The 20th Parnelli Awards, sure to be a can’t miss event, will be held June 3 at the Hilton Anaheim Convention Center in the Pacific Ballroom. This year the Parnelli Awards will also once again recognize the “NextGen” recipient, a newer talent who will be selected from those nominated in both 2020 and 2021. We invite you to read the full spotlight articles on each of them in PLSN and FOH magazines but here is a brief reminder of the ten individuals nominated.
Aaron Adams earned a spot as a singer on the Glory Gospel Singers’ European tour after college. There he was asked if he was interested in acting as assistant tour manager and within weeks his ability to work through a logistical crisis led to his promotion to tour manager. He went on to work with Christian rapper Trip Lee, and advance Lecrae shows. He also tour manages for Anita Baker. Having joined Roadies of Color United (ROCU), Adams notes, “ROCU was a life changing moment.” Adams founded the company Accessible LLC, and his apprenticeship program identifies aspiring industry professionals, trains them, and connects them to opportunities. “I’m not only opening the door for them. I’m hoping to give them the keys to unlock every door they come to in the pursuit of their dreams, and in so doing, inspire them to do the same for all who follow.” (https://plsn.com/articles/nextgen/aaron-adams/)
Jason Baeri, Lighting Director/Designer/Programmer, recognized early in life that it was ballyhoos, not baseball, for him. After high school he worked for BML Lighting and went out with the Allman Brothers Band. He also worked with PRG and ACT Lighting. In 2011 he first programmed for a Rihanna tour. He has a long career relationship with LeRoy Bennett, working on Nine Inch Nails’ Tension Tour 2013, Maroon 5 in 2015, Rammstein in 2017, as associate lighting designer/programmer for Kelly Clarkson, Ariana Grande’s Sweetener tour in 2019, and as assistant designer/programmer for Lady Gaga’s Joanne world tour in 2017-2018. “Programming is a perfect blend of art as idea and art as execution. Design offers you the chance to create a story in an all-encompassing realm and then fine tune the details while also reshaping the story line by line based on the progression. I’m grateful to do both.” (https://plsn.com/articles/nextgen/jason-baeri/)
Ross Tyler Blitz, Lighting Designer/Director, who went on the road first as an electrician on the Barbie Live! tour, has since gone on to be lighting designer for Slash, as well as LD for Lionel Richie, lighting director for Julia Michaels, and has worked on Maroon 5, Chris Brown, The Olympics and even with Ringling Bros. circus. At 13 he reached out to the LD of Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Bryan Hartley, who invited Blitz to a load-in and spent time talking about how to work toward being in the industry. As Blitz’s career has grown, the two have stayed in touch, and Blitz invited Hartley to a Lionel Ritchie show he designed. Having Hartley as a guest of his show he says, “Brought that experience full circle for me.” He emphasizes that networking remains “the most important thing you can do.” https://plsn.com/articles/nextgen/ross-tyler-blitz/
Andrew Cass, Production Designer, spent a decade doing backline for The Disco Biscuits. By the end of 2009, he was handling LD and PM duties for EDM artist Bassnectar. Cass then found himself on the road doing lighting programming and backline for The Mike Gordon Band followed by a gig as LD for The String Cheese Incident, who he still works with. He is also a production designer/account executive for Clearwing and own’s C2 Design and Drafting LLC. “It’s important, if you are going to be a successful LD, to understand all facets of the business.” His advice to others: “Take control of your own destiny. Tell photographers what you want to see, tell video and camera staff the shots you like and communicate with artists on how you interpret the show. Don’t be afraid to give feedback on anything that perceives your work and never stop working on your communication and personal growth.” (https://plsn.com/articles/nextgen/andrew-cass/)
Jennifer Fok, Lighting Designer, splits her design work in theater and dance between NYC and the regional theaters. When asked about her design aesthetic, Fok finds it hard to specify, “I try to be a chameleon and adapt.” Having a career as a NYC-based theatrical designer can be difficult. Some advice she got early on and shares today is, “Your tenacity can be more important than your talent. It’s being in the right place at the right time and having the resilience to roll with the punches and understanding that rejection is a step to move forward. And be kind and courteous to everyone you meet. Also, that your success, or how many shows you’re lighting, or how much money you’re making, can’t be tied to your self-worth.” (https://plsn.com/articles/nextgen/parnelli-nextgen-jennifer-fok/)
Matt Guminski, Lghting Designer/Director/Programmer, started his touring career with the Neon Trees in 2012. He has gone on to working with The Cult, Bush, Maroon 5, Nick Jonas, CeeLo Green, Alice in Chains, Evanescence, Chainsmokers and Alicia Keys, among others. During the pandemic he told PLSN that, “I am grateful to be in this industry. My favorite feeling is that moment when you get the ‘go for house lights’ — the crowd goes nuts, and I would get butterflies every night. I miss that rush going into the first down beat of the show. Hopefully we’ll get past all this and get there again soon.” Now that the industry is back, no doubt that Guminski is once again in demand, hearing the oft repeated question with a gig on offer, ‘Matt, are you interested?’ (https://plsn.com/articles/nextgen/matt-guminski/)
Alyssa Milione, Lighting Director/Programmer, got an early break when she was asked by Rob Koenig to be a lighting director for Move – Beyond – Live on Tour, with a design team that included production designer Butch Allen and lighting designer Peter Morse. She has worked steadily ever since. Milione has found her theater training a great asset as a lighting director. “Theater taught me about the subtlety and the decorum of a show. How sometimes it’s really small moves that make a really big difference. Because you can turn a light on at 100 percent and strobe it all day, but it’s not always as impactful as a single light that can do something really beautiful; something nuanced.” In regard to a skill needed in her job, “You have to be able to focus on just what you’re doing, but also see all of the hundred things that are going on around you; all of the different departments.” (https://plsn.com/articles/nextgen/alyssa-milione/)
Zionya Nolan, Audio Engineer, received recording equipment for Christmas when she was 16 and never looked back. She started mixing for local bands and volunteered at festivals to build up her skills. She was a stage tech for Rat Sound Systems on the 2016 Coachella Festival, which lead to Rat eventually sending her out on the 2017 Warped Tour. She now works with Eighth Day Sound and is the audio tech on the Earth, Wind, and Fire tour. As to being a woman on the road, “Sure, I’m used to being the only woman in the group sometimes, but you know what? I have seven brothers! So I think I was prepared for this industry perfectly,” she laughs. “Yes, there are challenges, but I do my best knowing that I’m part of the change.” Her advice to others: “Stay strong. Know who you are and what you want. Be humble — you’re never going to know everything, and that’s okay. Be open, because almost everyone is here to help you. And whatever chip you have on your shoulder? Get rid of it.” (https://fohonline.com/articles/parnelli-nextgen/zionya-nolan/)
Daniel Rehbein, Lighting Director/Designer, snuck up into the church balcony when he was in seventh grade to scope out the source of the poor sound. Using Yamaha’s The Sound Reinforcement Handbook he rebuilt the sound system. Along the way Rehbein’s plan shifted and he moved into lighting. He joined Bandit Lites in 2013 and has served as lighting director for Ben Rector and Amos Lee, was lighting designer/director for Old Crow Medicine Show’s 2017 tour. He has also worked with Sugarland and Brothers Osborne. A piece of advice he works by is, “from my first production manager, who talked to me about how our industry is so small and tight knit and that your word and your name are all you got — you have to protect that. I’ve turned down higher paying gigs because I had already committed to another gig. Some would say that’s crazy, but at the end of the day, you end up gaining respect and not losing your reputation.” (https://plsn.com/articles/nextgen/daniel-rehbein/)
Arica Rust, Audio Engineer, started by working parties and then got time in the warehouses of Know:Audio, JK Sound, and finally Sound on Stage. During time at the latter, she was FOH engineer for the Twin Peaks stage at Outside Lands festival. Rust has worked with many artists including Sarah McLachlan, Hillsong United, Seventeen, and Il Volo. It was during her time at Sound on Stage that she discovered her real passion was in systems engineering. “For me, it feels like the mix engineer is a painter painting this picture for the audience. But in order for the mix engineer to have the same painting for the audience every day, they have to have a blank canvas to work from. My job as a systems engineer is to create that blank canvas for the mix engineer and make sure that everyone in the audience has the same show regardless of how much they paid for their ticket.” (https://fohonline.com/archives/december-2020/parnelli-nextgen-arica-rust-2/)
