Robe Chats - The Podcast

On this episode of Robe Chats - The Podcast, we're back at USITT and joined by the charismatic Bill Digneit, a creative leader and educator who serves as the Department Head and Professor of Theatre & Dance at Northern Michigan University. Additionally, Bill is the Director of SISU: The Innovation Institute at NMU, the founder of the fully inclusive audience experience "Theatre for All” program, and he has over a decade as Production Manager for LDI. But if that wasn't enough, Bill is also the co-founder of Double Trouble Entertainment, a Michigan-based production company, and he is a proud co-owner of DIGS Gastropub in downtown Marquette — where creativity and community come together. We get into it all.

On this episode of Robe Chats - The Podcast, recorded at Main Light South prior to the 3G acquisition, we sat down with Andrew Smith, Director of Operations at Pulse Lighting, where we chatted about his journey into the live production world; starting from a stalled culinary career and into the local music venue where his passion for design took flight. We also chat about his current role with Pulse Lighting and what it means to be a Director of Operations in a fast-paced world of not only live production, but also systems installation and architectural lighting. Check it out!

On this episode of Robe Chats - The Podcast we are joined by Main Light National Business Development Manager, Rick McKinney, in Nashville where we chat about his early days as a drummer/guitarist in the band Deep Root, how he started his career at Main Light and rose through the organization as it grew, and his home life as a farmer in Pennsylvania where his love of animals has led to raising chickens, goats, rabbits, dogs, cats, and his beloved potbelly pig, Taz. Check it out!

Prior to the 3G Productions acquisition of Main Light South in 2025, which now operates as 3G Nashville supporting its East coast operations, we sat with 3G CEO Keith Conrad to chat about how he first got started in the live production industry and how he has taken the helm of one of the most dynamic live event production providers in North America. We also dive into the nuances of leading a team and what it takes to be an effective leader in today's fast-paced production world, while having a laugh at the humbling effects of being a "girl-dad". Check it out!

Once again recording from the show floor at USITT, on this episode of Robe Chats - The Podcast we are joined by lighting designer Amy Lux who shares with us how her interests for both entertainment and architectural lighting turned into a long-lasting career with many unique design installations, including the  immersive, multimedia experiences at Meow Wolf, plus we chat about her multidisciplinary design and consultant firm LoboLux, and her founding of the Golden Ghostlight Runners, a tribe of industry pros who found a way to turn passion into purpose to support the Behind The Scenes Foundation.
https://goldenghostlightrunners.com/