RESEARCH has shown that owing to issues of systemic sexism, it has often been difficult for many women in the creative sector to break into the “boys’ club” of technical jobs such as stage lighting and designing.
BY WINSTONE ANTONIO
When people attend a live concert — be it a music or theatre show — they marvel at the glitz and glamour of the striking lighting on the stage and certainly not get a clue it could be coming from a woman’s fingertips.
Dzivaresekwa Extension-based Mildred Moyo is one such rare woman who has defied the odds.
She quit dancing and opted to do stage lighting for other performers, a passion she pursued until she became a qualified electrical engineer and lighting technician.
“I used to be a dancer at Reps Theatre, but I was always fascinated by the lights on how they bring life to a show and complete it that I dropped dancing and went into lighting full time around 2004 and I haven’t looked back since,” she told NewsDay Weekender.
In an indication that the tables are now turning, the “failed” contemporary dance enthusiast on several occasions gave her opposite sex associates a run for their money as an exceptional stage lighting technician and electrical engineer.
Moyo has found comfort among her new set of toys — cables, lighting rigs and dimmer packs, among other tools of the trade.
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She said while the trade appears to be challenging and demanding, it was her wish that a lot of women venture into this industry.
“It is sad that very few women are into the technical side of showbiz. I only meet female lighting engineers at Hifa and they are foreigners something we must challenge as women. Even at school when I was studying electrical engineering, I was the only female in my class and stream. Maybe if there was a professional institute that could help,” she said.
The lighting designer and engineer said the beauty of creating and lighting up a place is like giving it a breath of life and described the result as always overwhelming and that gives her the strength.
“I worked at Reps Theatre for four years and that is where I learnt most of the lighting essentials. From Reps Theatre I then worked at 7Arts Theatre for three years under the guidance of Mike Harrison who was my mentor and later retired leaving me in the seat,” she said.
“He is the same person who introduced me to HIFA as his runner. In 2011, I was hired as a life lighting technician by Maurice Levy to work at his Club H20 and was later promoted to technical manager and worked there for five years.”
For over a decade, Moyo has handled lighting works for several theatre shows, both local and international concerts, festivals like Harare International Festival of the Arts, Shoko Festival and Jibilika Dance Festival.
