Mason Thomas Barker is a 2009/2010 Ovation Nominee in the Lighting Design – Large Theatre category for his work on NeverWonderLand with ETC – Ensemble Theatre Company & BoomKat Dance Theatre.
LA Stage asked Mason Thomas Barker the following questions:
What was the first theatrical production you ever attended and what impact did it have on you?
It may not have been the first, but I have a vivid memory of a high school production of Dark of the Moon that I saw when I was young. I remember that it left me very curious. I wanted to know more about the story than I got from watching the play once.
Mason Thomas Barker
What is your most cherished theatre memory?
I was in Beijing lighting a dance/music/spoken word show during the 2008 Olympics. One day we were performing inside of a church building with no real lighting system to speak of, so I had some free time on my hands. I made friends with some people selling concessions outside and found out that because they were Chinese citizens, the government prohibited them from entering the church. During the show I opened one of the doors so that they could see in and experience the performance. Their joy at being able to see the show made me so value the freedoms that, up until that point, I had taken for granted.
Which LA theatre artists’ work do you consider a ‘Must See’?
While strictly speaking not a theater artist, watching Yeekai Lim of Cognoscenti Coffee pull a shot and pour latte art can only be accurately described as a theatrical experience. Go check out his coffee!
What is your favorite thing about working in the theatre in LA?
The people that I meet and the friendships that I make with them are without a doubt my favorite part of working in the theater in Los Angeles. Erwin McManus once said that “LA’s biggest import is human talent and its biggest export is human creativity.” I couldn’t agree more. I’m constantly meeting such immensely bright and talented individuals. It is both humbling and inspiring to see how many amazing artists there are here in Los Angeles.
If you could change one thing about theatre in Los Angeles, what would it be?
I would love to see all schools in Los Angeles involved in theater and the performing arts. I believe that all students should have the opportunity to be involved in the arts both as active participants and as patrons. I first fell in love with lighting for theater in high school and it would be a dream come true to see all children have the same access to theater that I did as a child.
Who’s the first person you texted or tweeted when you got the news about your nomination?
I was actually on the phone with my friend André of Proggie Production when I got a text from someone telling me I was nominated, so he was the first person I told.
Biography:
Mason Barker is a lighting designer based in Los Angeles, California. He has designed lighting for a diverse range of genres including theater, dance, concerts, events, fashion and architecture. Past productions include The Fabric of Hope with Celebrate Christmas in Singapore, Through Roses with the Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York and Hope in the City Fashion Show with Mosaic LA. Most recently Mason designed the lighting for Boom Kat Dance Company’s NeverWonderLand for which he was nominated for an Ovation Award. Mason holds a B.A. from the USC School of Theatre.
For a full list of Ovation nominees, or for information about the Ovation Awards Ceremony on January 17th, click here!
