Program: LIGHTING DESIGN

Peggy Eisenhauer

BFA LIGHTING DESIGN, 1983

Peggy Eisenhauer graduated from the Carnegie Mellon School of Drama with a BFA in Lighting Design in 1983. Her impressive resume of lighting design credits spans theater and film. She has designed or co-designed nearly 50 Broadway productions, often collaborating with fellow CMU Lighting Design alum Jules Fisher through their company Third Eye. Peggy has been nominated for 14 Tony Awards and has won twice, first in 2004 for her work on “Assassins” and again in 2013 for the play “Lucky Guy.”

Peggy has worked on several film projects as well, beginning with the 2002 film version of “Chicago.” Some of her other notable film credits, often created in collaboration with Jules Fisher, include “The Producers,” “Dreamgirls,” “Enchanted,” “Burlesque,” and the live-action remake of “Beauty and the Beast.”

In 2008, Peggy was honored with a CMU Alumni Achievement Award.

David Mann

MFA LIGHTING DESIGN, 1998

David Mann has had a long and successful career as a lighting designer and director since graduating from the School of Drama’s MFA Lighting Design program in 1998. After working on the Princess Cruise Line ships “Dawn” and “Grand Princess”, David started working as a Lighting Director at NBCUniversal. Working primarily on E!, style and G4, his lighting direction could be seen on shows such as “E! News”, “Fashion Police”, “The Soup”, “Chelsea Lately” and “Live From The Red Carpet…” at various awards shows.

Brant Murray

MFA LIGHTING DESIGN, 2003

A 2003 graduate of CMU’s MFA Lighting Design program, Brant Murray has had a long career as a lighting designer, educator, production manager, and consultant. 

Brant’s projects range from the award-winning Macy’s Herald Square Holiday Windows to New York Fashion Week, and Off-Broadway musicals. For almost ten years, Brant held senior level management positions at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts as a Technical Supervisor and Designer for Lincoln Center Education, and then as the Production Manager for one of the newest venues at Lincoln Center: the David Rubinstein Atrium. He worked with an international array of artists including the Tokyo String Quartet, Meredith Monk, Kelli O’Hara, Emmanuel Ax, and many others. At the David Rubenstein Atrium, Brant oversaw the installation of “Barbie’s Dream House” for New York Fashion Week and Christian Marclay’s 24-hour video art installation “The Clock.”

Brant is the Resident Designer for Peridance Contemporary Dance Company (New York City) under the direction of Igal Perry, the Resident Designer for Bodiography Contemporary Ballet Company (Pittsburgh) under the direction of Maria Caruso, and a  Senior Designer for C & C Lighting (Pittsburgh). Brant is also a Teaching Assistant Professor and Chair of the Lighting Design and Technology Program at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. 

Xotchil Musser

MFA LIGHTING DESIGN, 2023

Xotchil Musser (they/she) is a multi-skilled scenic and lighting designer who has worked in theater, dance, installations, and other forms of visual + interactive art. A USITT and KCACTF Award winner for lighting design, their work has been featured on stages in NYC and around the United States. 

Xotchil is an advocate for anti-racist theatre and strives to build a community in the industry based on equitable practices and altruism. In collaboration and design, they endeavor to uplift Queer Black voices.

Some of her most notable credits include “Push Party”, “The Sweet Spot” and “The Distance”, all Off- or Off-Off Broadway, scenic and lighting design for “Amm(i)gone”, directed by fellow CMU MFA alum Adil Mansoor, and associate lighting design on “Daphne” at New York’s Lincoln Center Theater. 

Mike Berger

BFA LIGHTING DESIGN, 2012

Mike Berger has accrued an extensive list of theater, television, and live event credits since graduating from the BFA Lighting Design program in 2012. He has spent over a decade working at both Innovative Intensity and Full Flood Inc., two full service lighting design firms based in Los Angeles. 

Some of Mike’s recent design credits include The Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular, Britmania at Busch Gardens Virginia, For The Record’s The Brat Pack, Baz: A Musical Tour De Force and Scorsese: American Crime Requiem. 

Mike has been nominated for 13 Primetime Emmy Awards, winning in 2023 for Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction for a Variety Series for his work on “Dancing with the Stars.”

Cat Wilson

MFA LIGHTING DESIGN, 2012

Cat Wilson has had a notable career as both a lighting designer and an educator since graduating from CMU’s MFA Lighting Design program in 2012. A USITT Award winner and multi-nominee for the Joseph Jefferson Awards, Cat’s lighting and projection design has been seen on stages all over Pittsburgh, Chicago and New York, including the New Hazlett, Pittsburgh Irish & Classical Theatre, The Goodman Theatre, Firebrand Theatre and the Joffrey Ballet. 

Cat has also had an extensive career as an educator, teaching lighting design and stagecraft at the Chicago High School for the Arts, Northwestern University’s Cherubs program and the CMU School of Drama PreCollege Design program. Since 2019, she has served as the Assistant Professor of Theatre Lighting Design and Technical Production at Point Park University, where she teaches courses in lighting design, electricity for theatre and production practicum, among others. 

Jasmine Lesane

BFA LIGHTING DESIGN, 2019

Jasmine Lesane, a Los Angeles-based designer, specializes in lighting live entertainment. With a passion for enhancing performances, she uses light to create visual storytelling and to curate immersive experiences.

Currently an Associate Designer at the renowned DX7 Design international firm, Jasmine’s portfolio includes projects such as Doechii’s debut MTV PUSH Performance, Halle Bailey’s captivating live rendition of ‘Part of Your World’ at Disneyland, and the impactful School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play at the Pittsburgh Public Theatre. She has also taken on roles as a Lighting Director for high-profile events like Miley’s New Year’s Eve Party 2023, the prestigious 94th Academy Awards, and the grand opening ceremony of the 2022 UEFA Champions League in Paris, France.

Jules Fisher

BFA LIGHTING DESIGN, 1960
HONORARY DOCTOR OF FINE ARTS, 2013

Jules Fisher is a lighting designer and producer with over 300 credits across theater, film/TV, ballet, opera and live events. He holds the record for most Tony Award nominations and wins in lighting design at 24 and 9 respectively. His most recent Tony win was in 2013 for the play “Lucky Guy”, which he shared with fellow CMU Lighting Design alum Peggy Eisenhauer. Their lighting design work through their company Third Eye could be seen on Broadway earlier this year in the musical “Harmony”. 

His lighting design credits for film and TV, often alongside collaborator Peggy Eisenhauer, include “The Birdcage”, “Chicago”, “The Producers”, “Dreamgirls”, “Enchanted” and the live-action remake of “Beauty and the Beast”. In 1993, he received a Primetime Emmy award nomination for his work on “An American Reunion: The People’s Inaugural Celebration”. 

In 2013, Jules received an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree from CMU for his outstanding contribution to the fields of lighting design and theater planning. That same year, he gave a keynote speech for School of Drama graduates.

VISIT JULES’S WEBSITE

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