Lindsay Hearon is a theatre arts major graduating this spring from the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) and she’s had a passion for the magic of live theatre her entire life.
“Theatre is my entire life. I love working in any aspect of the industry because there is a true magic to live theatre that can’t be found anywhere else and I love sharing the magic,” Hearon said. “I have also been amazed at how we are being able to continue to share the magic even in the midst of a pandemic. Nothing can stop us from creating our art, we will always find a way.”
Hearon’s passion for theatre lies in the art of set building and this flame inside of her was sparked when she was a young child.
“The very first show I saw was when I was three years old. My mom took me to see ‘The Fantastic Mr. Fox’ at the local community college where my grandmommy was working in the theatre department,” she said. “The first show that I have a vivid memory of was in kindergarten; my mom took me to see a puppet show version of ‘Hansel and Gretel.’”
Growing up, Hearon spent lots of time around her grandparents’ business, Palco Specialties, a set–building company that builds sets for high schools throughout the nation. Although she’s been around theatre culture since she was a young child, it wasn’t until her high school theatre group performed “The Pirates of Penzance” which is what ultimately inspired her to start building her own sets.
“I asked my granddaddy if he could help me build a giant pirate ship for the show and I’ve been building sets ever since,” Hearon said. “The first time I saw my completed boat roll across the stage, it was amazing to see something that I created up there. After that I realized that I really love theatre as a whole.”
Hearon has a keen eye for detail and finds ways to incorporate it into every show. For example, if she’s working on a show with a family, she’ll take “family pictures” of the actors or include baby photos of the actors on set.
“Whenever I am designing a show, the director’s concept and vision is a huge part of my inspiration, as well as the script,” Hearon said. “My favorite part of creating a set is the first time the actors get to see it. It is amazing how much a set can do for an actor and it’s a beautiful process to watch them explore the world you’ve given them.”
Hearon’s attention to detail was recognized in 2018 when she was a national runner-up for The Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival Region 6 award for Meritorious Achievement in Properties Design. The festival celebrates the top 18,000 university theatre students from across the country. She also received the Honors Convocation award from UTEP in 2018 for her involvement in the production “Lydia” which won the Director’s Choice award, the highest recognition possible at UTEP. She also received the SPAM Award for Excellence for her properties design in Lydia.
“I was extremely proud of myself, but also of our production as a whole. Theatre is a collaborative process and it takes every single person to create a beautiful successful show,” she said.
Hearon intends to take her craft as far as she can. She has a job offer with the Santa Fe Opera this summer as a property’s craftsman. Her goals include working for an independent theatre company to provoke change with art. She eventually would like to start her own theatre company or work as an artistic director at a regional theatre.
For Hearon, the first steps to her dreams are working in the shop learning new skills and watching videos to further her art form.
Exodis Ward may be reached at [email protected]
