourishes best in collaboration. Will I be writing it with you?
(Click on the links above for publications & press, a more detailed biography, and my resume)