About me
As a student currently studying technical theatre and lighting design, I am still learning how to contribute to the theatre field, especially in terms of diversity and inclusion. While I might not have a lot to share, what I do know is that I am one of the only women in the technical theatre department at my University. I am the only woman in the lighting design field, so it is not uncommon during focus calls or tech rehearsals to be on my own from a gender-perspective. While I don’t know if this has largely shaped who I am yet, I am more conscious of it and know that discrimination as a female lighting designer as I get older isn’t a possibility, but probably a definite. What I also know as a student is that when I explain to those who I’m meeting for the first time what my major is, I almost always get asked what technical theatre is and if there are a lot of jobs available in my area of interest. I have explained countless times how I want to work in lighting rigging and design backstage, and yes there are thousands of jobs available in my field. While I don’t know how much I have been able to contribute to a diverse and inclusive community--though I always try, encouraging my female friends to come to lighting calls or sign up for crew positions like fly crew, run crew, or board operators, as well as educating those who don’t know what technical theatre is--I want this workshop I host at KCACTF to be a step towards diversity and inclusion. Focusing on the idea of exposing invisible labor and highlighting unseen technical theatre work while also asking questions geared towards lighting design and how to make lighting design a more exposed, inclusive, and diverse space, I hope to expand my perspective and perspective of those around me. We, as students, are the future of the theatre world, so it is crucial for us to have the conversations about diversity, inclusivity, and exposure now and expand on them in the future.
