“I’ve used Matt Kizer’s Theatre Virtual Labs for years with both my tech theatre and acting students. The lighting labs are an easy way to introduce design concepts when physical equipment isn’t available, and the directing and stage management tools have helped my actors understand blocking, cue calling, and production flow.
What stands out most is the reliability. Anytime I’ve had login issues, Matt was just a phone call away and jumped in to help right away. That kind of support matters, especially during busy teaching weeks.
I’d recommend this program to everyone from first-year teachers building their curriculum to veteran educators looking to enhance what they already do. The lesson plans are clear but flexible, and they’re easy to adapt to your own classroom needs.”-Justin Thomas
“I LOVE your resources!!! Thank you!”
-Amanda Carroll
“Matt Kizer is a genius! He has created so many resources that speak to the needs of students. Modern students need a place to learn by experimenting and playing. His digital resources give students a very realistic approach to learning the concepts of technical design without having expensive equipment at their finger tips. He makes lighting and sound design equitable and drives curiosity. His articles are also wonderful first-hand resources for students to engage with theatre.”
-Laura Fontana
“My middle schoolers enjoy your labs. Thank you for sharing your creation!”
-Erika Sellin
“You have helped me teach for years with these [labs]!”
-Kathryn Imogen Nicholson
“[These labs] are brilliant for schools!”
-Sally Elizabeth
“So grateful for your light labs! Incredibly useful for teaching! Thank you.”
-Cayte McCarthy
“Thank you for these labs! I use them with my tech class!”
-Bob Bush
“These [labs] are great teaching tools!”
-Troy Snyder
“I used your lighting tools when I was teaching at Meredith College and UNCW… you are making a difference in the theatrical world at probably every level – and by extension the world at large. Cheers!”
-Michael Allen
“Thank you for this instructional video. As a newbie to directing community theater this video outlines the terms used to communicate effectively to the lighting designer.”
-Susan Klein
“You’re a total godsend! I’ve volunteered at my local community theater and high school to make sets pieces, but I am very excited to start utilizing some of these techniques for the future!”
-Ashley Ellis
“I love using [The Drama Machine] in my Theater unit for Intro to Humanities. I pass it along whenever I meet another Theatre educator. Thank you for making it!”
-Brian Dembkoski
“I was watching [your video about storybook panels], fascinated then I recognized your site and saw you’re theeee Matt Kizer! You are a hero! Thank you for helping make light design more accessible to my students.”
-Emily Shpiece
“I love your programs. I use [them] to teach junior high drama and stagecraft students about lighting systems since we don’t have our own.”
-Stephanie McKoy
“I use your labs with my tech students to get them sketching out lighting design concepts! That way they have a plan going in to programming since we have limited programming time in the space.”
-Michelle Freneaux Chassaing
“I’ve used your dance lab with every class I’ve had since 2020 for their hypothetical production design and I happened to stumble across you [after] googling whether online lighting design existed – thank you so so much!”
-Ruby Pinkerton
“I have used [your labs] to help young designers and choreographers design together. Great resource!”
-Peggy Nelson Sannerud
“My intro to lighting unit wouldn’t exist without you.”
-Tim Berringer
“I use [your lab] with my students every year. Thanks for the great resource!”
-Laura McLendon Darce
“My students do a project using your labs! Thank you for providing this awesome resource.”
-Liberty Ward
“I share your labs whenever I teach workshops about lighting. You have done such a wonderful job creating something that can be used on ANY PLATFORM and we need this in schools now more than ever! Thank you so much, Matt.”
-Kearston Dillard Scott
“WOW! I have been struggling to teach Tech and this is going to be a game changer.”
-Mac Smitty
“I have used your labs for every lighting design unit I have ever taught. I hope you feel the thanks I send every time I introduce it.”
-Katrina Gene
“This [lab] is a dream! I can’t wait to use it with my middle school theater students.”
-Jennifer Starkey