About Hailey LaRoe
Hailey LaRoe is a lighting designer and projection designer based in the Washington DC area. She has worked on a wide range of theatrical projects, including new works, world premieres, classical shows, large musicals, intimate plays, immersive theatre, and dance performances. No matter the show, Hailey is focused on using design to enhance the storytelling of a show and make something visually impactful. As a lighting designer Hailey draws inspiration from the natural world, and tends to use the emotional beats of a show to drive her lighting concepts. She is interested in how light can influence and enhance the emotional stakes of a show for the audience and for the actors. She is also interested in how light can transport an audience into a different time and place. As a projection designer Hailey is particularly drawn to Texture, abstraction, and playfulness. Depending on the show projections can play a crucial role in providing historical context, support of scenery, it can be an extension of lighting, the actors or audience might interact with projection. Hailey is intrigued by the expanding and varied role projection can play in visual storytelling on stage, and likes to approach each show with a sense of curiosity and wonder.
Hailey loves the collaborative, hands on, nature of theatrical design and story telling. One of the most fulfilling parts of theatre and design for her is working with other talented artists with a variety of artistic perspectives to form a cohesive vision for a given show. Hailey draws much of her lighting inspiration from nature, from everyday life, and from the historical & cultural context of the show itself. Hailey is particularly interested in how lighting effects the audience’s perception of mood. As both a lighting and projection designer, Hailey views projection both as its own element and as an extension of lighting, depending on the show. She is particularly interested in the ways projection can be used to as a way to add texture and movement to highten the mood of a piece, as well as a way to ground a story or add historical context to a story. She view’s theatre and the arts as an agent for change that can serve both as a way to critically reflect on our world, and as a tool to reimagine it. Hailey is in awe of the ways art and theatre can impact people’s lives, ideas, and understanding of the world and themselves.
Hailey was drawn to theatre at a young age and became passionate about lighting while attending college at Ohio Wesleyan University where she studied history and theatre. Since returning to the DC area in 2018 Hailey has worked consistently as a Lighting designer, and as a Projection Designer. Hailey won a Helen Hayes award for Outstanding Lighting Design (Helen) for her work on Las Hermanas Palacios. In addition to freelance designing, Hailey is currently an MFA candidate for lighting and media design at the University of Maryland. She is always looking to take on new creative challenges, and meet new collaborators!
When Hailey isn’t in tech or prepping a show, she enjoys spending time in the outdoors hiking and rock climbing, working on ceramics, spending time with dogs, family, and friends, or on rare occasions, taking time to do nothing at all.
If you’re interested in collaborating on a project, or have any questions about Hailey or her work, please reach out! She’d love to chat.