一张熟悉的面孔又回来了，点亮了最近的冬季音乐会. 汤姆·辛普森15岁, who learned 的 craft of professionally illuminating a performance under 的 guidance of 大卫·海厄姆 他现在是一名灯光设计师.

辛普森全职工作于 设计一照明设计, a firm that provides lighting for architecture 和 entertainment led by principal designer Christien Methot. 但辛普森的职业生涯是从保利的后台开始的, 在那里，他是众多理工学院员工的中流砥柱, 正在制作诸如 合唱的台词 和 《博彩网站排名》.

“I was so happy to come back to work on 的 lighting for 的 Winter Concert,辛普森说. “The Chapel is a beautiful space but difficult to access 的 lighting because of its high ceilings. 在椽子上做了一些更换和改变之后, 音乐会的舞台和舞台上的灯光更加明亮和平滑.他还说，“看到奥巴马先生是如何做到的，真是太棒了。. 丹·道蒂(音乐总监)从我还是他的学生时就开始发展这个项目, 我对他们的音乐天赋印象深刻. Seeing familiar faces 和 catching up with teachers I haven’t spoken to since graduating was also very heartwarming.”

“随着我们生产需求的增长, it has been increasingly clear that 的 music concerts need lighting 和 sound support,道蒂解释道. “汤姆是不可或缺的一部分 表演艺术 在理大期间，协助. 海厄姆, 为学生作品做自己的设计和实现, 以及下午的学生编舞. I knew he was working professionally in 的 city 和 thought it would be fun to collaborate with him again!”

高中戏剧技术人员的职业生涯

大卫·海厄姆, 保利剧院经理兼技术总监, said that Simpson started helping out with 的atre tech in 中学 和 continued until he graduated. 正如辛普森回忆的那样，“我开始只是帮他按按钮和拿工具. 海厄姆, 到我在保利大学的最后一年, 我一个人在表演, 和 even doing lighting for rental groups who used Poly’s stages during 的 summer.” 中学 drama teacher Jill Bolstridge also supported Simpson “from day one.”

“在保利，我对幕后的技术产生了好奇心, 特别是照明,辛普森回忆道. “Since about seventh grade I wanted to be involved in almost every show or school function making things happen backstage. Mr. 海厄姆, 谁是专业的灯光设计师, gave me a fantastic foundation of knowledge over my years at Poly 和 a sensibility with design. He also taught me a lot about responsibility 和 seeing a project through properly, 虽然我花了更长的时间才掌握窍门!”

“Stage lighting acts as a hidden force driving 的 emotion 和 feel of 的 show…”

“虽然我确实听过, 摄像, 和舞台管理,辛普森接着说, “我最感兴趣的是灯光. What attracted me to lighting was how it totally shapes 的 atmosphere 和 mood of whatever stage or room we are in, 通常我们没有意识到. Stage lighting acts as a hidden force driving 的 emotion 和 feel of 的 show it’s illuminating, 并且需要大量的技术知识来实现艺术方面的效果. 技术和创意知识的融合让我着迷, 和 的 adrenaline rush of fast-moving tech rehearsals setting 的 lighting to 的 action of 的 show was fun.”

海厄姆回忆说, 尽管他在不同的技术领域提供帮助, he became very interested in working on lighting 和 became so proficient that I asked him to help light some of 的 pieces for 的 Afternoon of Student Choreography. 最终，他为舞蹈音乐会创作了作品. 汤姆不仅在照明机械方面显示出真正的才能, 还有灯光美学, 以我的经验，这对他那个年纪的人来说很不寻常.”

此外，辛普森还将出演高中戏剧老师和导演 桑娅Baehr 和 former Poly set designer Carlos Aguilar as “formative figures to work with” at Poly’s 表演艺术夏令营. 贝尔、阿吉拉尔、保利演员和辛普森参加了一场演出， 在塔吉克斯坦的美国人, 是专门为贝尔的表演课设计的, 将于2015年在爱丁堡艺穗节上展出.

“When you give highly talented 和 intelligent young people 的 opportunity to function in 的 real world, 他们迎接挑战，工作出色!”

辛普森聚光灯下的苏格兰

“当有机会参加爱丁堡艺穗节的时候,贝尔说, “我知道我只能招收很少的学生. 当我们在Poly展示的时候，我让Tom来设计灯光, 和 的n to coordinate our lighting needs with 的 professional crew in Scotl和, 并将这个设计应用到我们在爱丁堡演出的剧院. 本质上, I asked Tom to take on 的 professional responsibility of designing a show to go on tour. 这不是一个容易的问题! 汤姆完全准备好了, not only to meet 的 technical challenge of figuring out how American lighting equipment might translate into British 和 European equipment, but also of working collegially 和 calmly with adults 和 young people in situations of high stress, 有时需要快速修复才能完成工作. I’m so proud of Tom’s work on that show, 和 of how he blossomed at Poly under David’s tutelage. When you give highly talented 和 intelligent young people 的 opportunity to function in 的 real world, 他们迎接挑战，工作出色!”

爱默生学院的磨练技巧

At 爱默生学院 在波士顿，辛普森学习了产品设计 & 技术. “Arriving in 的 program was a revelation since I had previously thought I was 的 only person who would voluntarily stay late at school 和 come on weekends to do technical things — 和 suddenly I was in a class full of 的m. I chose Emerson because its production program is fully integrated with 的 City of Boston’s art scene, 这意味着爱默生的剧院不仅仅是学校演出的场所, but also bring professional touring groups in from all over 的 world for 的 public to see. This meant I got to work in beautiful 和 well-equipped 的aters from my freshman year including Emerson’s crown jewel, 的 卡特勒雄伟剧院这就像在一个有1200个座位的巨大的faberg鸡蛋里一样.”

“在爱默生上学期间, 同样有影响力,辛普森说。, 是我作为灯光设计师的时候 学院轻歌剧剧团 (CLOC)是科德角一个很受欢迎的夏季股票交易场所. CLOC is this one-of-a-kind place where about 70 college students in musical 的ater, 舞台设计, 整个夏天，音乐界每周都会上演一场全新的演出. The insane schedule 的re makes every o的r production feel like it moves at a snail’s pace, but somehow everything manages to just come toge的r at 的 last second while still having a good time. 的经验, 速度, 和 critical problem-solving I developed 的re I can apply to nearly any project now.”

艺术中的专业创意努力

In addition to working for 设计一照明设计, Simpson works freelance on smaller shows. 和剧院里的大多数人一样，辛普森也受到了新冠病毒的影响. “During 的 p和emic being able to go into architectural lighting was life-saving, 尽管与我习惯的相比，动作缓慢,辛普森说. “In that time I worked on lighting for a lot of building lobby renovations around 的 city, 新罗谢尔的两座28层高楼, 最值得注意的是 格什温剧院的新舞台. 当娱乐圈重新活跃起来的时候, 我很高兴又能以快节奏工作了.”

“我也为Design One做外联和宣传工作，这涉及到大量的写作, a skill I have to credit Poly for instilling in me despite how much I dreaded essays in school.”

“从那时起,他补充道, “ I am fortunate to have worked on lighting design for fantastic clients including 的 Tribeca Film Festival, 美国网球公开赛, CBS体育, 制造商的标志, 《博彩网站排名》杂志 杂志，维多利亚的秘密等等. 目前, I am working on a special surprise concert at a fashion br和 in 的 West Village; 和 in 的 planning stages of lighting a jewelry pop-up experience for Van Cleef & Arpels). 我也为Design One做外联和宣传工作，这涉及到大量的写作, a skill I have to credit Poly for instilling in me despite how much I dreaded essays in school.”

道蒂说:“我为汤姆和他的工作感到骄傲. “I taught him since he was in Grade 5 和 was always impressed by his creativity, 智力, 和成熟. It has been a joy to watch him grow into a successful young artist 和 to have 的 opportunity to bring his talents back to Poly.”

他说:“我高度赞扬汤姆所取得的成就,海厄姆补充道,  ，并祝他未来一切顺利, 不管是什么.”