KEEPING UP WITH THE MASTERS!

The TEA Masters of Their Craft program recognizes the achievements of individuals — the artists, writers, producers, engineers and craftspeople with distinguished careers who’ve made significant and enduring contributions to the industry through their expertise, innovation, leadership, and mentorship.  


The TEA Masters program recognizes a small number of individuals each year, whose skills epitomize the highest standards within their disciplines and who have used those skills to advance their field and the themed entertainment industry. Each TEA Master has built a body of work over decades that demonstrates consistent quality and execution. Often unknown except among their peers and collaborators, TEA Masters help create visceral stories, rides, attractions, events, and places that thrill, delight, and educate guests worldwide.
 
Although the TEA Masters, by definition, are well along in their careers and some have even retired, many Masters are actively creating new marvels around the world. Others are pursuing personal creative and education projects. And all of the Masters remain passionate about sharing their well-honed skills and career lessons with those interested in entering the industry or wanting to learn more about its various aspects. 
 
We want to tell those stories.
 
This column contains news of the ongoing activities, achievements and adventures of the TEA Masters around the world. These are the stories of real people who, like all of us, have personal stories to tell: an honor outside of their specialty, an art gallery or technology showcase, enjoying new places and experiences with family and friends or taking a well-deserved retirement trip.
 
This is Keeping up with the Masters!

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KEEPING UP WITH TEA MASTER FRANK WEIGAND

TEA Master Frank Weigand had the honor of participating in the TEA Table Talk program at Cal Poly Pomona on February 3. As a follow up, he gave a virtual talk on his experience in themed entertainment to a group of students at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo on February 21. Frank also speaks informally to high school classes and participates as a judge for FIRST Robotics competitions. Frank continues to work for TWT, the engineering consulting firm he founded in 2000. Besides theme park attractions and large safety-critical industrial equipment, Frank has gotten to participate in the design and construction of exhibits for science museums in Los Angeles and Chicago, which involved working directly with several Nobel laureates and MacArthur Award recipients. When not consumed by engineering activities, Frank enjoys cycling, tennis, and hanging out with his daughters and two teen-aged grandchildren.

Learn even more about Frank in this documentary celebrating the work of the legendary Disney Imagnineer, Frank Weigand: Engineering a Dream.

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KEEPING UP WITH TEA MASTER
​PHILIP VAUGHAN!

TEA Master Philip Vaughan is an accomplished designer, and contemporary artist.  Although he is retired from Walt Disney Imagineering and his design company Vertex Productions, he continues to practice his craft, and he has just completed a run of some of his latest pieces as a Featured-Artist at the Los Angeles Art Fair. His work is represented in LA by bG Gallery, part of the recently re-invigorated Bergamot Station cluster of galleries.  

Philip’s art provides a stunning look at structure of natural forms in multiple materials including kinetic sculpture incorporating neon tubes!   He is truly an illuminating artist, artisan and creator as he continuously moves through different motifs, and shows his work in multiple venues.  Just before this show, his work was displayed in downtown LA at Face A Gallery and he has done proposals for major outdoor pieces with his daughter Hannah Vaughan (also an artist) as well as Frank Weigand and Lisa Passamonte Green, both TEA Masters... 
He continues to contribute his art, AND even more importantly, his wisdom and guidance, to those interested in the field and it will always be a little difficult to keep up with him!! 

​His recent work “Bluedrop2”, in the Venice Family Clinic auction in Playa Vista

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TEA MASTER LANNY SMOOT PRESENTS THE “DISTINGUISHED SPEAKER” TALK AT CAL POLY POMONA

TEA Masters Chair Lanny Smoot presented, “A Career in Engineering and the Joy of Invention,” at Cal Poly Pomona on March 14th 2023 as part of the school’s “Distinguished Speaker” Series. Over 200 students and faculty attended the event. At the end of his talk, the TEA Next Gen members of the audience (previously presented to at their own TEA Masters event) asked whether they could take a joint photo …of course!!!!
 
Besides being the current TEA Masters Chairperson, Lanny is a Disney Research Fellow at Walt Disney Imagineering where he plies his talent for using advanced technology in support of storytelling; and he has been doing so for almost 25 years.   
 
When people ask what it is about technology and inventing that drives him, he feels that it is curiosity as to whether a thing can be done; and when thinking about it for the Theme Parks, whether it will create surprise and joy. 

Cal Poly Pomona welcomed TEA Masters Chair Lanny Smoot for a presentation on “Engineering and the Joy of Invention.”

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KEEPING UP WITH TEA MASTER JOE FALZETTA!
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Lighting is his trade; but more important, TEA Master Joe Falzetta is a master of creating emotion with light. His work in attraction lighting has “lit the way” for myriad seminal attractions at the Walt Disney Parks worldwide for many years.
 
Joe derived his love of theatrical entertainment while growing up in Italy. At first it was “the Show” that interested young Joe, and he started as a theater stage director. This gave him the instincts for what makes a play – or an attraction – hit a heartstring.
 
As his interests focused, and having moved to the US, Joe took advantage of new opportunities that the larger stage provided and spent time learning and perfecting his craft with formal university studies. These augmented his innate talent and gave him some of the technical tools needed to excel.
 
And then, in 1980, Joe was hired by Walt Disney Imagineering (then WED Enterprises) to work on the lighting for Epcot Center. The lights haven’t dimmed since.
 
Recently Joe sat down with Mel McGowan at Storyland for a video interview.

Watch Joe's Interview!

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TEA MASTERS TABLETALK PRESENTATION AT CALIFORNIA POLYTECHNIC STATE UNIVERSITY, POMONA 
FEB. 3, 2023
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​TEA NextGen students at Cal Poly Pomona asked the TEA Masters to conduct a “TableTalk” event, similar to the one held at UNLV for SATE 2022. TEA Master Bonnie Sinclair (heading up the Masters Education Committee) swung into action and worked with the NextGens and TEA administrator Terry Lacson and Masters Chair Lanny Smoot, to provide a panel that met the Students’ needs.  
 
The evening event on February 3, 2023 was a success. Eight TEA Masters attended the event at CPP’s Bronco Student Center. The program was divided into two sections: Masters first told their individual stories, followed by a roundtable session allowing students to talk with the Masters in small groups.
 
The event was attended by some fifty students. The response has been tremendous, and the TEA Masters are currently planning to take the TableTalk format on the road to other education programs. 

TEA Masters Alfredo Ayala, Adam Bezark, Phil Bloom, Joe Falzetta, John Lindsay, Rick Rothschild, Lanny Smoot, Frank Weigand and Phillip Vaughan represented the TEA. 

After the stage panel, the Masters broke out into small-group tables to support direct interactions with the students.   

The affair was enjoyed by the young learners and the Masters, and sparked interest at other schools to have the Masters visit and share our experiences.  

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KEEPING UP WITH TEA MASTER TRACY ECK

After a long and truly amazing career, TEA Master (and Co-Chair of the TEA Masters), Tracy Eck retired from her position at Walt Disney Imagineering as Art Director for Disneyland Paris, earlier this year. During her storied career, she has been the guiding hand for the overall look of the Park AND for keeping it fresh and always looking its best.

Although it is certain that she will continue to be a creator and Master of her craft, she and her husband have decided to take a little break, after a busy career, to do some travel.

New Zealand was a must-visit and here my husband and I are enjoying scenic Murawai. It is a moving time to be in Murawai - the area was badly hit by a recent cyclone. We saw the courage and strength of the New Zealanders here as they rebuild their lives.

Other highlights of the trip include the “bathing suits optional” beach on Waiheke Island (sorry, no photos), biking on Lake Wanaka and hiking at Lake Tekapo.

In Wellington, we toured Weta Workshop- an exciting and creative environment that reminds me of Imagineering. The talented Richard Taylor and Tania Rodger regaled me with stories of their trip to Eurodisneyland in 1992.

I am awed by the beauty of the country, the vast open spaces and the sky. Imagine a country with virtually no fast food chaines, delicious homemade food and wine in small local cafés and restaurants.

When I was first hired at WDI, a colleague told me that from this day forward, I would never go through a day without seeing something Disney related. I generally found that to be true, but not in New Zealand! What a perfect place to slow down and disconnect.