Robe Chats - The Podcast

On this episode of Robe Chats - The Podcast, we're back at USITT and joined by the charismatic Bill Digneit, a creative leader and educator who serves as the Department Head and Professor of Theatre & Dance at Northern Michigan University. Additionally, Bill is the Director of SISU: The Innovation Institute at NMU, the founder of the fully inclusive audience experience "Theatre for All” program, and he has over a decade as Production Manager for LDI. But if that wasn't enough, Bill is also the co-founder of Double Trouble Entertainment, a Michigan-based production company, and he is a proud co-owner of DIGS Gastropub in downtown Marquette — where creativity and community come together. We get into it all.

On this episode of Robe Chats - The Podcast, recorded at Main Light South prior to the 3G acquisition, we sat down with Andrew Smith, Director of Operations at Pulse Lighting, where we chatted about his journey into the live production world; starting from a stalled culinary career and into the local music venue where his passion for design took flight. We also chat about his current role with Pulse Lighting and what it means to be a Director of Operations in a fast-paced world of not only live production, but also systems installation and architectural lighting. Check it out!  

On this episode of Robe Chats - The Podcast we are joined by Main Light National Business Development Manager, Rick McKinney, in Nashville where we chat about his early days as a drummer/guitarist in the band Deep Root, how he started his career at Main Light and rose through the organization as it grew, and his home life as a farmer in Pennsylvania where his love of animals has led to raising chickens, goats, rabbits, dogs, cats, and his beloved potbelly pig, Taz. Check it out! 

Prior to the 3G Productions acquisition of Main Light South in 2025, which now operates as 3G Nashville supporting its East coast operations, we sat with 3G CEO Keith Conrad to chat about how he first got started in the live production industry and how he has taken the helm of one of the most dynamic live event production providers in North America. We also dive into the nuances of leading a team and what it takes to be an effective leader in today's fast-paced production world, while having a laugh at the humbling effects of being a "girl-dad". Check it out!

Once again recording from the show floor at USITT, on this episode of Robe Chats - The Podcast we are joined by lighting designer Amy Lux who shares with us how her interests for both entertainment and architectural lighting turned into a long-lasting career with many unique design installations, including the  immersive, multimedia experiences at Meow Wolf, plus we chat about her multidisciplinary design and consultant firm LoboLux, and her founding of the Golden Ghostlight Runners, a tribe of industry pros who found a way to turn passion into purpose to support the Behind The Scenes Foundation.https://goldenghostlightrunners.com/

On this episode of Robe Chats - The Podcast we are joined by lighting designer and educator Matt Taylor, from the show floor at USITT, where we chat about his early career as an actor which led to his passion of lighting design, plus we discuss his design philosophy, his love of Detroit, and his current position as the Head of Lighting Design at Wayne State University's Maggie Allesee Department of Theatre & Dance where he is leads the MFA and BFA studies in Lighting Design for Live Entertainment. 

Keeping the conversations going at USITT, we sat with lighting designer and educator Kevin Lawson on our next episode of Robe Chats - The Podcast to chat about how he got hooked by the live production industry at a young age which led to being involved with many high-profile live event and production design teams, as well as to a successful career as an educator with the goal of inspiring the next generation of lighting and production designers.#therobeway #robelighting #robechatspodcast #lightinglife

On this episode of Robe Chats - The Podcast, we are joined by acclaimed lighting director Wally Lees from the show floor at USITT. From his humble beginning at a Cabaret in Watford, to touring the world with Sir Paul McCartney, Wally has had an incredible career filled with countless experiences on the road, and we were delighted for him to sit with us to share his story, his insights into the industry he loves, and his advice for the next generation.#therobeway #robelighting #robechatspodcast #lightingdirector #lightinglife

On this episode of Robe Chats - The Podcast, we are joined by lighting designer, projection designer, and programmer Sharon Huizinga who stops by the USITT show floor where we discuss her early days as a young designer building a career in the industry, plus we chat about her distinguished career as an educator, and her published book, Lighting Design Beyond Theatre: A Process for the Evolving Entertainment Industry, co-authored with designer Allan Branton. #therobeway #robelighting #robechatspodcast #lightingdesigner #projectiondesigner #lightingprogrammer

Recording once again at USITT, we are joined by award-winning lighting designer Mike Berger from Innovative Intensity to chat about his early days as a young attendee at USITT and as a student at Carnegie Mellon, plus we chat about his approach to lighting design, and his LA-based lighting design firm which specializes in television lighting, theatrical lighting, immersive installations, and live event production.#therobeway #robelighting #robechatspodcast #innovativeintensity #televisionlighting #concertlighting #eventlighting #podcast