Smaida Massatt is a Lighting Designer based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana who works locally and nationally. She holds the position of Assistant Professor of Entertainment Lighting and Media Production at Louisiana State University – effective 08/2023.
Arts bring magic and insight to an audience. Technical production is one of the essential elements that makes that happen. As artists, we are constantly creating ideas and building structures that will help us tell a story. Not just any story – one that engages the audience. The beauty about working with performing arts is that each artist brings his or her unique touch. The combination of individualities through collaboration makes each show exciting and singular, as we also invite the audience to join our world and our work.
The stage is a living being in which, every time it is used, something new is created.
Lighting is a powerful agent, and its influence can be found everywhere, even in the darkness. Considering an artistic approach, light can enhance the beauty of any work of art.
My PROFESSIONAL GOAL is to work in the field as a Lighting Designer and Theatre Electrician on theatrical plays, dance performances, musicals, operas, and concerts. My ARTISTIC GOAL is to transmit to people new ideas and help them transform their lives positively. My MISSION in life is to join other artists to make this world into a better place.
I believe that the true magic about the arts is that it plants in people’s hearts the seed of reflection and beauty, watering it with an invisible enchantment that awakens the blossoming of souls.
My bio can be found below.
Smaida was born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. After completing a Bachelor’s degree in Business at St. Gregory’s University Oklahoma, she earned a MFA in Lighting Design from the University of Minnesota. Subsequently she worked a year at various theaters in Chicago, and is now based in Baton Rouge working as a freelancer.
She has worked as a lighting designer in theaters such as the Rarig Center (Pippin, Jesus Hopped the A Train, 2017 Dance Revolutions, and The Eumenides), the Greenhouse Theater Center (Hot Crowd Dance Co.’s Spring Concert), the Children's Theatre Company in Minnesota (James & the Giant Peach Jr.), the 2018 Minnesota Fringe Festival, and the Sarkey's Performing Arts Center (Virtues) in Shawnee, Oklahoma. Upcoming she will be designing at the Ted Mann Concert Hall for the opera Die Fledermaus (April 2023).
She has worked as an associate lighting designer at the Penumbra Theatre. She has worked as assistant lighting designer for the Minnesota Opera, Theatre Latté Da, Interact Theater Company (Dowling Studio), and the Minnesota's Children's Theatre Company. She was also Margaret Nelson’s assistant during her time in Chicago.
She has worked in several capacities in numerous theaters and dance companies including Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Lookingglass Theatre Company, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Chicago Opera Theater, Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre, and Chicago Puppet Festival. She was a freelancer with events production company Frost Chicago in 2021.
Regarding teaching experience, she worked the summer of 2021 and 2022 at the Hyde Park Arts Center in Chicago guiding children in visual and performing arts, including giving a Special Topics week-long course on Storytelling: Art & Design focused on theatre production. While an MFA candidate, she has served as a teaching assistant to the Lighting Lab, worked on production, and taught the lighting section of the Introduction to Stage Technology class. She taught dance at St. Gregory's University Dance Academy, acting as director and dance instructor from 2014 through 2017.
Before working in technical production, she worked extensively in dance. She performed in numerous major theatres in Brazil, such as the Rio de Janeiro Opera House, the João Caetano Theatre, the International Festival of Joinville, and the Bradesco Theatre in São Paulo. She also helped promote and coordinate the 2013 Rio de Janeiro World Youth Day, which was one of the most major international events ever to happen in her hometown. In this event, she also performed as an artist volunteer, having an audience that included Pope Francis himself.
Focus for "Pippin" - 2018
