Dalhousie Stage Design and Technical Theatre BA grad profile: Thunder Defayette
2026 BA, Bachelor of Arts with a major in Theatre, graduating from the Stage Design and Technical Theater program.
Grad Profile: Living her best light, Thunder Defayette’s new career in lighting design and technical theatre.
Proving it’s possible to have too much of a good thing, Thunder Defayette was “burnt out” on acting by the time he graduated high school in Victoria, BC.
“I was fairly involved with our high school music theatre program and extracurriculars,” she says. “It was a lot, and I wasn’t sure if I wanted to continue. But I really enjoyed theatre.”
So he came at it from a different angle.
“I found the Fountain School’s Stage Design and Technical Theatre program, and fell in love with the work really quickly,” says Thunder.
Thunder credits the volume of hands-on learning opportunities in the program with making theatre exciting again. Early and often in her four-year BA, she worked in multiple areas, like lighting, sound, set and props, and backstage roles.
“The amount of hands-on experience that I've gained through my time in this program is pretty invaluable,” says Thunder. “I have been able to work in kind of every discipline that you can imagine.”
This exposure not only developed her technical skills but also built a well-rounded understanding of theatre production and fostered a strong respect for the collaborative nature of theatre.
Lighting Designed by Thunder Defayette, Dalhousie's 2024 Mr. Burns: A Post_Electric Play
From left: Christian Vallis as Itchy and Bailey Nash as Scratchy. Director: Dan Bray, Set and Costume Designer: Sean Mulcahy. Photo: Kate Hayter
Theatre should be fun
Students in Dalhousie’s Theatre program spend significant time working together across years and productions. Being supported by faculty, and various professional designers and directors creates a collaborative environment where students can learn in a safe space.
Mr. Burns, A Post-Electric Play, with local guest director Dan Bray, was Thunder’s first DalTheatre show as lighting designer. He “didn’t really know what [he] was doing.”
“I caught on really quick, but I'm really glad that I had that experience in a school environment rather than out in the big wide world.” says Thunder.
Courses like Introduction to Set Design, with faculty member Tamara Kucheran, allowed Thunder to develop her artistic imagination alongside a toolkit rapidly filling with practical skills, informing a more holistic approach to making theatre.
“The stage design elements of this program really set it apart from other technical theatre educations you might get elsewhere.” says Thunder. “Often, those two lanes of design and technician work feel very separated. This program gives people opportunity flex their muscles in the hands-on stuff and in visual art.
Thunder building lighting cues for DalTheatre's The Odyssey, in the Fountain School's Sir James Dunn Theatre.
Getting the gig, and the degree
Now a regular in-house crew technician at Dalhousie’s Joseph Strug Concert Hall, Thunder values the early access to professional experience, including the paid technical work and leadership roles during his degree. This real-world exposure helped him feel prepared and confident moving into the industry.
“As early as the summer of my first year, I was working technical theatre jobs and the experience I gained is beyond words.” says Thunder. “I have a much better knowledge of the environments I'm working in regularly.”
In addition to paid employment in his future field, Thunder also received multiple bursaries and scholarships, many the result of faculty nomination. This both eased her financial pressures, and also provided reassurance that instructors believed in her potential.
“You get such peace of mind from the financial security of being able to pay rent, afford groceries, and keep learning,” says Thunder. “Knowing there are Fountain School faculty who believe in you and think that you are deserving of this support is such a calm spot in the storm of the uncertainty that school can sometimes be.”
What’s next?
After recovering from his final exam as the lighting designer for DalTheatre’s final production, The Odyssey, Thunder has a very busy month of gigs at the Joseph Strug Concert Hall followed by an apprenticeship at the Stephenville Theatre Festival in Newfoundland. But 20 years from now…
“I would really love to be a playwright,” says Thunder.
He’s had several opportunities through Playwrights Atlantic Resource Center and Villain’s Theatre to hear his work read. Not surprisingly, people who read her plays often say they can tell from the stage directions that she’s a technician.
“I love lighting design, and lighting technician work, but I would also like to be seen as a playwright.” says Thunder. “The more knowledge you have of different fields in theatre, the more you can play with that to write a cohesive story.”
Lighting Design by Thunder Defayette.