Izaak Kary (BFA Scenic Design ‘26) is a recent graduate of The Theatre School at DePaul University. Shortly after graduating, Izaak moved to California to join Walt Disney Imagineering — the creative force behind Disney’s larger-than-life theme park experiences. Read more to hear Izaak’s time at the Theatre School and how it launched his career in theme park design.

When did you first develop interest in scenic design? 
I got into scenic design with the intent of someday working in theme park design. I was into the idea that a job existed where a person can create worlds that people can experience. In theatre, set designers get to develop visual languages and participate in the play's storytelling through form, symbols and color. I like to think of a theatrical set as its own character that grows and changes throughout the course of the play. If a character is overwhelmed, the set can reflect that through clutter or visual chaos. If someone is experiencing loneliness, the set might be used to dwarf and isolate them. etc. A big draw for me to theatre in particular was the mixture of technical skill, real-world research and creative artistry required to tell a story.

Why did you decide to apply to The Theatre School and what was your journey getting there like? 
I decided to apply to The Theatre School because I knew I wanted a quality education that would let me work with my hands and learn from active professionals. A lot of other theatre and design schools in the country don't allow undergraduates to design until grad school. During the pandemic, I spent so many hours tracking people down who were out working in the themed entertainment industry and meeting with them on Zoom and Google Meet, and the general consensus was to either go into engineering —  which would provide me with a ton of technical and mechanical skills I did not have, or go into theatre — which would teach me the art of physical and emotional storytelling.

I got waitlisted from DePaul and was pretty much resolved to just stay at home in Arizona and commute to ASU studying industrial design, until I eventually got a call —  mind you, months after college decision day had come and gone — and TTS wanted me!

What is an Imagineer? What do they do?
In Walt Disney’s own terms, Imagineering is "the blending of creative imagination and technical know-how" - Walt Disney

Anything in any Disney theme park, resort, cruise line, or vacation destination is conceived and designed by the Imagineers. There are over 140 different disciplines all under the Imagineering title, so things like architecture, engineering, interiors, landscaping, color and paint, dimensional design, show set design, lighting design, and production all work in collaboration with one another to achieve the intended goal of a themed entertainment destination or experience. That being said, there is no clear answer to what one Imagineer does.

I am currently working in the color and paint design department, which specializes in paint treatments, color boards, model paint and visual aesthetics for theme parks. Every single day has been different, some days I get to help with digital color boards in Photoshop, other days I work on physical models and maquettes. As the new kid, I have been getting pulled from project to project, which has been so fascinating to see all of the different parts of the huge, beautiful machine that is Disney.

How did you become an Imagineer?
I applied to their internship program using the portfolio that I had developed during my time at DePaul, and as luck would have it, they saw it and wanted me.

What is it like to work as an Imagineer, and what skills do you need for the position? 
This job is literally a dream come true! For the work that I am doing, I am using a host of fine art skills, including color mixing, paint application and extreme attention to detail. Photoshop skills and the ability to read and interpret schematic drafting have also come in handy!

What are some similarities and differences between theatrical scenic design and theme park design? 
I mean, at their cores, they are essentially the same: both employ visual storytelling techniques to evoke audience emotions. For a play, you have significantly more control over the tight stage picture, and you can basically manipulate audiences into looking at certain things and receiving subliminal messaging about the underlying themes of the story. In a theme park, the guests are free to roam around the space that you have provided them. They can touch things, eat things, and look under things —  luxuries not afforded to many theatre audiences. The middle ground between theatrical set design and theme park design is the ever nebulous immersive theatre. When I worked on the immersive production The Lieutenant's Dream, which was my final production at TTS as the principal scenic designer, we were able to deliver on all of the same things that you get in a standard theatre show — costumes, stages, sit-down experiences, etc. but the audiences experienced the manufactured world and actually traveled through it. Now, a theme park, especially within the context of Disney, has a bit more factors it has to consider. For example, the runtime for Mr. Toad's Wild Ride is not just 3 weeks before it gets torn down; it's been open, running daily, since the 50s. Everything designed and built for a theme park is meant to last 10, 20, 30 years with as little maintenance required as possible. The paint color on roof tiles should be able to withstand all sorts of weather without losing their brilliance or hue. The props within reaching distance of guests should be able to hold up against thousands of people touching them every single day of the year.

What were some ways TTS prepared you for a position at Disney? 
All of the hands-on projects and productions I was able to be involved with during my time in college prepared me for this position. Every art and design class I took fed, in some way, into the work that I am doing now. In my opinion, though, the main thing that TTS championed was collaboration. I get that that sounds like the uncool, cheap —  "the real education was the friends we made along the way" —  answer, but it's so true. Getting to work with so many talented designers and artists to push a show through to the end was invaluable to my education as an artist and collaborator.