When I proposed taking on the role of Production Electrician for Peter and the Starcatcher, I felt confident in my ability to handle the job responsibilities of the position, having already fulfilled this role when working on Matilda and Twelfth Night. This particular show presented unique and different challenges that I had not yet faced when working on prior productions.  These challenges include communication and collaboration with difficult personalities while working in the shop, using new equipment that I am unfamiliar with, and managing the multitude of practical fixtures.  Being faced with these challenges has made me incredibly proud of the work that I have completed as the Production Electrician and the final result seen on stage. 

I mentioned in my project proposal at the end of my junior year that I was worried about the self-reflection aspect of this project. At the beginning of my work, I made the goal to not let the journal entries be the aspect of the project that I get buried in. I am happy to look back and say that I completed an entry every night after work. I think having a few moments at the end of each day helped set me up for success with this project. Having time each night gave me the chance to think about what was accomplished when it was still fresh in my mind as well as better prepare myself for what the next day of work was going to look like. In addition to writing a reflection each night, I found that updating this website with the photos and documents from the day helped keep me organized and motivated to continue. 

Of the challenges that I faced throughout this project, I found the communication and collaboration with difficult personalities in the shop to be my biggest challenge. While going about my working day, made a conscious effort to not have negative interactions disrupt my work moving forward. Despite this challenge, I think that this experience has improved my ability to collaborate with individuals with differing communication and working styles.

Getting the opportunity to work with the new Color Forces and expand my skills with the RC4 wireless was a new and unique challenge that made me think differently as an Electrician. One distinct difference between the Color Forces and the old CYC lighting equipment is that the Color Forces needed Edison power and data. This typically wouldn’t be an issue except the DMX and power in are on the SR side of the unit so we either had to run those cables down the length of the batten or swag cable from the SR side. Despite the headache the wireless units caused at points, it was an awesome opportunity to display my attention to detail and expand my skills working with this equipment that is less commonly used in our space. 

Throughout the production phase of the project, I encouraged electricians to learn and develop their skills alongside me. This looked different depending on the situation. Typically, it was showing them what to do and then enabling them to do it, but sometimes it was also a conversation after the fact about why that was the most effective way to do the task at hand. I also tried to loop others on the team in about some of the other factors I consider when making a decision that may not be apparent to everybody. If I was learning something new, I made sure after I had the understanding to relay that information clearly to those around me who wanted to learn more. 

When working as the Production Electrician on both Matilda and Twelfth Night, I found myself working a significant amount of time outside of standard shop hours to get everything completed on time. I am pleased that this was not the case for Peter and the Starcatcher, in fact, we were essentially ready for focus a week ahead of schedule. I think this is partially attributed to being able to devote more time during the working day, but also my greater understanding of the process as well as my delegation and project management skills.

I am very pleased with the efficiency we were able to work with at the focus call. The team did a wonderful job setting ourselves up for success.  Going into the call, every unit was properly working, accessorized, and patched. Any issues that arose during focus were easily resolved with the people or materials we had available. Having access to the Genie lift and a skilled operator was a key to success throughout the call.  

In general, I feel that this project was an accurate representation of my work and skillsets in both a technical and interpersonal light. This project challenged me in ways that I was not expecting, but I used these challenges to grow as a leader and refine my skills as an electrician.