How UNCSA alumni are leading the future of immersive theatre on 'Masquerade'

When audiences step inside “Masquerade” — a new immersive reimagining of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “The Phantom of the Opera” from Tony Award-winning director Diane Paulus — they enter a theatrical world unlike anything Broadway has seen before.

Now running on 57th Street in New York City in the former Lee’s Art Supplies building, “Masquerade” transforms a familiar story into a fully immersive environment: one that blends sound design, lighting, show control, electrics, props and stage management into a seamless, living system.

What they may not realize is that much of the technology, artistry and infrastructure powering the experience each night was built by UNCSA alumni.

School of Design & Production alumni are playing especially pivotal roles:

• Sean Beach (B.F.A. Lighting ‘09) is the Show Control Programmer and creator of ShowPulse control and mixing software, building the digital engine that allows the show’s complex elements to operate in sync.
• Kelbi Hevia Carrig (B.F.A. Stage Management ‘16) serves on the stage management team, coordinating the production’s moving parts nightly.
• Alex Fogel (B.F.A. Lighting ‘09) works as Lighting Programmer, crafting the intricate lighting cues that guide audiences through the space.
• Darian Horvath (B.F.A. Lighting ‘22) contributes as Assistant Electrician, with additional alumni supporting the production during load-in and crew operations.
• Brett Jarvis (B.F.A. Technical Direction ‘97) serves as Sound Designer and Head of Show Control, shaping the sonic architecture of the experience.
• Brian Messina (B.F.A. Lighting ‘06) is Head Electrician, overseeing the electrical systems that bring the immersive environment to life.
• Diana Rebholz (B.F.A. Stage Properties ‘00) leads as Head of Props, ensuring every physical detail contributes to the world-building.

School of Drama alum Charles Osborne (B.F.A. Acting ‘12) is also part of the production, extending UNCSA’s presence beyond the technical backbone and into performance.

Together, these artists and technicians represent the breadth of UNCSA’s training. In a production defined by its technical ambition and immersive scope, UNCSA alumni didn’t just contribute; they helped build the engine that powers it.

Immersive, technology-driven storytelling continues to transform the global entertainment landscape. Productions like “Masquerade” demand fluency in automation, integrated show control systems, dynamic lighting environments and collaborative cross-disciplinary execution — the very skills embedded in UNCSA’s conservatory model.

But this is not the beginning of UNCSA’s connection to “The Phantom of the Opera.” For more than three decades, UNCSA alumni have been part of the Broadway phenomenon, contributing to one of the longest-running productions in theatre history, from its 1988 debut through its 2023 closing. As the industry expands from traditional stages to immersive, experience-driven performance, UNCSA alumni are once again at the forefront and helping carry the production into its next evolution.

For current and prospective artists, this moment signals something larger. The future of theatre is immersive. It is technologically sophisticated. It is collaborative across disciplines. And it requires artists who are as comfortable programming show control systems as they are shaping story.

At UNCSA, students don’t just train for today’s productions; they prepare to build what comes next. From Broadway landmarks to the next generation of immersive global entertainment, UNCSA alumni are not following the evolution of theatre. They are leading it.

By Natalie Shrader

Get the best news, performance and alumni stories from UNCSA.
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTERS(OPENS IN NEW TAB)(OPENS IN NEW TAB)(OPENS IN NEW TAB)(OPENS IN NEW TAB)(opens in new tab)(opens in new tab)(opens in new tab)