Press
Yale Daily News, "'Stupid Fucking Bird' to premiere on Oct. 10"
Written by Sasha Hurowitz:
According to lighting designer Allison Calkins ’27, she experimented with lights of different visibilities to reflect shifts in reality throughout the play. Calkins used white sheet fabric and Chroma-Q LED lights to emphasize moments of “theatricality” or intimate monologues.
Setting the stage in the round posed a unique challenge for not only direction and acting, but also for stage design, according to Calkins.
“[Setting ‘Stupid Fucking Bird’ in the round] really was rather difficult, because every single side is front light for someone,” Calkins said. “It is a struggle between trying to maintain visibility, but also the traditional tenants that you’re taught in lighting.”
https://yaledailynews.com/blog/2024/10/09/stupid-fucking-bird-to-premiere-on-oct-10/
Yale Daily News, "Fall in love, or don’t: ‘Constellations’ premieres at the Underbrook"
Written by Jane Park:
For a production that plays around with the idea of multiple, disparate universes, it’s important for the "universe shifts” between each scene to be evident and convincing, said lighting director Allison Calkins ’27.
At the center of the stage is a long, rectangular strip, surrounded by wispy strands of white string and variously scattered light bulbs that descend from the ceiling. To cue the “universe shifts,” the stage is flooded with a swirling movement of flickering blue and yellow lights.
"For the universe scenes, I employed a lot of yellow and blue because yellow represents this glimpse of hope while the blue has a bit more of a dreary aesthetic, which is a consistent theme in the production," said Calkins. "We also have fairy lights, which are meant to look like constellations, as well. Because this play is an abstract setting, incorporating those practicals definitely enhances the experience."
The Cappies of Greater Cincinnati, Walnut Hills High School's "Macbeth"
"The lighting, led by Allison Calkins, was so well done that it was difficult to notice anything artificial about it. Regardless of seating, the lights made the show spectacular from any side." -Catherine Coleman
"To highlight, the lighting was done by Allison Calkins and their crew brought intense fighting scenes and terrifying ghost scenes to life through reds, oranges, and whites." -Caden Castillo-Tiernan
https://www.cincicap.com/post/walnut-hills-high-school-s-macbeth