UC San Diego

This thesis examines how I went from carrying out technical plans to becoming a storyteller who uses light to create theatrical worlds, tracing my path from an aspiring performer to a lighting designer. Using my lighting designs from The Rogue's Trial, Winterworks 24, The Promise, and 900 Years at the University of California San Diego, I applied the artistic and technical processes to bring a production to life.Lighting design is significantly more complicated than just illuminating the space and actor. It requires extensive problem-solving, flexibility, and communication throughout creation. I encountered challenges like budgetary restraints and power limitations during my studies here. Those difficulties strengthened my problem-solving and communication skills. Chapter 1 discusses the key factors that influence my choice of projects. Chapter 2 explores my primary lighting design style. Chapter 3 dives into the details of my creative process by introducing the tools I use in production. Chapter 4 focuses on the challenges I have encountered and the lessons I have learned. Chapter 5 explains how I integrate my drawings into lighting paperwork to make my work unique. The final chapter reflects on my journey at UCSD and discusses my future goals in lighting design. By sharing my experience, I want to show how essential teamwork, cultural diversity, and flexibility are beneficial to the development of the arts. Ultimately, this thesis reflects how I have developed my technical proficiency and deeply personal creative voice, blending movement, emotion, and light into a unified storytelling medium.