Stephen Sakowski, an associate professor of lighting and sound design at UToledo, has both important experiences and connections in his industry.
On Sept. 25, 2021, for example, Sakowski served as the lighting director for a benefit concert at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles as part of the Global Citizen Live event.
From left, Tevy Dembski, Aaron Smith, Stephen Sakowski, an associate professor of lighting and sound design, David Steffin and Tristen Turkopp on the court at Little Caesars Arena in downtown Detroit.
And in February, he was the lighting director for the NBA All-Star Weekend game in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Sakowski’s working relationship with the NBA also provided a unique learning opportunity for four UToledo students: a tour of the lighting setup in the Little Caesars Arena in downtown Detroit.
“Being able to connect with the Piston’s senior director of game presentations, Chelsea Powell, recently has been great with how close to UToledo the Pistons are,” Sakowski said. “I hope to continue bringing students up to Little Caesers Arena in the future.”
For the theater students, Tevy Dembski, Aaron Smith, David Steffin and Tristen Turkopp, the observing the production in detail and in person was an invaluable opportunity.
“What was great to see was how what we’re learning from Stephen translates into the professional world,” Turkopp said. “We had the chance to see behind the scenes at the lighting board and all around the arena. We hear about what it’s like to work in a venue like that but to see it in person really puts it into perspective.”
The students watched the pre-game rehearsal for the in-game performances, then given a tour of the lighting system and equipment. Afterwards, they attended the Detroit Pistons vs. Brooklyn Nets game as guests of the team.
“What I really enjoyed was being able to see the setup and pay off of the work of the people behind the scenes,” Dembski said. “I loved seeing how they put everything together then seeing how it looks in rehearsal and then the game itself. Although it was all the same thing, it looked so different all put together with a crowd. It’s just like going through a production but for sports instead.”
