While some speculate that Iowa State’s women’s basketball team will become a formidable force for years to come, there is one dynasty already in place at Iowa State. For the second year in row, an ISU student has won the Barbizon Award for Excellence in Lighting.

Chris Mannes, senior in performing arts, took home this year’s prize for his design for the ISU Theatre production of “Scaramouche.” Last year’s Barbizon winner was Spring ’99 graduate Ray Steveson, who is now an assistant lighting designer at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis. Steveson won the award for the repertorial productions of “Macbeth” and “A Poke in the Eye.”

The award is given out in conjunction with the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival and recognizes the best lighting design in the region. Mannes will travel to Washington, D.C., along with the seven other regional winners to compete for the national prize.

Mannes said winning the award helps validate the time and effort he has put into lighting over the years.

“For me, the award is reassurance that I can actually do what it is I want to do,” Mannes said. “It’s nice to know that other people think I can design lights; it tells me I’m doing the right thing.”

The Barbizon Awards are given out at the closing ceremonies of the festival, and Mannes said it made for a nerve-racking evening.

“I had seen the other entries, heard the respondents talk. I had a feeling I had a pretty good chance,” Mannes said. “Still, when they made the announcement, sitting in that big auditorium, I had goose bumps.”

At the regional festival, participating designers put up a display consisting of a lighting plot and photos from the show. Festival respondents look at and comment on each display and offer criticism for the designers.

Due to the abstract nature of lighting, Mannes feels he had to do something different with his display.

“A lot of entries do just what the judges ask for,” Mannes says. “Lighting is hard to capture with just paperwork and pictures. My display ended up as more of a collage. I wanted to show what ‘Scaramouche’ was as a show.”

During his time at Iowa State, Mannes has designed lights for numerous other shows, including “Pentecost,” “Bye Bye Birdie” and “Into the Woods.” He entered his design for “Dancing at Laughnasa” in the 1996 competition, but didn’t win.

“Last year Gregg [Henry, director of ISU Theatre] wanted me to enter ‘Pentecost,” Mannes said. “This year was important because it was my last chance.”

Mannes went on to admit that competitiveness may have also led him to enter this year’s contest.

“I admire [Steveson]; he was the only other real lighting designer here,” Mannes says. “There was always a little competition, very good-natured. When he won, I said ‘give me my chance.’ It seems to be turning out for the best.”

Jim Trenberth, assistant professor of theatre, said that having back-to-back winners is a sign that he and the other instructors are doing a good job.

“On one level, it reinforces that we’re teaching the right things,” Trenberth said. “Other people see the value in what we’re teaching the students. It also serves as a recruiting tool. It lets other people in the region know ISU is doing good stuff.”

Trenberth also suggests that the award may pay dividends for the winner down the road.

“[Winning the Barbizon] opens up job opportunities for the student,” Trenberth said. “[Steveson] probably would not have gone to the Guthrie if it were not for winning the Barbizon.”

Mannes is also hopeful that the award may lead to work in the future.

“Winning the award is not as helpful as meeting the people associated with the awards,” Mannes added. “I made r‚sum‚s available [at my display], and a bunch are gone. One gentleman from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln wanted to talk to me about grad school.”

Mannes says he is most grateful for the opportunity to interact with the professional designers who serve as judges for the competitions. Mannes’ judge at the regional festival was Tony Award-winner Beverly Emmons, whose Broadway lighting design credits include “Annie Get Your Gun” and “Jekyll & Hyde.”

“At the regional festival I got a lot of input from professionals out there,” Mannes said. “By moving on to the national festival, I get the option to talk to even more people. It’s all about what people you meet and what connections you make.”

While he is among a group of only eight who will compete in Washington, D.C., Mannes won’t speculate on his chances of winning.

“I’m not that concerned with how I do at the nationals,” Mannes said. “I’ve never been outside our region, so I don’t know what the other designs are going to be like. Wish me luck.”