BY THE LIGHT OF TIFFANY: A Meeting with Clara Driscoll
Award-winning author, playwright and classically trained actress Leanna Renee Hieber channels the talented artist Clara Wolcott Driscoll, designer of iconic Tiffany lamps and the manager of the Women’s Glass Cutting Department of Tiffany Studios from the late 19th century to 1909. Infused with passion and dedication, By the Light of Tiffany is a one hour, one-woman theatrical presentation adapted from Driscoll’s personal letters, historical record and inspiring insights. This 'meeting with the artist' showcases the vitality, innovation and importance of women in the decorative arts movement.
A native of Tallmadge, Ohio, Driscoll was encouraged by a loving, tight-knit family to pursue higher education. After studying at the Cleveland Institute of Art then the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, she was quickly hired by Louis Comfort Tiffany. Driscoll oversaw the “Tiffany Girls” and herself designed many of Tiffany’s most famous items, including the Dragonfly, Wisteria, and Daffodil lamps. Driscoll won first place for her Dragonfly Lamp design at the Paris Exposition in 1900 and was noted as one of the highest paid women of the Gilded Age (around $10,000 per year), at a time when women made on average 60% less than men. She oversaw over 50 women at the department’s height, during the Studio's most prosperous years. By the Light of Tiffany opens a window into a lively life devoted to art, light and beauty.
About Leanna: Leanna Renee Hieber grew up in Hamilton, Ohio and graduated from Miami University with a BFA in theatre performance and a focus in the 19th Century. A member of the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company’s first Young Company, she went on to work in regional theatres around the country and adapting 19th century literature for the professional stage. Favorite roles include Mina in Dracula, Lucy in Dracula and The Countess in the world premiere of Let's Misbehave. An award-winning, critically acclaimed author of fiction and non-fiction such as the Strangely Beautiful saga, considered a foundation work of Gaslamp Fantasy by Tor Books and The Spectral City novels with Kensington, A Haunted History of Invisible Women, co-authored with Andrea Janes, was a Bram Stoker Finalist for Superior Achievement in Non-Fiction. Leanna's work has been featured in notable anthologies, her books have been included national book club editions and translated into many languages. She is a licensed New York City tour guide, a member of AEA, SAG-AFTRA and has been featured in film and television on shows like Mysteries at the Museum and Beyond the Unknown discussing Victorian Spiritualism. She is represented by Sara Megibow of Megibow Literary. An extra special thanks to Clara's relative Linda Alexander for all her help, insights and resources.
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Would you like to bring Clara into your institution virtually or in-person? For booking arrangements, please note Leanna’s Appearance schedule and use the contact form on the Appearances page to inquire about production rates and details. Blessings of color and light!
"Hieber's interpretation of Clara Driscoll brings with it the wit, humor, and tenacity of a determined woman artist making her place in the Gilded Age. A vibrant and entertaining view into arts, industry, and the role of women in the late 19th century workplace. Artists, historians, and anyone familiar with these lamps will appreciate the captivating "backstory"! Our audience loved it!" - Mary Ellen Clinard, FUMC First Fridays Concert & Artist Series Director
By the Light of Tiffany premiered in September, 2018 thanks to the First Fridays Concert & Artist Series in Middletown, OH, made possible by Ohio arts council groups including the Middletown Community Foundation. Leanna has since toured Clara into the historic Wade Chapel in Cleveland, pictured above, where Clara and the Women's Glass Cutting department were responsible for cutting tens of thousands of pieces of mosaic glass. Leanna has also presented Clara at the historic Reid Center in Indiana and the grand Willard Chapel in Auburn, entirely designed by Tiffany Studios:
