Research & Insights / Guest Blog - Lighting the Stage, Building the Future: Brighter Boston Interns Support Boston Public Schools
Guest Blog - Lighting the Stage, Building the Future: Brighter Boston Interns Support Boston Public Schools
By Jack Labbe, Resource and Development Manager, Brighter Boston
Brighter Boston is a local non-profit that provides training, career development, and paid internship opportunities for young people to launch careers backstage in the arts. Founded by a Boston Public Schools (BPS) teacher, their program removes structural barriers that limit access to the creative economy for BPS students and alumni. With their High School Track (BPS students ages 16+) and Career Track (young adults ages 18-25 from Greater Boston and without a college degree), participants develop in-demand skills for lighting, audio, video, set construction, and stage management, preparing them for positions at major venues and production companies.
While industry demand for skilled labor has been steadily increasing across the region, many Boston Public Schools have found themselves with a growing need for technical expertise to support their student theater productions. Reflecting on her recent productions, Bethany Lynch of Mather Elementary School shared, “We have little to no lighting on our stage, so students were performing in the dark.”
With funding from EdVestors, Brighter Boston has had the opportunity to address this issue by placing Career Track interns with ten student theater productions across the Boston Public Schools. Working closely with BPS teachers, Brighter Boston interns assess each production's technical needs, develop lighting and audio cues, and troubleshoot challenges as they arise. One of the goals of this program is to reduce the technical burden placed on teachers while enhancing the quality of the educational and artistic experience for BPS students.
A recent survey of teachers who took part in the program gave insight into how this assistance was received. One hundred percent of teachers responding to the survey agreed that Brighter Boston's interns improved their ability to stage productions and fostered a more creative environment for students. Furthermore, all respondents expressed they would like to continue working with Brighter Boston next year and that they would recommend the program to other BPS teachers.
This program has been impactful for the Brighter Boston interns who participated as well. Interns expressed that working in school settings allows them to take on greater creative responsibility than they might encounter in larger professional venues. Andy Tran, a Career Track intern, shared, “I’m able to make a lot of my own decisions and I’m able to interact a lot more with the artists here. I’m not always able to interact with the artists at other venues. The students seem so enthusiastic. It’s great to see them practice and then put it all together.” We spoke with Andy while they were designing and setting up lighting for a production of Moana, performed by students from the Patrick J. Kennedy School in the East Boston High School auditorium.
“There's no question about it, at least for me: if I had to choose just one design element to direct a whole show with, it would be lighting,” shared Emily Rudra, Theatre Instructor at English High School. “The students loved working with Rain (Career Intern), and, as I have witnessed historically in my 24 years of teaching theater in Boston Public Schools, when actors feel the emotional world of the show reflected in the lighting, it helps them rise to the occasion and play their objectives out fully. It empowered all cast and crew to fully buy into the world of the show.”
Through this initiative, interns have supported productions across the city, including at Mather Elementary in Dorchester, Mildred Avenue in Mattapan, and Donald McKay School in East Boston. Each school presents unique opportunities and challenges for Brighter Boston interns, requiring them to adapt to different spaces, production needs, and creative visions, skills that are highly valued throughout the live event industry.
“I’m used to coming into a space where the lights are already set up and I just adjust things like color. But here I’m able to be much more hands-on, thinking about angles and how I want to light my subject,” shared Lala, an intern supporting Henry Grew Elementary School’s production of The Wiz.
When asked what she was most proud of while working in Boston Public School’s, Lala reflected on the audience's response. “One of the teachers told me that parents said it felt like Broadway. I wouldn’t say it was like Broadway,” she laughed. “But I’m glad they had that experience, had fun, and that it helped make the performance feel more real.”
“Lala has made an incredible difference in this production of The Wiz. She has taken what could have been a typical elementary school play and helped turn it into something that feels much closer to a semi-professional production,” shared Magalie Neff, Theatre Teacher at Henry Grew Elementary School. “Her commitment has helped create an environment where students feel that what they are doing matters and that everyone involved is working together to make the show as amazing as it can be. Seeing adults collaborate creatively and follow through on their ideas has been a valuable lesson for our students, and it has made the whole experience feel even more special.”
Programs like this demonstrate how much can be accomplished when schools have access to the right support. By bringing Brighter Boston interns into school productions, teachers are able to spend less time troubleshooting technical challenges and more time focused on their students. At the same time, interns gain hands-on experience, taking on creative responsibilities and seeing the direct impact of their work.
Thanks to support from EdVestors, more than 750 students across Boston have been able to perform under brighter lights, better sound, and productions that feel more polished and professional. Just as importantly, Brighter Boston interns have had the opportunity to build their skills while helping create memorable experiences for the next generation of young artists. More than 2000 audience members, including BPS families and community members, experienced productions that felt more engaging, immersive, and inspiring. This partnership creates meaningful opportunities for students both on stage and behind the scenes.
Brighter Boston's partnership with the Boston Public Schools Visual and Performing Arts Department is made possible through a grant from the BPS Arts Expansion Fund at EdVestors. For more information about Brighter Boston, please visit
