University Daily Kansan / Thursday, April 9, 1987
11
KU theatre student changes light into art
By LAURA BOSTROM
Staff writer
David Neville spent opening night of "The Marriage of Figaro" sitting in the balcony, fretting.
Neville, Wichita senior,
designed the lighting for the KU
operatic production in Crafton-
Preyer Theatre in Murphy Hall,
and like any artist, he was
concerned about the finished product.
Neville recently won the top award from Wichita State University's theater scene and costume design exhibition for his set design for a 1985 KU production of "Twelve Angry Men."
But set design is secondary to his lighting work, he said.
Wichita State's competition is the only one of its kind in the United States, said Delbert Unruh, associate professor of theater and media arts and one of Neville's teachers.
Neville's theatrical career,
which has included a little acting,
some set design and much lighting
design, began more than nine
years ago in a Wichita children's
theater.
Unhrush that Neville had the skills, intelligence and artistic style to make a career from lighting design.
ing design.
And Neville plans to make it a
career, he said. He will move to New York City after summer theater ends in Wichita.
Neville the artist said that he grimaced at being called a "lighting teche". A lighting designer subtly interprets the story and characters for a production's audience. Lighting can shape characters and the entire production, but should not overpower it. Neville said.
"There's an old saying that they shouldn't come away from the show humming the lighting," he said.
Designers use lighting to enhance a character's development by consistently lightning that person in a certain color, or by lightning the stage to further carry the character's mood.
In "The Marriage of Figaro," Neville's lighting helps the audience see characters who are hard to depict and by their mental limitations.
"It's as much the shadow as the light." Neville said.
"It shows the folly of these people hiding from each other," he said.
In the three-hour production Tuesday night, Neville saw one light that bothered him and that he planned to remedy.
Darcy Chang/KANSAN
David Neville, Wichita senior, stands between ornate chairs on the set of "The Marriage of Figaro." Nevada, lighting designer for the production, recently won a top award in an undergraduate theater design competition.
Effort called key in job hunt
By CAROLINE REDDICK Staff writer
Graduates of professional schools who are willing to expend some effort usually have little trouble getting jobs, several KU placement directors said.
Julie Cunningham, placement director for the School of Engineering, said that engineering was a high-demand field and that few graduates had problems finding employment.
"You still have to work at it," Cunningham said. "You have to let people know you are available. You've got to go out there and sell yourself. It has much less to do with major or GPA than it does with effort."
Maggie Cartart, placement director for the School of Law, said that 91 percent of 1986 law graduates were employed. She said that the market for graduates was good but that they still had to work at finding the right job.
"You have to try to separate yourself from the rest of the applicants, to make your unique, to draw attention to yourself," Cartarr said.
Fred Madaua, placement director for the School of Business, said, "It's been our experience so far that students who keep their geographical options open and work at their job search have had good success. Students can't sit back and wait for them to come to them. It's the person who works at finding those positions or opportunities that will get the offers.
"It assesses one's values, skills and interests, and will generate alternate occupations based on these," Madaa said. "Based on the way you answer certain questions, it will ask you others and flip you through various careers."
Madaua said that 85 percent of 1986 business school graduates responded to a KU employment survey 30 days after graduation, and 58 percent said they were already employed. Only 22 percent of the graduates were seeking employment, and the remaining graduates were not looking for jobs.
"The University of Indiana in Bloomington has an intensive one to two-hour course on interviews — how to dress, comb your hair," he said. "And their students are very competitive in the interview process."
Madaus said students who were still unsure of what field to enter should use Sigi Plus, a computer program in 116 Bailey.
Maddaua said students should start preparing for the job search early by going to career fairs and company recruitment programs. Students also should be well-prepared for interviews, he said.
"You've got to get the job, nobody can do that for you. We want to help you in your career search in any way possible, but there are some things you have to do yourself."
We Deliver
5-10 nightly
$5 minimum
1618 W 23rd
Lawrence's Only Award Winning BBQ
$1 off any Sandwich or Dinner
2554 Iowa
841-SMOKE
exp. 4/13/87
OPENS APRIL 10TH
KU- Cheerleading and Mascot Tryouts
Cheerleading
Mascot
Varsity Tryouts for Men & Women
Organizational Meeting April 13th 6:30 p.m.
Clinics April 13,14 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m.
Tryouts April 15th 6:30 p.m.
ALL AT ALLEN FIELD HOUSE