“The Department of Performing Arts believes that the hands on, realized stage experience is just as important as classroom work. The production season is an active element of Marquette's pedagogical program, and where much of the true learning happens under the close individual guidance of department faculty.” – Department mission statement

LIGHTING
The lighting design and technology program in the Department of Performing Arts at Marquette University has continued to grow and advance in recent years.  Thanks to generous gifts from the Alvin and Marion Birnschein Foundation and the Evan P. and Marion Helfaer Foundation, the Helfaer Theatre has undergone a complete replacement and upgrade of the lighting instrumentation  - providing state-of-the-art technology.  The new inventory includes a full replacement of standard instrumentation with new ETC Source 4 fixtures, and the addition of Ocean Optics Seachangers and Robe Colorspot intelligent equipment to our standard stock.

Students truly gain hands on experiences in the lighting area at Marquette.  Students serve as electricians, master electricians, assistant designers, and lighting designers on the departmental productions.  Most departmental productions are designed by students who work very closely with our departmental faculty.  The faculty members guide the students to develop their craft to create aesthetically brilliant, artistically challenging, and dramatically appropriate lighting in our productions.  Our student designers have received a number of KCACTF Certificate of Merit citations for their lighting design work on productions.  Many of our lighting designers and technicians have graduated and moved on to work with numerous theatre and dance companies in the Chicago, New York and Hollywood theatre and entertainment communities.

Chester Loeffler-Bell - Faculty Lighting Designer and Technical Director
Much of our lighting students’ success is a direct result of working with our faculty lighting designer, Prof. Chester Loeffler-Bell.   Many students in the department will tell you that Chester is a man of few words. That is because he lets his long list of professional experience do the talking. He has recently worked as a professional lighting designer with many local companies, including Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, Cornerstone Theatre, Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, and In Tandem Theatre.  Professor Loeffler-Bell strongly believes that his goal is to promote the work and growth of his students.  He regularly has student assistants working with him both on campus and professionally, preparing them to work as lighting designers and technicians.  Many of many of his former students can be found doing design and technical work at professional theatres in Milwaukee, Chicago, and New York, and all of them give credit to Marquette for their level of success. That's an inspiring light at the end of the tunnel.

Performance Season 2008-09

Moon Over Buffalo

The Cherry Orchard

Theatre for Young Audiences

Heidi Chronicles

Spitfire Grill

Alternative Theatre Festival

Box Office

Subscriptions

Department of Performing Arts Mission