Chester, a 2014 graduate and now a New York-based lighting designer, shaped the show’s world from behind the scenes, while 2004 graduate Spivey, a seasoned actor fresh off a national tour of Clue, took center stage as Officer Lockstock. Both alumni found themselves mentoring students in ways that mirrored their early days at Modlin.

For Chester, the journey into lighting design started almost by accident. “I tried to sign up for Theater Appreciation to fill a general ed requirement, but everything was full,” she said.

Her advisor suggested a production studies class. “I showed up and realized too late that it was a core class for theater majors.”

That turned out to be a defining moment. After working on the crew for a student production of Rent, where she operated a spotlight from the rafters high above the stage, Chester discovered a passion for lighting. “I liked that lighting could shape a story without being obvious. If you're doing your job right, people don't notice the lights, they just feel the impact.”

Chester said returning this year to work on Urinetown — a musical satire in which a water shortage forces a town’s residents to use public restrooms — felt both familiar and exciting. “The Jepson Theatre is bigger than many Broadway stages,” she said. “Modlin’s resources are incredible. Coming back was a little intimidating, but it felt like coming full circle.” Her Broadway credits include Ohio State Murders featuring singer/actress Audra McDonald and Appropriate with Sarah Paulson.

Chester’s design emphasized the show’s darker environmental themes, using unsettling greens and yellows even in lighter moments. “Even in the funny or romantic moments, there’s an ugly green and yellow undertone, suggesting that all wasn’t well underneath the surface,” she said. “I wanted to highlight the underbelly of a world falling apart.”

Through the eyes of a mentor

Spivey stepped back into Modlin as a professional actor after two decades away. His connection to the production was a “happy accident of timing,” he said. His most recent play ended Feb. 28, and Holland emailed him asking if he’d be interested in joining the cast with rehearsals starting March 2. “It just lined up perfectly,” he said.

Spivey’s time back on the Modlin stage sparked a mix of emotions. “I thought it would feel like putting on an old sweater, but it was startling in ways I didn’t expect. You’re seeing everything through the eyes of who you are now, not the kid you were,” he said. “It’s bittersweet as you miss the unbridled optimism you didn’t even know you had.”

Both Chester and Spivey embraced the mentorship roles, working alongside students. Chester guided student crews through the complexities of executing a full lighting design under tight timelines. “It was really cool to have one of the students I worked with step up as an assistant, just like I once did,” Chester said.

Spivey, who was one of three professional guest artists hired under an Actors’ Equity contract for the show, admired the students’ ability to juggle it all. “They were writing papers, prepping for finals, traveling for Ultimate Frisbee nationals – and doing a full musical,” said Spivey. “It was really impressive.”

Both credited Richmond’s liberal arts model for preparing them for their performing arts careers.

“A liberal arts education teaches you how to learn, and that’s invaluable,” Spivey said. “As an actor, you constantly dive into worlds you know nothing about. Richmond gave me the tools to do that.”

Chester, who also designs lighting for dance performances, agreed. “The department didn’t just teach me lighting,” said Chester, who noted that those experiences led to internships in New York and ultimately to graduate school at New York University to deepen her technical knowledge. “It taught me how to think, how to problem-solve creatively and how to adapt. That made all the difference.”

Returning for Urinetown reunited them with faculty who had encouraged them toward the careers they now lead. “To come back and work with Dorothy on her final show after she directed my first? That’s really special,” Chester said.

“That’s the magic of this place. They saw things in us before we saw them in ourselves.”