FINNEGAN X. GAVELLI
LIGHTING DESIGN
About
Finnegan
Finnegan is a final semester student at Pennsylvania State University studying for his BFA in Theatre Design and Technology, with an emphasis in Lighting Design. This program has provided him with hands-on and classroom experience in lighting design, projection design, rigging, sound design and engineering, electrics, technical direction, and more.
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Finnegan’s primary focus is lighting design, with over five years of experience in lighting and electrics and more than three years of experience as a designer. He has designed for the Penn State Centre Stage, lighting Crazy for You in October 2025 and Much Ado About Nothing in November 2024. For Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, Finnegan has designed both Princess & The Frog Prince and Timon of Athens in the summer of 2025. While in Happy Valley, Finnegan also designs at the Penn State Center for Performing Arts, where he has lit the Volé Dance Showcases and multiple musical acts. Outside of Penn State, Finnegan also had the opportunity to pursue his first design in New York City recently, designing the Boombox Burlesque Festival for Beatbox Burlesque in the Five Angels Theater at The 52nd Street Project. Finnegan is an active member of Wildwood Summer Theatre, designing Alice by Heart In 2024 and Head Over Heels in 2023. Alongside designing, he serves as a tenured member of Wildwood's board and as their director of communication, working to support the theatre's mission.​
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While progressing through his studies, Finnegan works part-time doing programming, spotlighting, stagehand work, and other roles for the Bryce Jordan Center and Penn State Center for Performing Arts. At these venues, he garners hands-on experience in handling the pressure and demands of professional theaters and arenas and is integrated into the touring segment of the industry. He has worked on tours such as Come from Away and Fiddler on The Roof, along with acts like Zach Bryan, Travis Scott, and Drake. Finnegan has also garnered experience in summerstock theatre in a variety of roles. Most recently, he worked as the assistant lighting designer for Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival. With PSF over the summer of 2025, Finnegan assisted five productions and three designers while also designing another two, The Princess & The Frog Prince and Timon of Athens. He learned valuable lessons in teamwork, leadership, and creativity managing a variety of tasks and obstacles. As well, Finnegan worked as an electrician and spotlight operator for Opera Theatre Saint Louis over the summer of 2025, where he garnered experience and a greater understanding of the importance of the lighting and technical team.
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Aside from his theatrical work, Finnegan is also a freelance photographer. Since he could first hold his family's Nikon D70, he has been developing a deep-seated passion and knowledge of this craft. His primary focus is landscape and architecture photography, however, he has also been learning stage and portrait photography. Once mastering these, Finnegan wants to develop his skills in sports photography and is invested in learning about aerial drone photography. Photography has taught Finnegan valuable lessons and concepts such as depth, saturation, and texture, which he is now incorporating throughout his work. Beyond that, photography has served a medium of communication and connection for Finnegan, allowing him to express his thoughts and form otherwise unexpected bonds.
While Finnegan is at Penn State, he is continuing to seek further opportunities to design and learn more about art, lighting, and the world around him. His next stop is the graduation stage, where he is excited to explore the future yet will certainly miss everything Penn State has given him.