Xander Setchko

Xander Setchko is a whimsical theatrical electrician and designer currently based in Philadelphia, PA. They have a particular love for immersive art, lighting design, and technical work. Overall, he loves to help make art happen, whether that be through an artistic or technical capacity!

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In the spring of 2024, he graduated from Vassar College with a Bachelor of Arts in Drama, focusing in design & technical work. At Vassar, they worked on the Drama Department Electrics Crew for 4 years. They were promoted to Head Intern for their last 2 years, making them responsible for leading shifts and training novice crew members. He was also devoted to sharing knowledge and resources with others outside of work; during their time as president of the Vassar College Alliance of Theater Technicians, they initiated, created, coordinated, and led a series of beginner workshops about theater tech & design.

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His skills have grown exponentially in the past two years; following his graduation, he worked as an Electrics Apprentice at The Glimmerglass Festival in Cooperstown, NY, where he expanded and honed his electrician skills. They worked a large-scale load-in, hangs, daily focuses for 5 shows in the same space (twice per day for two-show days) and strike. He built and maintained set electrics to rep, including soldering LED tape, configuring wireless fixtures, and wiring practicals. For tech and show runs, they worked as a spotlight operator, and when he returned to The Glimmerglass Festival as a Staff Electrician in 2025, he took on additional roles as light board operator, deck electrician, and had the responsibility of leading and teaching apprentices on projects throughout the season.

 

Since September 2024, Xander has been working as a freelance overhire electrician, master electrician, assistant lighting designer, and spotlight operator in Philadelphia.​ No matter the type of project, Xander is deeply attentive to details; whether it be planning a hundred miniature wiring projects, or being in charge of tracking and counting a massive rental order during a load-out. He loves the rush of summer stock and large-scale productions-- as well as the scrappier, smaller productions that push him to solve perplexing problems in creative ways.

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Xander is consistently curious, attentive, and eager to learn. They love collaborating with others and pride themselves on their positive attitude. In his spare time, he likes to doodle and hang out in nature.