Student and Parent
For 14-year-old Zane Pihlstrom the inspiration for his ultimate career choice came as he watched a production of Phantom of the Opera. He was so taken with the production that he went back three times. He knew right then, without a doubt in his mind, that he wanted to design and build sets for theatre productions. He also knew his dream was a long way from fruition.

Zane’s father Dean saw the opportunity in Zane’s enthusiasm. Zane was eager, motivated, and intelligent enough to begin understanding the hows and whys of set design and construction, he just did not yet have the skills to actually accomplish the building.

But Dean did have the skills and so for three years Zane worked and learned at his father’s side. At first Zane learned how to use the tools and read the plans, then he took drawings provided by set designers and made plans, ordering lumber and pounding nails.

Before long, father Dean was working beside son Zane, and in 1998 at age 17, Zane was commissioned to design as well as build a set for the community theatre production of Getting Away with Murder. Then came Man of La Mancha, The Diary of Anne Frank, and Guys and Dolls.

Today you will find Zane designing sets for the Theatre Department of DePaul University in Chicago, where he is majoring in Set Design. His portfolio and curriculum vita were so impressive as a freshman that the department took the unusual step of assigning him the design for a lab theatre production of Cat On A Hot Tin Roof. Then, when a sophomore, he was given an assignment to design one of the mainstage productions, Anna Karenina.

Zane’s dream was nothing that some dedication, hard work, supportive parenting, and community opportunity couldn’t deliver.