EVANSVILLE, IND. (08/28/2023)
Lizzie Tredinnick ’18 will always remember her time at the University of Evansville (UE). The theatre design major knew that UE was the place to call home for her college years from the moment she stepped on campus.
“I really enjoyed the area and liked how easily accessible campus was,” said Tredinnick. “I remember having my interview in Chicago with the late John David Lutz and Sharla Cowden and just remember I got a good feeling from both of them, the connections they had were extremely important.”
Originally born in Minneapolis, Tredinnick spent most of her childhood in Madison, Wisconsin. She said Evansville’s name came up numerous times when she was looking around at institutions to study at.
“I knew I was looking for a smaller school that did not have a theatre graduate program, and my mother who has many connections to the theatre world had asked around what is a small school with a good reputation, and Evansville came up quite a few times and after doing several tours of schools, I really liked the vibe of Evansville,” said Tredinnick.
During her time at UE, Tredinnick was focused on advancing her academic and her real-world experiences. She held several internships including with Hope Summer Repertory Theatre in Holland, Michigan, and the Williamstown Theatre Festival in Massachusetts.
After graduation, her work would take her to New York City, where she helped in various roles working for the Hello, Dolly! Production.
“UE connections helped me get there,” explained Tredinnick. She continued to pursue her dreams and eventually began working for Evergreene Architectual Arts by focusing on removing latex boring paints to reveal original finishes at the downtown Chicago Cultural Center.
“It was a fun contrast to work on something that will be there for years and years,” she said.
Eventually, Tredinnick landed a gig working as a painter in the scene shop at the Santa Fe Opera. She is currently swapping between that job and as an Assistant Scenic Artist with the Children’s Theatre Company (CTC) in Minneapolis. She started at the CTC in 2022, which remains the flagship theatre for young audiences in North America.
Tredinnick said she loves the work she does because it makes an impact on not only her life, but the lives of those around her.
“It’s nice to be able to create something that goes on stage and tells the story, I enjoy being a part of that story,” said Tredinnick. “Having a hand in the setting is awesome for the kids that see it and follow along and are interacting by asking questions and going home and asking questions and learning about the world around them, that’s really something I love.”
That transformation of a set is something Tredinnick said makes each day unique.
“I love it because you can fully transform something into something that looks different and really cool, it’s like having a magic wand in the shape of the paintbrush and I have a lot of fun strategizing the best way to make this happen and make it look like something that is different,” Tredinnick said.
