Charles Murdock Lucas
As a child in Greenville, South Carolina I spent hours gazing at my father’s model ships. They were fantastic miniature recreations of nautical adventure. I was forbidden to touch them, but that didn’t keep me from spending hours gazing at them and imagining the stories of the people who sailed them. As a child, I read voraciously, and fell asleep every night to recordings of Old Time Radio dramas. I carried a sketchbook, journal, and three to four books with me everywhere I went- it was a childhood spent in imagination.
I attended a small liberal arts university, Furman University, for my undergraduate education. I got to do everything there: act, direct, design, build, paint, stage manage, sew, and much more. I was one of a graduating class of two. I became a scenic and projection designer, and my classmate and great friend became a lighting and sound designer. I did my graduate training at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, where I was mentored by Franco Colavecchia, Howard Jones, Bill Brewer, Eduardo Sicangco, and Joe Tilford. I still think of Franco’s opera designs almost every day while I am working.
My work is built on Peter Brook’s idea of the set being the “geometry of the play,” an integral part of the storytelling. My view of myself as a professional is founded on the idea of mentorship and the guild-like connection designers build with their assistants and the next generation of artists. Now, in addition to my freelance career, I mentor the next generation of students in our BA and MFA programs at San Diego State University, a thrilling international hub of culture- I am grateful for this every day.
