The crew tells the audience the host will be here soon. The excited audience speculate among themselves about tonight’s conversations. The chitchat ceases as the host strides in. She is a student by day, but by night Isabel Lugo hosts Tonight at Olivet!
Photo by Josiah Fox
Lugo is a senior majoring in Multimedia Communication with a concentration in journalism at Olivet Nazarene University and, as the host, interviews members of the ONU community.
The communication course, Studio Production, which produces Olivet’s talk show, Tonight at Olivet, selected Lugo as host for her delivery, spontaneous responses, and memorization to counterbalance the unpredictability of filming a live show.
“I was good at delivering lines and delivering monologues because of my time as a radio host,” Lugo said.
In the class, Lugo learned how to recover from surprises by maintaining a friendly and determined composure. She explained that the whole team collaborates to minimize mistakes before they appear on the recording.
The part that Lugo plays as the host drives the show forward so the audience does not dwell on mistakes. By holding the audience’s attention, Lugo reassures the audience of the steady momentum of the show through her affirming presence.
With the position as host, Lugo put her spin on the role by reflecting her pizzazz into the show. She prioritizes what appears best on camera and dresses to impress for the show’s benefit.
“Those neon and bright colors look best on the screen, and I just love things that pop and that stand out…what I want at the end of the day is for the show to look the best it can,” Lugo said.
But what is Tonight at Olivet without Olivetians?
As part of the class, Lugo researches and collects background information to compose timely monologues, conversation topics, and jokes for the guests and audience.
By accentuating uniqueness, Lugo encourages guests to be themselves and share their experiences since the show highlights talents and stories proudly within the Olivet community. Lugo explains how she uses a line of questions that allows the guest to share their story and visions.
One guest, Bianca Valencia, the program coordinator for Academic Support, student persistence coach, and Residential Director for the Grand apartments, acknowledged her self-consciousness when on camera.
However, she does not regret the experience of being on Tonight at Olivet and having the chance to share her commitment to Olivet students through academic support.
With the crew wrapping up this season’s production of Tonight at Olivet, which can be read about in Beyond the Spotlight: Lessons from Studio Production Class, Lugo says Studio Production has honed her oratory, conversational, and presentation skills for her career aspirations in journalism as a news anchor. Her advice for future hosts and guests is to bring what makes you unique to the role, as the only person who can tell your story is yourself.
