When Rice University senior Jules Houston opened an email this summer from lecturer Weston Twardowski, they had to stop and reread it before believing what it said.
“I was at home with my parents making lunch when I got the email, and I just stared at it for a minute thinking, ‘Oh my God,’” Houston said. “Then I looked it up, saw my name on there and was ecstatic.”
The message confirmed Houston had been named a finalist for Best Lighting in the Houston Theater Awards for their work on “SPILL.”
“‘SPILL’ was my first professional design,” Houston said. “I did not imagine it would get any kind of publicity for me and especially not a finalist nomination.”
The show demanded quick problem-solving in a black box space that jumped between multiple settings. Projections by set designer Ryan McGettigan helped define locations, while Houston used light to ground the shifting scenes.
“For me, it’s about recognizing locations that repeat,” Houston said. “For example, the restaurant scene opened the show and returned at the end, so I knew it had to be a strong anchor point.”
The success of “SPILL” was the kind of opportunity Houston hoped for when they came to Rice. Growing up in Dallas, they were drawn to the university’s flexibility to study both theater and English while focusing on lighting design.
“It meant a lot to me to go to a school that had strong programs in the other things I was interested in,” Houston said. “There’s so much student theater happening all of the time. I’ve gotten the chance to advise and supervise lighting for a lot of student theater programs, which is a really cool experience that you aren’t really going to get anywhere else.”
Mark Krouskop, senior lecturer and theater production manager, said Houston’s impact on campus has been clear.
“Jules has always approached every project with curiosity and originality, finding new ways to express their ideas,” Krouskop said. “In productions, their dedication shines through in their persistence and willingness to put in extra effort to achieve the director’s vision. Jules has been an amazing student to have in my classes and to work with in their time here at Rice.”
Outside the classroom, Houston has gained experience that pushed their craft forward. They spent two summers with the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis as a festival electrician and spotlight operator, training alongside students from conservatory programs.
“I wouldn’t be where I am now without that experience,” Houston said. “It gave me the knowledge I needed to work at the Alley Theatre.”
This fall, Houston is designing lights for Rice Theatre’s production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” while also managing the box office and marketing.
“It’s my first show without another lighting design student who graduated in the spring, so it’s very exciting,” Houston said. “It’s a very quick turnaround for us, but I think it’s going to be a fun ride.”
Houston also will return to the Moody Center for the Arts in December for a photography-based staged reading tied to their success with “SPILL.”
For Houston, lighting is more than a technical craft. It’s an invisible force that makes stories resonate.
“Good design is something you really don’t notice, especially in lighting,” Houston said.
The finalist nod for “SPILL” was a turning point — recognition that their instincts and persistence could hold their own in the city’s professional theater scene.
“Lighting design is where I’m headed,” Houston said. “‘SPILL’ gave me my first professional credit and a foundation for what comes next.”