Ava Malia (she/her) is a Maui-based lighting design student going into her senior year at Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama.
Born and raised on the island of Maui, Hawai'i, Ava grew up surrounded by vibrant colors wherever she looked.
Ava began studying ballet at the age of three and spent most of her childhood taking classes with Alexander Academy of Performing Arts and Seabury Hall. As she continued to attend shows around Maui, she eventually fell in love with lighting design for its ability to manipulate human figures with color and shadow. She has found that having a technical background in ballet, contemporary, jazz, hip-hop, and hula has given her a great sense of rhythm and timing. Growing up surrounded by the vibrant natural colors found everywhere on Maui has also pushed her to think about theatrical lighting in abstract ways. Both of these experiences have greatly aided her education as a designer.
Studying lighting design at Carnegie Mellon University has given Ava a strong technical background in theatrical design. She has now worked as a lighting designer for theater and dance, a master electrician, a programmer, as well as an assistant designer and master electrician. Working in these roles has given Ava the tools she needs to be a successful member of any production. Ava has also been a production intern for the American Dance Festival, where she was able to sharpen her skills outside of the University. She loved working in different roles with different companies, but specifically, working as a programmer for Alonzo King's LINES Ballet has opened her eyes to what it means to be a designer in a professional dance context.
After graduation, Ava hopes to work with a dance company or concert artist and is very open to touring.
Along with lighting design, Ava has been interested in film and photography for as long as she can remember. She has spent countless hours shooting and editing, and is working towards fulfilling a minor in photography at Carnegie Mellon. She mostly works with her Digital Fujifilm X-10, but has also spent a fair amount of time studying the process of black and white film shooting and development. This passion has further pushed how she approaches her work.
Outside of the theater, Ava enjoys hiking, dancing, and traveling to new places.