I only met Tharon a few times, but her influence on the lighting industry was immense. I would love to hear comments from folks out there about what her loss means to you both personally and professionally.

I had the pleasure of interviewing with Ms. Musser when she was at the Mark Taper Forum in LA as an assistant. I did not get the job, but she was instrumental in my, and many other women of the time, pursuing a career in lighting and lighting design. In a mainly man’s field, it was encouraging to have the input of such a talented, innovative and well respected woman in the lighting field. She will be missed by myself and any women of the 60’s and 70’s that owe their careers to Ms. Musser.

I never met Tharon but she was very important to me. I also went to Berea College and focused in lighting design, often working in our black box called: “The Musser.” I always found her life story inspirational. As I have struggled both designing and doing electrical work in what, still sometimes feel like a male-centered field, I often think of her. At a time when Berea College had no theatre department to speak of, Tharon directed, stage managed and did lighting design–at the same time–by putting light bulbs in coffee cans and working with the resources available to her. She was always a visionary.

I only heard her speak once and I took away a very valuable lesson.
She was speaking to lighting design students and she was talking about her approach to a project.
She said she had to get to know it well and she had to make a connection with it that would guide her design thinking; her words were that she needed to find a place to “hang her hat”.
I have always remembered this and I too always need to have that link of understanding and find my place to hang my own hat.
THANK YOU, THARON.