Mack Wright — Baylor Theatre Profiles

Friends is easily the show that gave me the most technical challenges I have ever faced. The

director (Dr. David Jortner) had a concept that involved heavy usage of shadows with themes of

loneliness, isolation, danger, and being trapped. He was especially intrigued by shoji screens, a

common type of translucent wall used in Japanese interior architecture and design. Running

with this, not only did Dr. Jortner want a full shoji drop that could be backlit in order to reveal

shadows onto it, but he also wanted every wall within the set to have the ability for actors to

perform behind them and be seen by the audience as cast shadows. Intrigued, excited, and also

terrified, I had many meetings with the scenic designer to determine exactly what combination of

material and lighting instrument we would use to create clear, crisp, and visible shadows. For

the main set unit, I ended up having to install booms behind each wall and used spike tape to

indicate to the actors and crew members where they were / were not allowed to walk during

transitions backstage. For the large shoji drop, I worked with the lead electrician (Josh Wilson)

to create moveable stands with Par Cans attached on top that were moved on and off stage by

stagehands who moved in time with the flying of the shoji screen in order to light the actors from

behind while the drop was in place, and then to very quickly remove those instruments from the

stage as the drop cleared.

Director: David Jortner

Scenic Designer: Michael Sullivan

Technical Director: Zane Arterburn

Costume Designer: Carly Hinson

Lighting Designer: Mack Wright

Sound Designer: Danelle Morrow

Stage Manager: Sophia Lang

Baylor University Production Spring 2023

Sweeney Todd was my first lead design of a musical for Baylor University's mainstage. This was

a very large-scale project and I faced many challenges that forced me to grow both as a lighting

designer but also as a creative collaborator. It was intimidating for me at first to be the only

student in design meetings with my professors, but I eventually gained my footing and was able

to lead my design area and take charge in the ways that I needed to in order to accomplish my

goals. Alongside a boost in my confidence in leadership skills, this show taught me a lot about

working as a collaborator in theatre. There were many aspects of the design that required me to

work closely with the scenic designer (Michael Sullivan). Throughout many meetings over topics

such as an arc in the stage's pit, where footlighting could be implemented into the design

without taking us out of the world, practical smokestacks with fog machines, and an oven that

needed to be able to engulf our Lovett in flames, I gained a lot of experience in effective ways

to communicate ideas and concerns across different departments and skill in finding solutions

that worked for everyone. This show also gave me a lot of practical knowledge and experience

in creating a musical light plot, working with an assistant (Caroline Wells), programming fog &

haze effects, and programming such a massively cue-heavy show (shout-out to the stage

manager, Elise Fuselier).

Director: Lauren Weber

Scenic Designer: Michael Sullivan

Technical Director: Zane Arterburn

Costume Designer: Bailey Cole

Lighting Designer: Mack Wright

Sound Designer: Ryan Joyner

Stage Manager: Elise Fuselier

Baylor University Theatre Mainstage Fall 2024

As the Assistant Lighting Designer on this project, my responsibilities included leading the

design/programming for a selection of four songs (Potiphar, Close Every Door to Me, Go, Go,

Go Joseph, and The Joseph Megamix), researching imagery and gobos for the lead designer

(JoJo Jones), creating the FX Plot, and creating and updating spot paperwork throughout

rehearsals and tech week. Though I was allowed some creative freedom in my selection of four

songs, I still had to work to maintain the overall design aesthetic laid out before me by the lead

design team. Throughout this process, which was my first position on a musical, I learned a lot

about how to plot lights for a musical, working with moving light fixtures, spotlight paperwork and

design, and how to program well alongside music.

Director: Lisa Denman

Lighting Designer: JoJo Jones

Assistant Lighting Designer: Mack Wright

Scenic Designer: Michael Sullivan

Technical Director: Zane Arterburn

Costume Designer: Hannah Prochaska

Sound Designer: Ryan Joyner

Stage Manager: Sophia Lang

Baylor University Theatre Mainstage Fall 2023