Kascey Haslanger

Kascey consults on all aspects of theatre design, specializing in stage lighting systems design and project team leadership.

I am a senior consultant, primarily working as a project manager, lighting designer, and occasionally as a rigging system designer. I approach my work by learning about the people – the operators, clientele, and the design team who will bring their ideas to life. I want to understand organizations – both its current condition and future ambitions. Stories, engagement, and fulfillment matter the most to me. People are drawn to theatre, music, and dance as a way to enjoy a communal experience. Every time I see a show, the curtain call gets me. The moments of appreciation between the audience and cast, the cast and musicians / crew, and the cast to each other overwhelm me. It’s important to me to continue helping people find ways to express themselves and connect to one another in this exciting way.

What Brought You to Charcoalblue

Charcoalblue has a reputation for designing unique, bespoke spaces. Every opportunity for design is an active collaboration – we do a great job of engaging leadership across many areas of client teams, while finding ways to help each other learn from our unique perspectives. And there is rarely a demand or decree from an ego.

A Project That Shaped How You Work

Construction projects often take many years to complete. I worked on a project that began years before I became a theatre consultant, but it also lasted well into my career (17 years total). It became very clear to me that projects need guiding principles. People may come and go, technologies may change, and money may ebb and flow – but a strong definition of the project gets everyone to buy in as those things change.

What We Won’t Learn from Your CV

My biggest professional passion is mentorship. I revel in helping people find ways to enjoy their jobs and connect their whole self to a role. I believe I am becoming the type of person that I would have liked as a mentor in my younger years. I have an interesting job, have experienced career setbacks, and now have an expectation of what I want and need from an employer. I’m jazzed about future generations and the things they’ll do!

Cultural Value That Inspires You to Go the Extra Mile

As a project manager, I try to be very practical and communicative of expectations. But I’m also eager to find ways to be creative and innovative in the ways we communicate, create documentation, and provide technical solutions. Whether that requires more effort in collaborating with teammates, clients, vendors, or manufacturers, I think we should always be searching for better ways to be an effective team leader, using all the tools at our disposal!