Biography

Smaida Māra Massatt worked as a lighting designer and electrician in the Chicago and Minneapolis areas. Originally from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, she obtained her B.S. in Business at St. Gregory’s University in Oklahoma (2017), and her MFA in Lighting Design at the University of Minnesota (2020).

She designed for dance, theatre, and opera, including James and the Giant Peach at the Minnesota Children’s Theatre Company, Die Fledermaus at Ted Mann Concert Hall, Pippin at the Rarig Center, Hot Crowd Dance Co.’s Spring Concert, and The White Card at Penumbra Theatre (as an associate designer).

She has worked as an assistant lighting designer at the Minnesota Opera, Theatre Latté Da, Interact Theater Company (Dowling Studio), and Minnesota's Children's Theatre Company. She has also worked in several capacities in numerous theaters and dance companies including Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Chicago Opera Theater, Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre, and Chicago Puppet Festival. She has taught frequently at Chicago’s Hyde Park Arts Center summer camp for children and teens, focusing on performing and visual arts.

Before working in technical production, she worked extensively in dance. She performed in numerous major theatres in Brazil, such as the Rio de Janeiro Opera House, the João Caetano Theatre, the International Festival of Joinville, and the Bradesco Theatre in São Paulo. She also helped promote, coordinate, and perform as an artist at the 2013 Rio de Janeiro World Youth Day, which was one of the most major international events ever to happen in her hometown.