Eric Dahlgren

Hi, I’m Eric! I’m an entertainment designer, programmer, and technician passionate about bringing stories to life through light and technology. I currently serve as a Technical Director and Production Manager, as well as a resident Lighting Designer in the Centre College Theatre Department.

I first discovered entertainment technology in college, and it quickly became the perfect blend of creativity and technical problem-solving for me. Since earning my BA in Entertainment Design and Technology from Eastern Michigan University, I’ve built my career around designing, programming, and supervising productions across theatre, opera, dance, and music.

Some highlights of my journey include working as an Electrics Apprentice at The Santa Fe Opera in 2023, where I collaborated with a team of apprentices on five operas in repertory and had the opportunity to design and supervise lighting for the Apprentice Scenes. I’ve also spent the past two summers at The Contemporary American Theatre Festival, most recently as the Lighting Supervisor.

Whether it’s full-service lighting design, associate design, drafting, or programming, I love finding the right visual language to support a production. My programming experience includes ETC Eos and HOG 4 systems, and my drafting/pre-viz experience includes Vectorworks, AutoCAD, and Augment3d.

When I’m not in a theatre, you can usually find me hiking, backpacking, experimenting with photography, tinkering with small electronics and networking projects, or exploring what’s possible with 3D printing.