Theatre Professor Chosen for Professional Production

Photo Submitted

"An Inspector Calls," Lyric Theatre, Oklahoma City

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Weston Wilkerson, assistant professor of theatre in the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, worked as the lighting designer for Lyric Theatre’s production of An Inspector Calls, which ran Oct. 8-25. Wilkerson also served as the technical director for the current University Theatre production Kin after working in Oklahoma City designing light and, in this case, shadows.

An Inspector Calls, set in a British industrial city in 1912, depicts a mysterious inspector who interrogates the members of a prosperous family about the death of a young working-class woman. The cast included Oklahoma City star Jonathan Beck Reed as the inspector.

“It was a really timely project because it deals with the responsibilities of those involved in managing and creating an industry to the people that work for them and around them that support and live in it,” Wilkerson said. “That’s one facet of the show that is a particular interest to me.”

The specific lighting design for An Inspector Calls is different than a typical drama of this period would require. The drama was shrouded in mystery, which allowed Wilkerson more options to cast shadows and choose what the audience should see and interpret.

“Somewhat of an older trick in the book for theatre is foot lights, so you get this kind of film noir look, which worked especially well on the Inspector. We put a fairly overt and contemporary spin on a production written to be performed in a much more naturalistic style.”

Wilkerson joined Fulbright College’s faculty in fall 2014. In addition to working on Kin, and An Inspector Calls, he teaches stage management, stage technology II, drafting, and special topics courses in the Department of Theatre. As the lighting designer at Lyric Theatre, he was able to bring additional examples of professional work and skills into his classrooms.

“I’ve done shows at schools before, but this is my first full-time faculty position,” Wilkerson said. “The great job perk is being encouraged to continue creative work beyond the university and then using that experience as a vehicle to discuss contemporary theatre production with my students.”