Lighting admits two students each year and is strongly committed to a diverse community.

Jimmy Balistreri (Class of 2024) is a third-year lighting design candidate at UC Irvine. He is from Wisconsin originally and graduated from Ripon College with a BA in Theater. He has worked professionally around Wisconsin at theaters including Northern Sky Theater and Third Avenue Playworks. Lighting Design is his passion, but he has also worked professionally as a stage manager. Jimmy is incredibly grateful to have the opportunity to dedicate the next three years to Lighting and to be able to learn from his peers and professors at UCI. Beyond theater, Jimmy is a Wisconsin sports fan and loves getting outside to explore around Orange County and greater LA.

Kassia Curl (Class of 2025) is a second-year graduate lighting design candidate at UC Irvine. She is from El Paso, TX, and received her BFA in Theatre at UT El Paso. She has worked professionally with South Coast Audio, Destination El Paso, and Laguna Playhouse. She is passionate about bringing life to her hispanic culture through story-telling, and representing her community in the arts. She is excited to continue her education and explore the opportunities that UCI and California have to offer. Outside of Theatre, she enjoys watching football and exploring the outdoors.

Rin Mizumoto (Class of 2025) is a second-year graduate lighting design candidate at UC Irvine. She is originally from Japan and is passionate about working globally with people from diverse backgrounds while creating unforgettable experiences for a broad audience. She received her B.A. in Theatre Technology from Chapman University in 2020, and so far has worked with organizations such as Stories Illuminated Entertainment, Cirque du Soleil, and Insomniac Events, to name a few. She aims to broaden her competencies through rigorous training at UCI and develop her design style, which reflects a fusion of two cultures through her experience working in the Japanese and American entertainment industries.

Mac McDermott (Class of 2026) is a 1st year lighting MFA at UC Irvine from Charlotte North Carolina. He received his BA from Xavier University for lighting. Professionally he has worked with Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park and Davidson Community Players. Mac is a seasoned photographer that takes his love of the outdoors and translates it to his work on stage. He aspires to work as a designer as well as a teacher after everything he learns at UCI.

Maisie Crimmins (Class of 2026) is a first year lighting design candidate at UC Irvine. She also graduated from UCI with her B.A. in Theatre. Maisie has worked in various venues throughout Southern California as a lighting designer and P.A. She has also worked with pyrotechnics at Universal Studios Hollywood. She is passionate about storytelling through lighting design. Outside of design, Maisie is an avid painter and traveler. Through this program, Maisie hopes to broaden her skillset and understanding of design.