‘A Choreographer’s Showcase’: Sean Jensen ensures that nobody is in the dark
The rousing applause Sunday and next weekend will be for the dancers — young and old — at Cirque du Soleil and Nevada Ballet Theatre’s “A Choreographer’s Showcase.” But away from the spotlight will be one man who deserves applause: Sean Jensen has been head of lighting at “Mystere” Theater at T.I. for the last 11 years.
Without him lighting the stage and putting the dancers under the spotlight, the audience would see nothing and miss all the moods he sets. He’s the expert who lights the show and ensures that nobody is in the dark.
“A Choreographer’s Showcase” has been expanded to a third performance this year due to popular demand. Said Sean: “We’ve just gotten more steam and a better response every year. This year, rightly so, we’ve added another performance to give more people an opportunity to see these unique performances because we put so much work into it.
“It’s such a great collaboration between Nevada Ballet Theatre and Cirque du Soleil that it’s really fortunate for the public to be able to have another opportunity to see it.” Shows are 1 p.m. Sunday, then Saturday, Nov. 19, and Sunday, Nov. 20.
Sean knows the lighting at “Mystere” like the back of his hand. He’s an original from the lighting team since the show’s creation. He told me: “Lighting is very important. The show with our artistic staff is ever-changing. I work with the artistic staff to manage these changes, to make sure that they’re seamlessly integrated into the show.
MAINTENANCE IS A MUST
“With ‘Mystere’ in its 23rd year, a lot of the equipment is original, as well. There’s a lot of maintenance that needs to go into that for safety and artistic reasons. Even if you have new equipment, you’ll always have to check and maintain it so that it’s able to execute the designers’ visions and give the public that same experience night after night.
“There are a lot of technical things that we need to ensure, that everything is safe and works properly. We ensure that the artistic integrity and execution are spot on every single night.” It’s a double juggling feat for Sean because he can’t take anything down from “Mystere” and its 768 lighting cues per show in order to integrate the NBT showcase.
“ ‘Mystere’ continues its run of 10 shows a week so I have to be very careful to not disturb what is there from ‘Mystere,’ ” he explained. “For some of their movements, I can find room in nooks and crannies to add specifics that I want in my design for ‘A Choreographer’s Showcase’ that challenges the stuff that’s there.
“I have to find a way to make it interesting and different so that the people who come to see ‘A Choreographer’s Showcase’ aren’t seeing a version of ‘Mystere.’ I can’t change it, but I have to use what I have there differently.” Sean has executed the lighting for seven of its nine years.
He ran Cirque’s “Viva Elvis” at Aria for two years. He said: “I’ve done seven of nine so far. I absolutely love it. I love it so much because I get to be completely creative outside my norm — to be the designer, to be able to work with choreographers who not necessarily have ever been in the position to be responsible for casting, costumes, choreography, lighting, technical.
OPPORTUNITY TO TEACH
“There’s a great opportunity in a teaching moment for me, which I love, as well, to sit down with a choreographer to think about the responsibilities and educate them on what technical brings to their piece. To see them understand that and to be a part of that process and to see them learn and grow, then to see their vision come to fruition is really rewarding for me.
“I always love the fact that there’s a short timeline to create something new working with the Nevada Ballet Theatre team. In that short timeline to create something very, very special and knock it out of the park, then move on is very rewarding.”
I asked Sean about the importance of lighting in the ballet segments: “Sometimes I think people don’t necessarily perceive the impacts of lighting. Lighting can evoke emotion like movement of the body just like the sound and the quality of the music that bring emotion.
“A lot of times people don’t notice it, but the human eye and heart will sense gradual changes in lighting. Not noticing it is one of the greatest compliments that you could be paid, especially in very dramatic pieces. It’s the fading in and out where people don’t really notice it, but it has a huge impact on the outcome.”
Sean’s title at “Mystere” is head of Lighting, Special Effects and Projections, and with “A Choreographer’s Showcase,” he is technical director and lighting designer. I wrapped up with a fun question: So can you change a lightbulb?
He laughed: “Yes, I can, but now it’s how many guys do I tell to change that lightbulb. I’ve always joked that I’m just a glorified spotlight operator. I still enjoy running a spotlight, I still enjoy getting out the tools and working with the team, and I still run a follow spot on ‘Mystere.’ It’s all about loving what you do and having fun.”
