Productions by Andy Helms

Concerts

During his tenure at Houston Baptist University, Mr. Helms oversaw production for numerous concerts in the Dunham Theater (a 1,200 seat auditorium). Concerts included performances by the Houston Symphony, the Passion Band, Shane & Shane, Charlie Hall, Robbie Seay Band, Wayne Watson, Travis Tritt, Michael Martin Murphey, Christopher Cross, and others. 

This gallery features photos from some of those events, where Andy worked as lighting designer, technical director, or sound engineer. 

Political Events

During his time with Houston Baptist University, the University made an effort to engage in the political discussion of the day. 

Andy Helms oversaw production for events that included former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, former Secretary of Education Bill Bennett, former Majority Leader Tom DeLay, Senators Rick Santorum, Tom Cruz, Texas Governors Rick Perry and Greg Abbott, and others.

He also worked with NBC affiliate KPRC Channel 2 and Telemundo in Houston to produce a live televised mayoral debate for the City of Houston. In this role, he worked with the television station’s lighting technicians to create a stage design that looked good on screen and for the public in live attendance.

Dinners & Award Ceremonies

Andy Helms oversaw production for numerous dinner events and award ceremonies, both on the campus of Houston Baptist University and in various ballrooms across Houston. Some of these events featured guest speakers such as Lou Holtz, former ConocoPhillips CEO Archie Dunham, Madeleine Albright, Andy Petite, Sir Sidney Poitier, Allen West, and others. 

Musicals, Opera, Theater

As Technical Director of the Morris Cultural Arts Center, Andy Helms also worked as the lead lighting designer, and graphic designer for projections for various plays, musicals, and operas. These included performances by local civic groups and theater/dance companies, local high schools, the University’s opera department, and tour performances sponsored by University departments.

Included in this gallery are photos from Houston Christian High School’s Wizard of Oz, HBU’s An Evening with Leonard Bernstein, and a production of Troades (The Trojan Women) by Euripides.

For Wizard of Oz, Andy worked with high school students to develop a lighting palette that ranged from the sepia-tone looks of a “black and white” Kansas, to the vibrant colors of the Munchkin City, the dazzling greens of the Emerald City, and the dark and despairing gloom of the castle of the Wicked Witch of the West, guiding them through programming the light cues for the show. Under his direction and encouragement, HBU’s sound engineer, Keiland Holleman, developed an immersive sound experience equivalent to a 7.1 channel output speaker system that had audiences looking out overhead for flying monkeys, and tornado sounds that put them in the middle of the storm.

For Bernstein, Mr. Helms created numerous video set-pieces, including the bricked alleyways of West Side Story, the front porch of Maria’s home, a misbehaving shadow for Peter Pan, and various other effects for Trouble In Tahiti, and Candide.

When the Honors College partnered with the Houston Hellenic Society to bring an acting troupe from Greece to perform Troades, a story of the aftermath of the Trojan War, Andy Helms created not only the lighting for scenes that portrayed the suffering of the survivors of the war, but in the lobby, he created projections of a fiery Trojan Horse silhouetted at end of the hall, and various other window-display projections featuring Greek mythology inspired paintings, framed in images of fallen stone walls, being washed over by fire and heat waves.

Pep Rallies

HBU began its football program in 2013. The University’s Student Life department worked with the AV Production teams under Andy Helms to create an outdoor, night time pep rally called “Husky Howl.”

This event called for lighting a huge commons area field in the center of campus in the school’s signature blue and orange. Building architecture and plantlife were bathed in blue and orange light. The gable of the Hinton Center, which stood beyond 10 granit pillars served as a projection surface for the event title “Husky Howl” with an image of the moon over the white seal centered at the top of the building, as well as the lyrics to the University’s Alma Mater and Fight Songs.

University Events and Conferences

The scope of events Andy Helms was called on to produce at HBU was wide. This gallery features the photos from the solemn Freshman induction ceremony, to outdoor receptions, dinners on the stage and in the lobby, fashion shows, to a global nursing conference that brought attendees from as far as Scotland to the campus. Student Activities like a “Neon Night” in the gym that featured games and music, student talent and variety shows, and University Commencement exercises are also included here.

Corporate Events

In 2017, after spending 9 years with Houston Baptist University and completing a Master’s degree, Andy left his position as the technical director of the Cultural Arts Center to help a college friend launch a seminar company. He helped them produce live events and webinars, as well as creating a Facebook Live simulcast of their radio show. This utilized his experience in theatrical lighting to light a small green-screen studio.

Using his background in graphic design, he created everything from logos and business cards, to brochures, postcards, stand-up banners, and PowerPoint presentations. He further extended the brand aesthetic as he lead a team to redesign the company’s website, Infusionsoft landing pages and email marketing.

Soon, Andy was writing blog content and email marketing for the company, giving live webinars, and managing the brand’s social media accounts.

As 2020 and the pandemic hit, he had to pivot away from many of the live events he had done for years. Audio and lighting design for studio live-stream events were in demand. 

Andy Helms has also created an online store for his apparel company, PutOnTheDay.co, as well as designed websites for companies like JetLending.com, TerraKarta.com, RockbridgePetroleum.com, as well as managed email campaigns and social media marketing for various real estate companies.