FINNEGAN X. GAVELLI
LIGHTING DESIGN
About
Finnegan
Finnegan is a rising 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 Much Ado About Nothing in November 2024. For the Penn State School of Theatre, he designed Damned Without Vision in April 2024 and Make or Break in April 2023. 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 misson.​
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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. Over the summer of 2024, Finnegan worked as an electrician and spotlight operator for Opera Theatre Saint Louis, gaining valuable experience in Summer-Stock theatre through a variety of challenges and accomplishments. As of this summer, he is serving as the assistant lighting designer for the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, teaching him to balance responsibilities for a host of shows and designers under a strict and demanding timeline.
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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 at Penn state Centre Stage is a position as the designer of Crazy for You this coming fall. He will also be designing The Princess & the Frog Prince for the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival this summer.
Finnegan loves the opportunity to make art and learn with others. He is excited for the opportunity to learn more about lighting and the variety of fields that encompass show and event production. He is very passionate about his projects and has extensive plans to continue making art while learning throughout the process.