Six questions with Dorthe Wiig Andersen, lighting designer and first-year student at The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London.

1. How did you get into this field?
I started quite early; when I was in the ninth grade we were assigned a project, which required practice in a field of our choice. I chose theater and I helped out for one show in my hometown, Sandfjord (Norway) and got introduced to lighting. I have been passionate about lighting ever since. Now I am studying lighting design specializing in theater lighting. I also worked full time for five years as a technician at the Norwegian National Opera & Ballet in Oslo.

2. What do you think is the next big thing in the lighting industry?
Considering the LED industry is developing so quickly, I am sure it will be something that will benefit us in a green and helpful way.

3. Do you have a favorite fixture and why?
I like the CHAUVET Professional Legend 230SR Beam. This moving yoke is intense, bright, compact and nice to use with fog. I also like CHAUVET Professional WELL 2.0 as decoration lights — no cables, you just have to place them where you want and turn them on.

4. What has been your favorite design/project? I enjoyed working for Wagner’s “Tannhäuser.”
For this huge production I had the opportunity to work as chief for the lights, being very involved in the process. This proved to be a tremendous experience for me.

5. What was the biggest unforeseen obstacle that you’ve faced in one of your designs, and how did you overcome it?

On one of the first productions I worked on I did everything myself, and the old desk I was using crashed after I had made all my cues. I had to work all night to first get to know the new desk, and then program all the cues all over again. This was when I was young and without that much experience, and I did not know the importance of securing a backup of the work I had done, which I always do now.

6. Complete this sentence:
A show without light is… a show without life.