James Hovet

Merrily We Roll Along: The Dolphin Show at Northwestern University, Winter Quarter 2021-2022



The Dolphin Show is the largest student-produced musical in the country; a combined team of over 160 students come together every year to produce a show in Northwestern University's 1000-seat Cahn Auditorium. Director: Nora Geffen ('22); Co-LD: Henry Muller ('22); Set Design: Zoe Snead ('23); Costume Design: Emily Munster ('22)

Spring Awakening: Northwestern University, Spring Quarter, 2021-2022

My lighting for Spring Awakening had two goals. The first was to provide the scale of rock-concert-style lighting that the catharsis of Totally Fucked, the explosive longing of The Bitch of Living, and the fury of Don't Do Sadness all deserved. The second was to take Shanley Pavilion, the 2000 square foot storage-shed-turned-student-performance-venue, and turn it into a theater space capable of creating the internal "song worlds" of these characters as they sing about self-discovery, trauma, lonliness, and a brigher future. Director: Sunnie Eraso ('23); Set Design: Zoe Snead ('23); Costume Design: Annalise Biesterfeld ('23)

Once Upon a Matress: New York Film Academy 2023

The New York Film Academy is an arts school located in downtown Manhattan. Once Upon a Matress was their 2023 Fall mainstage producation.

Head Over Heels: New York Film Academy 2023

The New York Film Academy is an arts school located in downtown Manhattan. Head Over Heels was their 2023 Winter mainstage producation.

ReFusionShaka: Northwestern University, Fall Quarter, 2021-2022

ReFusionShaka is Northwestern's largest student dance performance of the year. Three dance groups join together to perform three sold-out shows in Northwestern's 1000-seat Cahn Auditorium. Lighting design duties split with Henry Muller ('22)

Mee-Ow Comedy at Northwestern University, Winter Quarter 2021-22

Mee-Ow Comedy's unique mix of improv, music, and sketch comedy have made it a Northwestern insitution with an enduring legacy. Since its first show in 1974, four of its alumni have gone on to write for or star on SNL. This iteration of the Mee Ow Show's theme was Mee-Ow You See Me and was put up in Shanley Pavilion. Set Design: Sammy Koolik ('22)

Mee-Ow Comedy at Northwestern University, Winter Quarter 2019-20

The 2019 Mee-Ow show's theme was America's Next Top Mee-Ow-del and was put up in the Norris Center's McCormick Auditorium. Set Design: Sammy Koolik ('22)

The Women of Lockerbie: Groton, Spring Quarter 2017-18

I served as Head Lighting Designer for Groton School's winter mainstage production of The Women of Lockerbie by Deborah Brevoort.

Groton School Dance Recital: Groton, Spring Quarter 2017-18

I served as head lighting designer for the Groton School dance program recitals for two years, designing my own pieces while also supervising and instructing other student designers.

Assistant Lighting Design

The Goat: UW UTS, Fall Quarter 2018-19

In my first quarter at the University of Washington, I served under Kyle Wistrand as Assistant Lighting Designer for the Undergraduate Theater Society's production of Edward Ablee's The Goat.

Northwestern Dance Marathon, Winter Quarter 2021-22

Northwestern Dance Marathon is Northwestern's largest philanthropic event of the year. Students raise money throughout the year and celebrate by dancing non-stop for 30 hours. While the lead designer Henry Muller ('22) took charge of designing the plot and getting it into the air, I taught myself MA3 software and created a showfile for us to busk off of for those 30 hours.

Cabaret: Groton, Winter Quarter 2017-18

I served as Assistant Lighting Designer for Groton School's winter mainstage production of Cabaret by Joe Masteroff. Lighting Design by Erik Fox.