Local woman lights up room when on the job

Her job is exciting, creative and puts her in contact with famous stars and sports figures.

It also means lifting heavy lights, walking on catwalks 100 feet in the air and being really, really careful not to electrocute someone ... or herself.

Barbara Brennan is a lighting director and came to live in Las Vegas at a time when production jobs were here for the taking. She worked on TV shows like "Vega$," "Let's Make a Deal," "The Merv Griffin Show", as well as conventions and special events. She's done the lighting for "EFX," "Mystere," the Fremont Street Experience and basically, every hotel on the Strip.

It's a natural career for Brennan. Her father was a production carpenter on Broadway and worked on plays like "Mame," and "Sweet Charity."

"He would bring us into the theaters for Saturday matinees," she said. "We'd sit in the balcony or up in the lighting booth. It was neat."

After moving the family to Las Vegas, her dad started a lighting company. At first, Brennan worked in the office, answering phones and taking appointments. Her frustration at not being able to answer specific questions from clients led her to learn all she could about the on-site part of the business. Soon she was out on jobs, working beside her father and his crews. And loving every minute of it.

As far as training goes, she said, there isn't enough money to pay for the education she got by working alongside her dad and brothers on so many projects Las Vegas had going.

Brennan is now an independent contractor, president of her own company, and does all the lighting for ABC Sports' figure skating and was in Australia for the Olympics. Her assignment was to light the gymnastics and swimming competitions as well as the "Today" show. It was exciting, but it was also hard work.

"I was there for six weeks and had one day off," she said. "I was burning the candle at both ends."

There are very few women in her field. Most crews in Las Vegas know her, others at least her name -- she's won two Emmys for lighting.

But when working with new people, like a recent job in Europe, she has to set the tone right away. It was obvious when they met that the all-male crew in Nice, France wondered if she really knew what she was doing. So Brennan started off with a list of exactly what needed to be done and named specifics on amps, cable hookups and which lights went where. Things relaxed and went smoothly after that.

"When I first started with ABC, I got called 'The Girl,' " she said. "You have to prove yourself, as with any job."

Her latest gig was lighting a scene for Wesley Snipe's movie "Undisputed," shot at the Thomas & Mack center.

She expects to work the Salt Lake City Olympics and, after her experience in Australia, said there's a special air about the sports event.

"It's incredible, everyone coming together," she said, with a bright smile. "Sort of like there's hope for the world."