STAGE PRODUCTION
Working With Lighting and Set Designers + Overall Elements
Collaborating with Autumn Taylor during the initial stages of developing the lighting design for my piece further motivated me in the creation process. Our initial meetings were productive and set a strong foundation for the visual direction of the work. I shared my desire for the stage to feel dark, gloomy, and dimly lit for a sort of introspective atmosphere. Autumn was incredibly receptive and supportive of my ideas, even as they evolved and became more complicated. I initially envisioned a stage with deep crimson tones with carefully placed spotlights that would isolate key moments.
I did, however, spend a majority of my time with Teresa Gawrych before tech rehearsals to finalize the details of the lighting design, adding texture to the floor and a darker gradient on the backdrop. We also worked to make sure that the spotlights were sharply focused and aligned with the specific movement and time cues. The color of the backdrop did have to be darkened in order to not blend into the costume of my soloist. We realized that the initial lighting setup made the stage too dark for the dancers to navigate safely, and adjusted that issue accordingly. My experience with lighting and stage design will continue to inform the way I approach it future works.
