"Something to remember as a lighting designer is that the audience might not always recognize your work. Especially in stage plays grounded in reality. They might not notice the subtle shifts, but they feel it. They feel things get stark and cold as the actors argue. They feel the warmth and light as a once distant couple rekindles their love once again. When I'm designing, of course I want to do fun flashy things. Some of the tools I get to use are super cool! But what I really love about lighting design is the way it breathes life into a show. I love how much of an unsung hero it is to tell a story. 

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     Design isn't always about having the prettiest thing on stage. To me, it's about being part of the storytellers who gift the audience an experience unlike any they've had before. To transport them, for even just a moment, out of their lives and into the scene in front of them. Then, after the long tech days are done and the show opens, design is about sitting down with everyone who worked so hard to make the show happen, getting a chicken sandwich, celebrating the little details the audience may never see, and asking each other 'what's next?'"

- Ilya Jacobs during an 'Illuminating the Narrative' Lecture