We’re kicking off our next 50 episodes with the first in a (hopefully!) series of discipline specific panels…this week it’s Lighting Design with Scott Bolman, Burke Brown, and Ben Stanton. The three studio mates sat down with Cory in Brooklyn to talk about the highs and lows of being a working lighting designer in 2015. They cover a wide range of topics including making a living and keeping costs down while making small fees, how they find and utilize assistants, how they choose what projects to say yes to, and whether it’s a designer’s job to find a way “in” to every piece. Cory and the guys also chat about when it’s ok for the LD to also program, how much the inventory really matters, what parts of their job they wish they were better at, and how they incorporate new technology into their designs, such as Ben’s decision to include over 150 LED lekos in his Tony nominated design for ‘Fun Home.’ (hint..it worked!) The more the merrier this week, so pull up a chair and eavesdrop on our discussion.

Scott Bolman is a New York City-based designer and educator working in a diverse array of performance mediums, including theater, dance, music, and opera. As a lighting supervisor and production manager, Scott has traveled across North America, South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia for companies such as Shen Wei Dance Arts, Trisha Brown Dance Company, Köln- based music ensemble musikFabrik, the State Ballet of Georgia, and Seattle-based KTDance. Scott graduated magna cum laude from Amherst College (Amherst, MA in 1997) and received his MFA from the Yale School of Drama (New Haven, CT in 2003). Scott served as an adjunct professor at Montclair State University, a substitute teacher at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, and is currently in his second year of teaching for the MFA directing program at the Brown-Trinity Rep Consortium. Scott is a founding member of Wingspace design collective.

Burke Brown’s recent NYC work includes work with Rattlestick Playwrights Theater, Clubbed Thumb, Ars Nova, NYSF-Public Theater, the Incubator Arts Project, Apollo Theater, Ohio Theater, Joyce Soho, Three-Legged Dog, Here Arts Center, Ensemble Studio Theatre, Julliard, Joe’s Pub, La Mama ETC, Mabou Mines, Under The Radar Festival, Summer Play Festival, Playwright’s Realm, and the Baryshnikov Arts Center. His regional work includes work at the Cleveland Playhouse, Magic Theatre, Northern Stage, Asolo Repertory Theatre, Two River Theater Company, and Playmakers Repertory Company. Recent dance design includes work with Alvin Ailey, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Houston Ballet, St. Louis Ballet, Kansas City Ballet, Compañia Nacional de Danza (Mexico), and Aszure Barton & Artists. BA, Guilford College. MFA, Yale School of Drama.