A Child of Light: Staging Tesla's Story in the City Where He Became Chief Electrician
| Timeline: | Dec 2-14, 2015 | |
| School: | AIT at Budapest University of Technology and Economics | |
| Course: | Independent Theatre Project |
When I decided to study Computer Science abroad in Budapest during the fall of my junior year, I knew it would be a challenge. I was fully immersed in new courses, attempting to learn Hungarian, and navigating Europe for the first time amidst the Syrian refugee crisis. For some reason, I thought that wasn’t enough of a challenge. So, naturally, I decided it was the perfect time to write, direct, produce, and perform in my own original play, A Child of Light. What could go wrong?
The Grand Undertaking: From Script to Stage in a Flash
My play, A Child of Light, explored the life of Nikola Tesla, from his tumultuous birth during a thunderstorm to his complex relationship with Thomas Edison. The script delved into themes of light versus darkness, faith versus science, and the relentless pursuit of innovation. Tesla’s mother, Đuka, even proclaims about him at his birth, “No. He will be a child of light”. My personal favorite line, given my later career, was Nikola’s musing:
💬 NIKOLA:
This energy, like God, is a universal constant in nature. Light, whether from the Sun or a candle, is just electromagnetic radiation. The Earth itself is surrounded by an enormous electromagnetic cloud. Perhaps this energy is God’s purest manifestation, and we, being made partially of metal, exist in an eternal state of fluctuation between repulsion and attraction to Him.
It was a deeply personal exploration based on his biography by Sean Patrick, and I was determined to bring it to life. Finding a venue in a foreign city, with limited time and resources, proved to be an unexpected hurdle. I reached out to five community theatres, and only Ivan from Hátsó Kapu—which was technically a bar with a stage—was willing to let me put on the show (understandable, given I was a student with no professional experience).
💡 Why this story?
Although not his best known achievement, for roughly 2 years Tesla lived in Budapest, where he was promoted to chief electrician at the Central Telephone Office at the age of 26. While working there, he invented a device used to amplify voices on the telephone. After I learned this fact, it seemed only fitting that a play about his early life be staged in the same city I happened to be studying in.
Ivan was incredibly accommodating, offering a fair price and even helping us with extra seating when, to his surprise, over 50 students and staff from my cohort at AIT showed up for the performance. It was a true testament to the power of community and the unexpected kindness of strangers.
The Cast and Crew: Unsung Heroes
The cast was comprised of talented fellow students: Josh Pitkofsky as Nikola Tesla, Kendell Byrd as Dorothy Skerritt, Nurse, and Midwife, Dylan Baker as Duka Tesla, and myself taking on the roles of Milutin Tesla (Nikola’s father) and Thomas Edison. We had a ridiculously tight rehearsal schedule, starting just over a week before the performance, on December 2nd, leading up to the December 14th show.
As it was both Josh’s and Dylan’s acting debut, their courage and commitment to learn and deliver the lines I’d written in front of a live audience of their peers, with clarity and no fear of judgment, was commendable. As an experienced actor, Kendell brought an electric energy and an effortless humor to the performance that was simply unmatched. With each line and gesture charmingly performed, she stole the hearts of the audience, as evidenced by their roars of laughter at her every move.
But the real MVP of the production, perhaps even more so than myself (and that’s saying something for an actor!), was Nancy Huang. She was our Stage Manager, Lighting, and Sound technician.
What made Nancy’s contribution legendary? It was her first time ever using a soundboard, and she never got to see the actors rehearse with their actual movements. To top it off, I was busy performing on stage, so there was no stage manager giving her cues. Despite all these monumental challenges, Nancy pulled off the amazing feat of hitting all the lighting and sound cues I asked for, in addition to improvising more sounds, like a seasoned pro. Her ability to adapt and deliver under such immense pressure was truly astounding.
Behind the Scenes: Creative Chaos
The lack of prior rehearsal time in the actual venue meant that the cast had to get incredibly creative. We had no choice but to set up the stage on the very day of the performance. This meant on-the-fly improvisation for entrances, exits, and even costume changes. Thanks to the footage Josh recorded, you don’t have to imagine the chaos, the quick whispers, the hurried movements just out of the audience’s sight! It was a whirlwind of controlled pandemonium, but somehow, we made it work.
One particularly memorable moment from the script, where Nikola challenges his father, Milutin:
💬 Dialog:
MILUTIN: “Me against that ungodly thing? I don’t think so.”
NIKOLA: “It’s electromagnetic.”
MILUTIN: “Should that make me want to wrestle it more?”
NIKOLA: “Maybe. Depends.”
MILUTIN: “On what?”
NIKOLA: “On how strongly you believe your faith can stand against the power of electromagnetic energy.”
This scene, among others, really highlighted the raw, live energy of our last-minute, DIY production. The audience, largely comprised of my fellow AIT students, seemed to genuinely enjoy the raw energy and unique setting of a bar turned theatre.
Reflections and Lessons Learned
Putting on A Child of Light in Budapest was a crash course in resilience, resourcefulness, and the incredible power of a supportive community. It forced me to prioritize and say no to other demands, focusing intensely on what truly mattered for the project’s success. It reinforced the lesson that “thinking is the death of acting” (and often, engineering!) – sometimes you just have to dive in and do, rather than overthinking every possibility. This experience, alongside my academic pursuits, truly tested my “grit” – my passion and perseverance for long-term goals, and my stamina to work hard for my dreams.
I had to be okay with imperfection, a valuable lesson I learned that year, realizing that striving for perfect often impedes progress. As Nikola Tesla famously said at the end of the play, “I’m no wizard, Dorothy.” And yet, he believed, “The future is sooner than you think”. We weren’t wizards either, just a group of ambitious students fueled by passion and a whole lot of caffeine. The entire experience underscored the importance of embracing challenges, trusting your team, and finding humor in the chaos.
It was an unforgettable highlight of my time abroad, cementing my passion for storytelling and performance.
Photo Gallery
Special thanks to Reka Bence and the AIT staff for their production assistance, the Boettcher Foundation for the generous grant to subsidize my tuition, and to Alec Sarché and Professor Andrew Manley for reviewing early drafts of the script. Without their support, this performance would’ve never been possible.