David Heguy is a lighting designer who loves playing with strong use of texture, color, and angle. He is currently studying at Penn State University where he is pursuing his BFA in theatre design and technology, and expects to graduate in May 2023.
He was awarded a special citation in lighting design by the Pat MacKay Diversity In Design Scholarship judges. Heguy was also chosen for the 2022 Fred Foster Mentorship program which is run by Electronic Theatre Controls (ETC). He is one of 10 other students who will be connected with industry mentors through a series of networking events. He loves the art of collaboration when inside the theatre, creating art with other talented production crew members. He is very passionate in what he does and hopes to forge a career creating art. Check out his website to see more of his work.
Pronouns: He/Him/His
Live Design: Why did you apply for the Pat MacKay Diversity In Design Scholarship?
David Heguy: I applied for the Pat MacKay Diversity In Design Scholarship out of a desire for more education and to learn how the industry is more inclusive and celebrates creative voices. There are not many design-related scholarships for people in our field and when I found this scholarship in 2019, I knew it was the one that I wanted to be a part of and represent. This scholarship stands for much more than just education. Supporting underrepresented communities in an industry of inclusion is something that is special to this award. I am passionate about promoting diversity in the industry and I am very thankful to have been selected for it.
LD: What made you interested in the field of lighting design?
HD: When I was young, my parents took me to see the infamous Spider-Man Turn Off The Dark. As a 10-year-old looking at all those crazy stunts, different lighting cues, special effects and the scenic designs, I was instantly pulled into the art form. I then kept going to Broadway shows and later began finding local theatre communities that needed a lighting designer and that is how I started developing my craft. However, it wasn’t until my mother took me to see Alan Cumming in the 2014 revival of Cabaret, when I truly noticed how lighting shapes a story. From the minute the spotlight zoomed out from the Emcee’s hand to his face to introduce himself, to the final white bump at the end of the show, I noticed how important lighting was to tell powerful stories. That was the moment I knew what I wanted to do.
LD: What are some of your career goals?
HG: There are so many different paths that people can go down in our field and so many opportunities to explore. As I mentioned, commercial theatre is my dream and just being in the room where the art is getting birthed is my passion. My goal is to be in that group, working and learning from industry professionals on the scene and strengthening my craft. The highest goal of mine is to design a Broadway show. I want to be in the direct line of where new art is being created and leaving the biggest impressions, new ideas, and thoughts on all the communities coming to see new works.
LD: How can the industry better serve underrepresented communities?
HG: I believe that the industry can better serve underrepresented communities by providing help such as these scholarships or other platforms, such as the Fred Foster Mentorship program or the Hemsley Fellowship to support the future of the industry. These provide an outlet for people in those communities to be shown opportunities in the field that they wouldn’t have been presented with otherwise. Giving access to underrepresented minorities will also allow all voices to be represented and will begin a change in culture of who gets hired. It will help make the field a more diverse place to be and people will embrace diversity and create inclusion.
LD: Who or what are your influences, in terms of people or events?
HG: The biggest influence on my career thus far has been the great Howell Binkley. Ever since I started designing, I have always been so inspired by his design choices. His keen eye was one of the best and his sense of color and texture within composition always spoke to me. Also, his way of talking about his designs and how he created each one from scratch, and the stories he told has always spoken to his greatness. I remember being 12 years old watching his designs and trying to break them apart on a deeper level. I admit that one of the reasons I am here in this career choice today is because of Howell. When I heard of his passing I was not only heartbroken and deeply saddened by the loss to our community, but also by the idea that I would never get to say thank you to the guy who lit that spark for me.
Other major players I look up to are the ones who got me to where I am today. I could not even begin to thank those people and what they mean to me, but they know who they are.
LD: Are there particular challenges you have faced?
HG: Every person in this industry is faced with many challenges on the day to day, whether in life or theatre production. I think the biggest challenge that many people in this field my age struggle with is time management. I am sure I am not the first to admit that balancing many course credits in school and the work associated with it, such as school productions, a semi-professional freelance career, and being an executive member in many other organizations, all on top of your general daily stress has certainly been challenging. I have been trying to deal with this very delicate balance for a while and doing so while staying on the dean’s list every year and producing successful designs has been hard. I would say, though, that despite the challenges and all the hard preparation to stay in order makes the outcome worth it. This is an aspect of my life I am excited to see change once I graduate college in May.
LD: What is your number one bucket-list item?
HG: As expected, there are tons of different projects that I have on a running list that I want to hit before it’s over. The biggest bucket-list item I am dying to touch is The Great Comet of 1812 by Dave Malloy. This was also one of those shows that made my design mind turn when I saw it on Broadway. The production has such rich material from the book, music, designs to the general environment. The original production was designed by the amazing Bradley King, whom I admire and respect greatly, and it left a huge mark on my life. I would love the chance to make it my own and really go deeper into that world of why we are telling the story of those characters.
LD: Has the pandemic changed how you view your work or the industry?
HG: When the pandemic took over the world, like most people, I was anxious and worried about the future of the industry. Luckily for me, two of my residency theater companies were doing live but masked shows. I was fortunate to be given an outlet for practicing my design skills. Although not the same, it provided a new set of challenges to the work and new problem-solving skills to be learned. I was very thankful to still be doing theatre work during a very scary time.
The pandemic also allowed me to have extra free time, which we all know is scarce, but I was able to hone skills like drafting or catch up on reading some plays on my reading list. All of that really showed me how much I truly love what I am doing. When I was dark for those solid five to six months, it illustrated the true heart of why I am here, because I missed it every day I wasn’t sitting in tech.