From the Whitefish Performing Arts Center to Under the Big Sky, local business owner Cole Pierce of emberGlow Productions has been behind the scenes, orchestrating light shows of both intimate and massive proportions.  

Pierce’s journey with lights production goes back to an elementary drama requirement.  

“I didn’t want to memorize lines, so I chose production,” Pierce said.  “Lighting seemed interesting because you can see and visualize the work going into it.”  

Pierce stuck with theater. By eighth grade at Whitefish Middle School, he had become an expert on lighting at the Performing Arts Center. He’d get summoned out of class to assist, because “no one seemed to know how to run it,” he said.  

While at Glacier High School, he took charge of lighting for Fresh Life Church in Kalispell. When he was a sophomore, a connection invited him to assist with lighting for an Oscars after-party in California.  

It was a break-through experience.  

“It opened my mind up, and made me choose it as a career, over being an [airline] pilot,” Pierce said.  

By graduation, Pierce was already touring across the country doing events. He considered going to college for technical theater, but many advised him, “it’s really all about who you know,” so he took business classes remotely instead. 

He and his wife moved to Los Angeles for a year and “hated it,” he said. They then moved to South Carolina for four years before returning to Whitefish in 2020 after they had their first daughter. They now have three children ages 6, 4 and 2.  

The goal with moving home was to be close to family while building the local focus of emberGlow Productions.  

“I knew it was a good market to provide lighting equipment that nobody else in the state has,” Pierce said.  

Now, Pierce continues to travel while building up a schedule of local events. 

Two weeks ago, he did lights at an anime expo in California. Last week he went to Seattle for an ice show. This week at Under the Big Sky is an annual experience to go big, at home.  

Pierce prepares for larger events like music festivals for months, programming software and rendering visuals of the entire show beforehand. This weekend, he’ll direct the stage crew on the Big Mountain stage to bring it all together.  

“I like being able to see the vision come to life, especially with all the planning and programming going into it,” he said.  

Many shows require planning out rigging points, and how much weight is hanging. Often, it’s required to check with an engineer to make sure the equipment setup meets standards. 

After finalizing the lighting design, Pierce also has to calculate how much cable and power he is going to need.  

Each small part adds up to a satisfying creation process.  

“I do it because I enjoy it, more so than the wow factor,” Pierce said. “I’m the type of person where I don’t really care about famous people.”  

When it comes to smaller events like corporate parties and weddings, Pierce often works with the client to fish out what kind of ambience they want, all on a budget.  

While some people have an exact vision, many do not understand the cost of lighting, he explained.  

Each piece of equipment, like a singular moving light, might cost $10-15,000 each, and an event like one stage at Under the Big Sky might need about 40 pieces.  

Driving a truck with the equipment to the venue is a costly part of the job. 

While the budgeting element keeps him on his toes, the connections made are worthwhile in the lighting business.  

“In school I was always focused on what I was going to college for, or what I was planning to do,” Pierce said. “And honestly, I don’t think I’ve used any bit of my schooling. And I enjoy what I do every day. There’s a lot of jobs out there.  

“And that’s what I’m trying to teach my kids – to keep your mind open to opportunities and the people you’ll meet. It’s all about knowing who you’re working with and keeping those relationships. 

“And realizing, there’s people behind all the little things you don’t think about it.” 

Editor Kelsey Evans can be reached at 406-862-3505 or [email protected]. If you value local journalism, pledge your support at whitefishpilot.com/support.

    Cole Pierce's lighting business is called emberGlow Productions. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot)