favorite son...

I'm not deep into any design projects at the moment, so for my first post i thought i'd share a little bit about where i first began to draw inspiration as a designer. We're talking way back, like childhood. what i'm getting at is the work of scenic and lighting designer John Siedenberg (and his incredibly talented and loving family). John works at an endless number of venues around my hometown area of Northern Kentucky including my high school where I first saw John's work as a lighting designer when I was a young lad of about six years. John was the resident lighting designer at Campbell County High School for several years and then took over as both the scenic and lighting designer in 2000 and has been working there since.

John's turn-table scenic design for Campbell County High School Drama's "The Importance of Being Earnest" was a delightful merry-go-round riddled with the vestiges of Victorian England's frivolous upper-class. "Earnest" remains one of my favorite theatrical memories.

Since I first met the Siedenbergs in 2005, I have worked on nearly two dozen productions with them at CCHS, Kincaid Regional Theatre, and even a few dance recitals for Alexandria Dance Academy. Each show is not only a good memory, but inspired me with new ideas about how to tell a story through design. John is also the master of creative solutions on a budget - the spectacle he can throw together with limited resources and even more limited money is unbelievable and probably the most influential to me as a theatre maker.

The Siedenberg family has also inspired me beyond the work we do on the stage. Their approach to people and life in general has shaped me as a person. I consider them family and they often jokingly refer  to me as their 'favorite son,' much to the dismay of Little John and Jacob, their biological offspring. Whenever I find myself home in Northern Kentucky, I always try to join them and lend an extra hand on their current project. Spending a day with the Siedenbergs is a reminder of why I love this often ruthless business we call show and always provides some great conversation about life and the theatre.

Take a look at John's website and be sure to click on the link to his portfolio to check out a small selection of his awesome work.