We recently connected with Christian Henrriquez and have shared our conversation below.

Christian, appreciate you joining us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

For a long time, I would have chosen a “meaningful” project based solely on its production budget. As an early-career designer, that is the easiest way to answer this question (especially when talking to someone who could potentially hire you). I am realizing that the reasoning behind my answer has taken quite a shift. I am nearing the end of my MFA program in lighting design for theatre. My program is known for high-budget productions and incredible graduate student designs. Over three years, we learned about artists who create extravagant designs and develop a vocabulary for intense critique of our peers’ work and our own. Of course, “mastering” a discipline requires critique and interrogation, but I am hungry for meaning behind art that is more than big budgets and high-tech projects.

This month, I have had the incredible opportunity to work on a world premiere production, “Mexodus,” a hip-hop musical about the underground railroad that led south into Mexico. The show is written and performed by two unbelievably intelligent and talented actor-musicians, Brian Quijada and Nygel D. Robinson. I served as the associate lighting designer to an incredible lighting designer, Mextly Couzin. I walked into this process as I would for any other process, but have been blown away by the experience. Brian and Nygel have done incredibly detailed research and have masterfully woven a history lesson into this musical. And even though the show was created to tell a history lesson, the writers are also using this project as a beautiful way to celebrate solidarity between Black and Brown people in the United States. Their play, the entire production team, and the passion surrounding this project have fostered an environment of celebration and trust. Every member of the team is insanely talented and incredible within their disciplines, but witnessing all of them come together to collaborate and create a show that is as meaningful as it is visually stunning. There’s a moment in the show where Brian and Nygel speak in unison:

“Perhaps we’re looking for God in all the wrong places
Perhaps God exists in black and brown faces
My kin, whose skin is kissed by the sun in a different way than me
But kissed nonetheless
Both tired.
Endlessly.
Tired.
Hoping to make it through”

I have heard them say these words dozens of times, but I still get the chills every time I hear them. These two have created a musical that breaks boundaries with sound technology and overall design but is most importantly a work of love. To their communities, each other, and their ancestors. Their work and the rest of the team are some of the most generous people I have ever worked with. After a tough few years in my graduate program, this experience reinvigorated my love for theatre and collaborations. I look forward to taking this experience into my career after graduating.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am a queer, first-generation Salvadoran-American and could not be more proud! I am originally from southern California but currently live in the Washington D.C. area. I have been in the performing arts since 4th grade. I started in the school band and stayed through high school. I loved it! In middle school, I played trumpet for our high school’s production of “Bye Bye Birdie.” I was in interested in all of the parts and components that go into a theatre production. I eventually performed in a few shows but ultimately found my place in the production side of things. After high school, I worked at a few local theatre companies who somehow trusted me enough to stage manage and design the lighting for their shows. As unprepared as I was for those jobs, I am so grateful those theatres gave me a chance. My high school drama teacher (and local director), Kathy Paladino, was instrumental in all of this. She believed in me when I had no idea what I was doing. I eventually graduated from Cal State Fullerton with a BA in theatre. After college, I worked at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, CA as a stage technician. I worked as a lighting technician for special events, the Disney Jr. Dance Party, and a lighting lead on Villain’s Grove, an Oogie Boogie Bash walkthrough experience. My time there was sadly cut short by the pandemic in 2020. I was only there for about a year and a half, but learned an incredible amount. As much as I miss my job, I’m thankful I got let go because that led me to grad school. Now I’m in the final 2 months of my MFA in lighting design. I am looking forward to graduating and continuing a freelance career in theatre and events.

While I am a lighting guy who loves fancy lights and cool lighting, I am also an artist who has a passion for storytelling and celebrating my communities. While I am a first-generation born in the US, my family has used storytelling as a way to keep our culture alive and passed down through our family. I hope to use theatre as a vehicle to tell the stories of the vibrant cultures in Latin America and beyond. I am excited by the opportunity to use theatre as a tool to keep tradition alive.

When thinking about my design aesthetic, the two words that come to mind are color and texture. Although very simple, these two words hold the most weight in my designs. In my Latin American community, the food, music, clothing, people, stories, and everything about us is colorful. Life is lived in a spectrum of vivid color. This influences my aesthetic immensely. Likewise with texture. Like a painter, a lighting designer paints with brush strokes. Every light beam, regardless of if it is lighting an actor’s face or a windowpane, is a brush stroke. The character of those brush strokes and the way they hit the surfaces on stage work together to create a picture. These aspects find their way into my work through immersive art. In addition to theatre, I have a background in theme parks and events which have influenced the way I imagine a theatrical production. To reach my design goals, I try to keep a human-focused approach when I work; people come first. I believe that a working environment should excite folks to be in the room. At the end of the day, we are creating art and telling people’s stories. It is exciting.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

My mission in my career is to celebrate humanity and the beauty of culture and community. Growing up in a Salvadoran family has instilled in me a deep appreciation for community, resilience, and the richness of diverse perspectives. These values have not only influenced my personal life but have also become integral to my professional identity. I firmly believe that embracing diverse backgrounds fosters creativity and innovation. Beyond the conventional realms of design, I bring a commitment to education and knowledge-sharing. I believe that a good educator is a lifelong learner. As I move out of the academic world, I am hungry to work in rooms that are committed to improving access to the arts and telling the stories of my communities.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

This question brings two answers to mind. I think the biggest support society can give to artists and creatives, is to fund the arts. And fund more than just the big organizations. The small/medium organizations are the driving force of our industry, but they are forced to work tirelessly with almost no support. What people and individuals in society can do is to continue to see the shows their friends and colleagues create. Putting butts in seats keeps people employed.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.henrriquezdesign.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christian.henrriquez/
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/christianhenrriquez

Image Credits
Photo credits: Daniel Martinez Gonzalez, Jonathan Hsu, David Andrews, Lisa Helfert, Dylan Singleton