SIGNIFICANT LIGHTING TECHNOLOGY THEATRE ARTIST BY DAY,

MODERN THEATRES EDUCATION IN THE 21ST CENTURY COSPLAYER BY NIGHT USITT’S AIDS QUILT PANEL

THEATRE DESIGN
& TECHNOLOGY WINTER 2018

USITT EXHIBIT:
THE DESIGNS
OF OLIVER SMITH
The Light Lab at State
University of New York
at Fredonia. Photo
courtesy of Fredonia
Department of Theatre
and Dance.

Lighting Technology Education

IN THE 21ST CENTURY
BY AUTUM CASEY AND TODD PROFFITT

T
Call to action his manuscript is a call to
action for all lighting tech-
nology educators. Teaching
for today’s is hard, particularly with
rapidly changing technol-
educators ogy, budget cuts, a demand-
ing teaching and production schedule,
and students with varying backgrounds
and interests. Further, the industry and
students have changed; production has
become significantly more complex and
subject knowledge must be counterbal-
anced with information accessibility
more than ever. It is our responsibility
to educate lighting students for tomor-
row. This article will provide suggestions
for how to better work with and prepare
modern undergraduates to enter such a
fast-paced and rapidly changing indus-
try. The ideas presented in this article
are not necessarily new, but this is an
opportunity for all lighting educators to
reexamine how they teach lighting tech-
nology. We can do better.
The genesis for this article came
from the blog post Are You Teaching
Relevant Lighting (http://www.jimon-
light.com/2016/01/14/are-you-teaching-
relevant-lighting/) in January of 2016. It
asked some difficult questions and of-
fered a number of suggestions. The blog
then inspired the session “Modernizing
Lighting Education” at the 2017 USITT
National Conference (http://bit.ly/usit-
tmodernlighting). Though it was a great
session, an hour and fifteen minutes was

WINTER 2018 | THEATRE DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY | 55


simply not enough time to go in depth
into the subject. This article begins with
those ideas and expands on them.
Education Challenges
Today’s lighting technicians are enter-
ing a very different industry than the one
for which their mentors and professors
were trained. When many educators
started their careers, only a couple of
major lighting manufacturers controlled
the market. Now dozens of manufac-
turers are all releasing gear; some is of
quality, and some is below industry ex-
pectations. Pedagogical trends have also
shifted. More emphasis is being placed
on experiential learning and less on rote
memorization. Accordingly, students
learn very differently than they once did.
A modern student is used to having infor-
mation readily available, but that creates
a greater reliance on technology. Differ-
ent learning strategies must be used to
convey information and maintain stu-
dent interest.
Also, as an educator, you will not be
able to teach them everything. Let us just
accept that point now. It is also vital to
understand that the skills we have now
as educators came from years, even de-
cades, of experience and were not devel-
oped over four years of undergraduate
56 | THEATRE DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY | WINTER 2018
education. Whether you are new to edu-
cation or a 30-year veteran, we as a com-
munity can better prepare our students
to enter the workforce by acknowledging
current challenges and designing appro-
priate solutions.   sible.
Consider the following critical fac-
tors:
Technology. Lighting technology has
changed dramatically in the past 15
years and particularly in the past 5 years
with the rapid adoption of LED fixtures.
Furthermore, moving lights and other
similar types of equipment are growing
less expensive and are common in most
theatres as a result. The amount of data
required for these instruments has also
changed even the simplest light plots. A
single DMX run is no longer the norm;
theatres now need a full-on lighting net-
work running multiple universes to ad-
equately control a lighting rig. Changing
technology has forced us to adjust the
way we distribute both data and power.
The technology is going to continue to
change, and staying up to date is crucial.
Educators must find ways to adapt and
teach students to have the same ability.
Academia. Problems on the university
level are also a challenge. In order to
teach many of these technologies, the
Brianna St. Claire and
Gabe Zak participate in
a light hang at George
Mason University. Photo
by Autum Casey.
instructor needs the equipment; lecture
and reading can only take you so far. Un-
fortunately, a lack of funding is a signifi-
cant issue at most universities, making
the acquisition of new gear often impos-
Increased demands on a faculty
member’s time can also significantly im-
pact the teaching of new technology. At
many universities, faculty are expected
to teach a full load of classes, serve on
university committees, keep up with
creative or scholarly activities, and help
produce a full season of shows. This
can leave little time to train and keep up
with new technologies and techniques.
“Faculty need time with the equipment
first to learn about it before teaching oth-
ers,” says Joshua Williamson, lighting
designer and director of the School of
Theatre and Dance at West Virginia Uni-
versity. “In fact, until you have designed
a show with 24 LED fixtures, you really
shouldn’t teach others how to design
with them.  This is critical faculty devel-
opment time.”
Expanded Workplaces. In a traditional
theatre program, students often only par-
ticipate in one model of producing live
entertainment. Yet, the skill set we teach
is applicable beyond theatre, and this
reality should be addressed when teach-
ing lighting technology to maximize
students’ employment opportunities.
Numerous other opportunities for our
lighting students exist in live entertain-
ment other than theatre, touring, lighting
sales or support, and lighting manufac-
turing. Each of these career paths needs
a slightly different skillset, further exac-
erbating the challenges for the lighting
educator.
Diversity and Inclusion. The lighting dis-
cipline was essentially founded by wom-
en, but it is now largely dominated by
white males. Lighting technology must
be taught in a manner that welcomes a
much greater diversity of students. Cur-
rently only 13.7 percent of the lighting
positions in LORT theatres are occupied
by women (McGovern 2015). There is
far less data related to tracking the hir-
ing of people of color. Innovation in any
industry comes from having a diverse set
of voices asking questions and pushing
boundaries. Students may find it par-
ticularly difficult to feel like they have
a place in a field when they do not see
themselves reflected in the professional
ranks.
Today’s students are also much
more aware of gender parity and of both
real and perceived discrimination. Light-
ing educators need to take advantage of
the training many universities offer on
gender and racial bias. Take the oppor-
tunity to read books like Sheryl Sand-
berg’s Lean In or find TED talks on these
subjects; these are only two of the many
resources available. Once we recognize
this bias, steps need to be taken to mini-
mize it. Trying to address this bias at the
university level may help us move toward
parity as an industry. If, as an educator,
you have not examined potential bias in
your lighting program, classroom, and/
or shop, now is the time. We cannot be
passive and expect to change the status
quo.
Fortunately, the STEM community
is facing many of the same challenges
and has begun to study the causes of its
gender gap. As an industry, we can look
at the advocacy and teaching model of
Reshma Saujani’s Girlswhocode.com.
Also, USITT’s Women in Theatre Net-
work Facebook group offers outstanding
opportunities and mentorship, and the
Diversity and Inclusion committee helps
provide programming at our yearly na-
tional conference.
Modern Students. Educators who were
trained in earlier methods and approach-
es may be finding it harder to relate to
modern students. Current students have
grown up in a digital world with infor-
mation at their fingertips, and it may be
a challenge to find new ways to engage
them. Christy Price, Ed.D., a psychology
professor at Dalton State College offers
the “5 R’s of Teaching Millennials”: Re-
search-based methods, Relevance, Ra-
tionale, Relaxed, Rapport” (Bart 2011).
These methods can help to specify the
Laurel VanLandingham
soldering an LED project at
George Mason University.
Photo by Autum Casey.
challenges posed by current students
and help educators to find ways to use
their students’ skillsets to better prepare
them for the profession.
Price’s research found that millen-
nials prefer a variety of active-learning
methods. Their attention shifts quickly,
so Research-based projects can be help-
ful. Create projects that require students
to go out and get the information they
need to complete the project. For ex-
ample, challenge an advanced student
designer to use unfamiliar equipment
while designing a networking layout.
This forces them to research new equip-
ment, just as they would do when out in
the workplace. Joshua Williamson also
offers this reminder about their per-
ceived short attention spans: “One might
argue that this is not the fault of the stu-
dent but a symptom of an educational
system that hasn’t kept pace with chang-
ing learning styles.”
Students need to learn what infor-
mation to retain and what to research
as needed; educators then need to show
them how to apply the information and
show Relevance. The more real-world
examples given the better, and again,
projects can help show them how to ap-
ply this knowledge. This process leads to
Rationale. This generation grew up in a
less authoritarian environment than pre-
vious generations. Modern students tend
to ask more questions, such as why they
have to do certain tasks and why they
earned a specific grade. On assignments,
Melisa Trinidad focusing
a light at State University
of New York at Fredonia.
Photo courtesy of
Fredonia Department of
Theatre and Dance.
WINTER 2018 | THEATRE DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY | 57
Rock and Roll Project
using the light lab at State
University of New York at
Fredonia. Photo courtesy
of Fredonia Department of
Theatre and Dance.
clearly communicate what skills will be
learned. Also, be clear about how the
assignment will be graded with grading
rubrics to show the assessment process.
Price found that today’s student
prefers a Relaxed environment and
more one-on-one time with the instruc-
tor. Breaking up lectures with projects
can help create this relaxed atmosphere
while still giving structure to the class.
The key is guiding the conversation and
keeping it on track. One-on-one time can
easily be achieved through production
work assignments as faculty assistants
on-and off-campus.
Production work also helps with the
final R, Rapport: Modern students are
used to close relationships with adults
and are looking for teachers who take
an interest in them as a whole person.
Often, faculty members are addressed
by their first names, and many students
have our cell phone numbers, for ex-
ample. But the key here is to set up and
explain boundaries to the students. If
you use social media, decide, then, how
much access to grant to students. Make
it clear what constitutes official com-
munication. Explain why asking you for
58 | THEATRE DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY | WINTER 2018
an extension on a project on Facebook
might not be appropriate. The key is con-
sistency: What you do for one student
must be done for all.
Emphasizing Fundamentals
The most fundamental skills you can
teach students have nothing to do with
lighting. However, they can be addressed
in every classroom or shop on a daily
basis. The industry is not required to
understand the nuance between degrees
and certificate programs, but they do
have minimum expectations for entry-
level employees. The most important of
these minimum requirements are prob-
lem-solving, enthusiasm, and profession-
alism.
Creative Problem Solving. Problem-
solving is the single-most important skill
educators can develop in theatrical tech-
nicians and one of the most difficult to
teach. The primary and secondary edu-
cation system does not encourage learn-
ing through trial and error, and despite
learning the scientific method, students
are reticent to hypothesize; they want
directions to achieve a right answer on
the first attempt. We must teach students
to embrace the search and not shut
down after failure. If educators make
problem-solving fun and low stakes at
the beginning, then the desire for harder,
more complex problems will follow. Jake
Brinkman, the production electrician for
the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival
says that when he hires his staff electri-
cians, the majority of the questions he
asks are about troubleshooting. He has
noticed lately that his recently graduated
electricians “can plug in a light, but if it
doesn’t work they check the lamp and
usually get lost right after that.”  
Enthusiasm. Enthusiasm is another ex-
pectation for student technicians. A stu-
dent leaving a program should be the
kind of technician everyone wants to
hire. In our experience, many employers
will hire someone slightly less qualified
over a “rock star” if they are pleasant,
kind, interested in learning new things,
and hungry for the experience. Techni-
cians should show up early, stay late, and
ask questions, at the minimum. Employ-
ers are much more likely to overlook a
lack of technical knowledge if candidates
are honest and willing to learn. It is in-
credibly costly when mistakes are made
that could have been solved by honesty
and a willingness to put in the time and
effort.
Professionalism. Professionalism is
another minimum expectation for all
lighting technicians. Faculty should
demonstrate professionalism and what
a sustainable career looks like by model-
ing healthy working habits and providing
opportunities for realistic discussions
about work-life balance. Projects and
production assignments should also
model industry standards.   Realistic Career Expectations. Before
Ideally, every student should leave
an undergraduate program with a pro-
fessional resume that reflects their
experience and skills specific to the the-
atre industry. The Fall 2014 edition of
TD&T included the “USITT Lighting
Commission Revised Lighting Portfo-
lio Guidelines,” which included tips on
constructing a resume, portfolio, and
website. Portfolios for lighting techni-
cians are not the same as design port-
folios, and educators helping students
2 0 1 8
MAY 10 - 12, 2018
ELITE TRAINING
Las Vegas, Nevada
prepare either version should focus on
process not product. Beautiful produc-
tion photos should not be the focus; pa-
perwork, network diagrams, highlights
of the equipment used, and documenta-
tion of professional correspondence are
the foundation of a strong portfolio. Stu-
dents should participate in mock inter-
views and have their resume viewed by
multiple parties in the industry. USITT
has provided all of these opportunities
at the annual conference, and educators
must make sure students are aware of
these opportunities.
graduation, encourage your students to
find lighting work outside of the school’s
theatre building. Show them listing
sites for internships and jobs on and off-
campus. Exposure to new and different
techniques will help aid in a smoother
transition into the professional world af-
ter graduation.
Educators must also be realistic
with students when discussing where
they are likely to work after graduation
and what to expect on the job. All edu-
STAGE MANAGEMENT
AUTOMATION
RIGGING
SOUND
PROJECTION
cators should try to keep track of where
their alumni are being hired, and if pos-
sible, get feedback on what the now-em-
ployed alumni think was either excellent
about the program or lacking. Typical
and realistic entry-level positions include
internships, over-hire electrician, board
operator, programmer, master electri-
cian/production electrician, and poten-
tially assistant designer or designer.
Most undergraduate lighting technology
students will begin working in communi-
ty theatre, summer stock, lighting rental
houses, or as over-hire for professional
theatres. A few may find a place in a re-
gional theatre, particularly if they follow
through with internship opportunities,
and some may begin touring for theatre,
concerts, or cruise ships. Most students
will not be able to earn a living as a full-
time freelance lighting designer after
finishing an undergraduate education.
Individuals seeking further knowledge in
lighting design and technology, or those
that want to teach in the future, will
want to investigate graduate programs.
Educators and students should become
familiar with union regulations and
Info: www.usitt.org/elite
WINTER 2018 | THEATRE DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY | 59
procedures for admittance into IATSE.
Helping a student develop long-term
career goals will help them shape their
early career path, and help the educator
tailor the individual program of study to-
wards those goals.
Rethinking Teaching
Approaches
As educators, we interact with students
who have varied interests and expecta-
tions. The majority of undergraduate
programs have a few—single-digit num-
bers—students who walk in the door de-
termined to be lighting designers; even
fewer want to be electricians. The reality
is those who want to be designers will
start their first jobs in a technology area,
or if hired as the designer, they will be re-
sponsible for the design implementation.
Many of the excellent electricians we will
train come to lighting later in their edu-
cational career, often beginning as actors
or in other technical theatre disciplines.
With the incredible range of young peo-
ple, it is imperative that the professor
set goals and expectations that are both
practical and aspirational.
J A Y
RIGGING MASTERCLASSES
S U M M E R
Entry & Advanced Tracks Available
Learn more at usitt.org/glerummasterclass
60 | THEATRE DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY | WINTER 2018
• Take a hard look at the program of
study and make sure the goals of your
program match that of the program
you are offering. Understanding the
strengths and weaknesses of the pro-
gram will allow educators and students
alike to find additional resources and
opportunities. We must also be aware
of our own potential biases. Most light-
ing educators in higher education are
also professional lighting designers,
not technologists. That is not to say that
you cannot be both. It is important that
educators are aware of potential biases
while teaching and not imply that being
a designer is the ultimate goal of a light-
ing education.
• Each lighting program must find its
own balance between teaching design
and technology. Focusing on design in
an undergraduate program is just as
problematic as only focusing on tech-
nology. Lighting technology students
should know basic design principles,
and understand the kinds of choices
designers are making. Just as design-
focused students should have a basic
understanding of electricity and net-
O . G L E R U M
2 0 1 8
working, a well-rounded lighting educa-
tion will provide optimum opportunities
to students with both interests.
• Improve research skills by incorpo-
rating hands-on classroom projects
into the class. Break up the lecture
with short research projects about the
topic at hand. In a lesson about instru-
ments, pause and have the students
use their devices to find examples and
discuss what features they find for that
instrument. Current students grew up
with information at their fingertips, and
there is little motivation to memorize.
Teach them how to use this to their ad-
vantage, and it will help build their criti-
cal thinking skills and troubleshooting
skills. Such exercises also teach them
where to look, which is especially im-
portant since the fixtures they use today
will be much different than what they
use one or two decades from now.
• Ensure classroom instruction in-
cludes training on how to research
equipment and lighting skills. For ex-
ample, ask students to look up the data
sheet and ask them for specific data to
find on that sheet. Show them how to
usitt.org

find reviews on equipment and how to
research the quality of new products
hitting the market. Give them examples
of how to find online videos for light-
ing skills/techniques. Emphasize good
research skills by taking the time to
show them good resources. Students
may go for the easy Google search with-
out looking much further. Teach them
advanced search tips available from
Google (https://support.google.com/
websearch/answer/134479?hl=en).
Help them find manufacturers’ support
sites and how to utilize a support forum.
Controlbooth.com is another great fo-
rum for getting help, as is the techni-
cal theatre sub on Reddit.com https://
www.reddit.com/r/techtheatre/. Trade
magazines like PLSN, Protocol, Live
Design, TD&T, Lighting and Sound
America, and Stage Directions are all
great resources for learning and they all
have online versions, as well. Encour-
age your students to start looking at
gear reviews and project profiles. The
more you can help them find it them-
selves, the more their critical thinking
and troubleshooting skills will improve.
• Provide practical training and expe-
rience through realized productions.
Take the time to decide what experi-
ences you want your students to have
through productions and set goals. It is
imperative that goals and learning ob-
jectives are established for production
experiences. These stated objectives
should not limit the teachable mo-
ments that occur, but they will provide
an understandable foundation for the
outcomes of the experience. Often the
students who are working on the pro-
ductions will be the ones who are going
into the field, so you can get much more
specific with your instruction than you
can in the classroom.   the students be a part of that process,
• Make sure students have adequate
time to drill the basics: hang, focus,
and basic wiring. Often, students have
misguided ideas of their expertise and
want to move on to the more challeng-
ing projects after focusing a handful of
instruments. If they do not become fast
and proficient in these basic skills, then
it will not matter how well they know
the latest console software. Help them
find opportunities to build these skill
sets on campus, such as in roadhouses
or producing venues. By the time they
graduate, lighting technology students
should have hung and focused thou-
sands of fixtures.
• Make troubleshooting a priority.
When confronted with a technical prob-
lem, how often do faculty simply fix the
Colin Cauche and Gerald
Aragon looking over
lighting paperwork at
State University of New
York at Fredonia. Photo
courtesy of Fredonia
Department of Theatre
and Dance.
issue or let the best student fix it? First,
if possible, incorporate extra time in the
work schedule to turn problems into
teachable moments. If time is limited,
then assign one of the less experienced
students to help with the problem in or-
der to learn. No matter how the prob-
lem is resolved, make sure to take the
time at the end of a call to discuss the
problems and solutions. Likewise,
lighting maintenance is also vital to
the smooth operation of the rig. Make
even if professional staff or graduate
students handle such tasks, because
learning how to maintain and repair
equipment is essential.
• Consider console diversity. It’s more
than “running the board.” Lighting con-
soles are now so advanced that even
simple programming requires a bit of
training. Basic concepts can be covered
in class, but often practical experience
is needed to really understand the op-
eration of the console. Choosing a con-
sole is challenging. After you figure out
the needs of the venue, take a look at
where your students are working after
graduation. This data may help guide
your decision. Often you don’t have a
choice and must work with the console
the university already owns. If possible,
WINTER 2018 | THEATRE DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY | 61

try to get more than one type in order to
give your students the most experience
possible. Most modern lighting con-
soles have a free offline editor that can
be used for teaching. ETC, GrandMA,
High End, Champsis, and others all of-
fer free software and, often for a small
fee, they will sell the capability to output
DMX from the computer which could
be used in a lab or classroom setting.
Another suggestion is to invest in a pro-
grammable keyboard such as Xkeys, for
example. The keyboard can be config-
ured to a similar setup as the console it
emulates. Next, develop projects based
on the student’s career goals. This will
help determine which software they
should use. If they want to go on a the-
atre tour, then they must know the ETC
Eos/Gio/Ion line of consoles and be fa-
miliar with GrandMA. If they want to
work in the concert world, then Grand-
Ma and High End are important. Then
add or take away resources within the
software and give them the chance to
adapt.
• Teach students practical network-
ing. Data distribution is another topic
that can be covered more in-depth in
productions. While what is taught will
depend on in-stock equipment, at mini-
mum, all students should have a good
practical knowledge of DMX, as well as
RDM, sACN, and Art-Net. As advanced
fixtures require more and more param-
eters, it’s challenging to set-up a pro-
duction without multiple universes of
DMX. Networking is the key to getting
data where you want without running
miles of DMX cable, and students need
to understand how to set up networks.
If the budget is an issue, start small:
62 | THEATRE DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY | WINTER 2018
The Light Lab at State
University of New York Getting Gear
at Fredonia. Photo The best way to learn new gear is to use it; using new
courtesy of Fredonia gear will lead to learning new techniques. In education,
Department of Theatre
and Dance. purchasing new equipment is often prohibitive. However,
renting gear, borrowing gear, vendor demos, and light
labs are all ways to get your hands and your students’
hands on new equipment. Plan and think long term.
When building a lab, do not be afraid to obtain one piece
at a time and use production budgets to help supplement
inventory.
Renting. In his blog post, “Are You Teaching Relevant
Lighting,” Jim Hutchinson suggests renting gear as a
great way to diversify student access to equipment. If the
budget allows, rent gear your students are not used to
working with; the more diverse the gear, the better. Con-
sider renting a different console for a senior designer or for the show a faculty mem-
ber designs. It is still beneficial to rent different types of gear, even when the existing
stock is excellent. If money is tight, then rent gear for class demos or smaller projects.
Renting is common in the industry, especially on larger shows, so letting students
experience the rental process is an important skill, too. Many rental houses host open
houses, and local rental houses might be willing to set-up a console, a few movers,
and LED fixtures on a quiet day in their shop for your students to test-drive. Make
friends with your local rental houses; they are an important resource for keeping up
with changes and trends in equipment.
Borrow. Another option is to borrow or try new gear from local lighting manufactur-
er reps or lighting vendors. They typically can loan smaller amounts of gear for short
time periods, and this is a great way to test the latest gear. The only cost you might in-
cur is shipping. Many vendors or manufacturers will do demos at your school; contact
their marketing/education department to see what they have to offer.
Light Lab. Light labs are another essential way to expose students to gear. Often labs
are thought of as a design tool, but they are just as valuable as a tool for teaching light-
ing technology. The light lab should be a place where students can experiment and
learn—but again, good projects need to be created to support active learning. Labs
can be full-sized, scaled down, or just be a box of gear with basic equipment. Practi-
cal Projects for Teaching Lighting Design: A Compendium has a couple of sections
on creating a light lab. Ideally, a lab should have at least one example of the different
types of conventional instruments, LEDs, and, if possible, possible, moving lights. If
the budget is tight, look at smaller versions of lights, like 3” Fresnels or MR16 “bird-
ies” to use. ETC’s SourceFour Mini is a great option for a lab, though the price is
higher than similar fixtures. Labs can also use cheaper gear and DJ equipment to
save money; a DJ LED PAR38 can cost from $60-$120 and DJ moving lights are
under $500. This instrument won’t have all the features of its pro version, but it is a
great place to start. Likewise, consider smaller portable dimming systems and low-
cost consoles or offline editors. Light labs are also a great place to put older gear
such as an old state/non-tracking console. Data distribution can be done via a cheap
network switch and at least one DMX node. For students, starting on a small network
is advantageous when learning about sACN and Art-net.
A simple one-port node and network to work with either protocol.  
switch cost less than $300. This will • Incorporate experience in non-tradi-
introduce a student to not only network- tional positions. Production assign-
ing but also sACN or Art-Net. Many con- ments are another way to solidify skills
soles or nodes provide the opportunity and help emphasize classroom lessons.
 The usual staffing positions—electri-
cian, board-op, master, head or produc-
tion electrician—are great for building
general skill sets and getting the stu-
dent to the “1,000 fixtures hung and fo-
cused” mark. To help build specialized
skills, consider adding non-traditional
positions on each show, such as pro-
grammer, an ME responsible for all the
networking, a position that only deals
with practicals, or other special proj-
ect positions. Justin Petito, assistant
electrician on Phantom of the Opera,
suggests assigning one follow-spot op-
erator to call the follow-spot cues, as if
they were on tour. These types of posi-
tions will allow newer electricians the
ability to get more experience without
having the full weight of show responsi-
bility on their shoulders.   ity of needing everything to be like they
• Encourage adaptability. Numerous
options exist to give students exposure
to different types of gear or combina-
tions of equipment. In productions,
consider using gear in different ways
than normal and changing or vary-
ing techniques when possible. Con-
sider limiting the gear for a particular
2018 conference & stage expo
PROP LAB
loudspeaker demos
CONSOLE DEMOS
SOUND LAB
production or renting different types
of gear (see sidebar). If the DMX or
network is run a certain way for every
show, challenge the students to try
a different approach.  All of these ap-
proaches will help build adaptability in
students. In an informal survey on Red-
dit, when asked what skills new electri-
cians need, the most up-voted comment
was from username <vomex45>: “First
and foremost is adaptability. If you are
teaching designers, they are likely to
design for small or maybe community
theatres when they start out. There will
be incorrect inventories, broken lights,
no twofers, laughable color stocks, no
time, and the list goes on. The fresh-out-
of-school kids I work with that I feel are
the least prepared still have the mental-
planned it.”
• Let students teach students. One of
the suggestions in the “Modernizing
Lighting Education” session at the
2017 USITT conference was to have
students teach each other. Some stu-
dents may have more advanced skills
that they picked up in a well-equipped
MARCH 14-17
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usittshow.com
high school or working at a well-funded
community theatre. When Todd Prof-
fitt took a management training course
with a national pizza chain, one of the
lessons was that sometimes the man-
ager is not the best person to conduct
training because the trainee can get
intimidated. If a student is teaching
another student a skill, intimidation is-
sues are minimized. Set up both formal
and informal mentoring relationships;
often this will happen naturally but
watch and help foster those relation-
ships if you see a student struggling.
Students teaching students is an ac-
ceptable method, but it cannot be relied
upon too heavily. Instructors may not
have every skill, but they need to know
enough to properly train and guide the
other students as they learn.
Faculty Resources
Faculty must continue to learn as much
as possible in order to stay up-to-date
and provide optimal learning experienc-
es for our students.
The lighting technology industry
has a variety of annual conferences, in-
NOW
WINTER 2018 | THEATRE DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY | 63

cluding USITT, LDI, Lightfare, Infocon,
and ETC CUE. Many USITT regional
sections hold symposia, and distributors
often offer small training workshops.
Attending a conference affords the op-
portunity to participate in the expo floor
and take advantage of particular offer-
ings. The USITT Lighting Commission
has a biennial light lab with access to the
most recent gear on the market and ses-
sions built around its use. Participating
in the Light Lab as a volunteer can give
you hands-on experience with gear you
may not otherwise be able to access. The
USITT Lighting Studio provides sched-
uled time for students and professionals
alike to sit down at a console with some
fixtures and work through an exercise or
two. Conferences are also a great place
to network and meet other professionals
and befriend a manufacturer or distribu-
tor that can be called upon when needed.
There are shorter 2-4 day professional
development events, too. Live Design’s
New York Master Class and Stage Semi-
64 | THEATRE DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY | WINTER 2018
Fredonia USITT Student Chapter
at the 2012 USITT National
Conference. Photo courtesy of
Fredonia Department of Theatre
and Dance
nar’s Stage Lighting Super Saturday are
excellent short-term options.
Additional learning opportunities
are available without travel. USITT
members have access to Innova, a
web-based training platform that offers
“learning for your schedule.” Many light-
ing manufacturers and distributors also
provide video tutorials about how to ef-
fectively use and troubleshoot their gear.
They want users to know how to use
their gear and get the most out of the in-
vestment.
As a professor, use leave opportu-
nities or sabbaticals to dedicate time to
scholarship and catch up on new tech-
nologies and techniques. For example,
a colleague recently took a sabbatical in
order to study and take the ETCP Elec-
trician exam. Sabbatical policies are dif-
ferent at each university, so check with
administrators for what they expect out
of a sabbatical. Through the years, the
authors have heard stories from many
professors who did not take advantage
of this opportunity because they felt the
timing was not right for the students or
the department. Yet, learning new skills
will ultimately be better for their stu-
dents and department.
USITT also offers several valuable
teaching resources for lighting facul-
ty.  USITT’s eSet program has developed
a group of definitions considered to be
the essential skills needed in several ar-
eas of technical theatre including light-
ing. Beyond the group of definitions,
eSet offers an online and practical exam
in which a person can earn a certificate
that indicates they have reached the
minimum requirements. Obtaining a cer-
tificate is a good goal for the end of the
student’s program of study.
Another great resource is the Prac-
tical Projects for Teaching Lighting
Design: A Compendium, which can be
found at the USITT bookstore at www.
usitt.org/store. The Creative Teaching
Archive at http://teachingarchive.usitt.
org/ offers a collection of syllabi and
projects from fellow educators that you
might wish to incorporate into your
classes.
Industry service at a national level
is also beneficial. One great opportunity
is to volunteer with the USITT Lighting
Commission. Participants get credit for
service on a national level and get ex-
posed to a new network of colleagues
and peers. Contact the Lighting Commis-
sioner or come to a Lighting Commis-
sion Meeting at the national conference.
The days of teaching the same way
you were taught in the classroom are
over. Trends in education have changed,
university budgets are tight, faculty loads
are increasing, and more importantly, the
technology is changing almost daily. This
is a call to action, a beginning to a con-
versation. We’ve identified some of the
challenges we face as educators; now it
is time to look at the solutions presented
and ask ourselves, are we doing enough?
These are questions you must ask:
• How are the students’ fundamental
skills, of problem-solving, enthusiasm,
and professionalism being developed
on a daily basis?
• Have you discussed realistic expecta-
tions with your students, including the
wide variety of career opportunities out-
side theatrical lighting?
• Have you examined the structure and
needs of your degree program and real-

ly honed in on what you can effectively
teach within that structure?
• Do you have a strategic plan for work
outside the classroom?
• How are you addressing the needs of
modern students?
• Have you made an effort to educate
yourself on issues of diversity and inclu-
sion?
• Are you helping empower your students
through self-teaching and peer learning?
• How are you staying up to date with the
changing technology?
• Have you taken advantage of resources
available to faculty like conferences,
creative activities, and national service?
This article began as a conversation
among concerned colleagues who want
to improve lighting education. It is meant
to be a conversation. The challenges
and solutions don’t fit everyone’s situ-
ation, but we hope it will help you start
to examine your teaching methods. This
conversation is far from complete. In ad-
dition to the ideas presented here, there
are numerous topics and ideas to be ex-
plored. When you see us at the USITT
national conference, let’s talk.
Autum Casey is a freelance
designer in Brooklyn, New
York. Her regional credits
include Baby Screams
Miracle at Woolly Mammoth,
To Swing Through the Sky featuring The
Bart, Mary. 2011. “The Five R’s of Engaging Millennial
Met Jazz Orchestra, the IN Series, Lyric Opera
Students.” Faculty Focus. https://www.facultyfocus.
Virginia, and Spooky Action Theatre Company.
com/articles/teaching-and-learning/the-five-rs-of-
She has worked with American Ballet Theatre,
engaging-millennial-students/.
Complexions Contemporary Ballet, and Dark
Circles Contemporary Dance. World premieres
Hutchinson, Jim. 2016. “Are you Teaching Relevant
include Skippyjon Jones (Dallas Children’s
Lighting?” Jim on Light. http://www.jimonlight.
Theatre), Time Again in Oz (Seattle
com/2016/01/14/are-you-teaching-relevant-
Children’s Theatre), and Aisle 7 (University of
lighting/.
Texas at Austin). She currently serves as
USITT Associate Lighting Commissioner.
McGovern, Porsche. 2015. “Infographic: Who
Designs in LORT Theatres by Gender.” Howlround.
Todd Proffitt is a professor in
http://howlround.com/who-designs-in-lort-
the Department of Theatre and
theatres-by-gender.
Dance at SUNY-Fredonia. He
also has served in a variety of
Sandberg, Sheryl. 2013. Lean In: Women, Work,
technical and design positions
and the Will to Lead. New York: Knopf.
in such companies as Theater of Youth Company,
Chautauqua Theater Company, Loyola
Saujani, Reshma. 2017. Girls Who Code. www.
University New Orleans, The Producers Circle,
Girlswhocode.com.
Cortland Repertory Theatre, Anglefire
Mountain Theatre Group and Central
“What are We Missing in Lighting Design?” 2017.
Missouri Repertory. He serves in the USITT
Reddit. https://www.reddit.com/r/lightingdesign/
Lighting Commission in a number of positions
comments/65vlu3/what_are_we_missing_in_
and is currently the Lighting Commissioner. He
lighting_education/.
received his MFA in Design from Texas Tech
University and was the recipient of the 1999
USITT. 1999. Practical Projects for Teaching
USITT Barbazon Award for Lighting Design.
Lighting Design: A Compendium.
Proffitt received his BFA in theatre from
Central Missouri State University.
USITT. 2017. eSET Lighting and Electrics. http://
www.usitt.org/eset/lighting/.
Works Cited:
Auerback, Bruce and Anne McMills. 2016. Practical
USITT. 2017. Innova Online Learning. http://www.
Projects for Teaching Lighting Design Vol. 2.
usitt.org/innova--online-learning/.
Syracuse: USITT.

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