Alumni Spotlight: Trigg Watson
Theatre alum Trigg Watson (B.F.A. ’12) builds upon his Meadows experience to bring theatrical storytelling, technology and human connection to modern magic.
Trigg Watson (B.F.A. '12) is this week’s featured alum in our new Alumni Spotlight series for the This Week at Meadows e-newsletter. Each week, a different Meadows alum will be highlighted for their accomplishments post-graduation.
Trigg Watson, a graduate of Meadows’ Division of Theatre, has built a career at the intersection of technology, storytelling and illusion. A professional magician and performer based in Los Angeles, he’s known for his innovative fusion of digital media and sleight of hand. His time studying theatre at Meadows transformed how he connects with audiences, giving him the necessary training to engage people at an emotional level.
“One thing I got out of studying acting intensely at Meadows was coming to understand that my own humanity would always be more important to people than any skill I was displaying,” says Watson, who also earned his business management degree at SMU. “People will always want to connect with you through your emotion, through your presence, and how you relate to their own life experience.”
While many magicians lean on tricks and illusions alone to dazzle, Watson’s Meadows theatre education grounded him in something more profound: vulnerability and presence. Through acting classes, he learned to engage audiences without the safety net of tricks or gimmicks, a skill he now considers essential both on stage and in life.
Beyond performance, Watson credits the collaborative nature of Meadows’ theatre program for expanding his creative vision. Exposure to directing, design and playwriting taught him how all aspects of production interconnect, lessons that now inform his approach to crafting immersive, multimedia magic experiences.
“Studying theatre and acting at ÃÛÌÒ½´certainly set me up for success and gave me a leg up over other magicians who didn't have the same theatrical training,” he reflects. “The fact that I feel really comfortable being human when presenting in front of a group of people is priceless.”
Today, Watson performs across the country and develops original magic for television and stage, constantly pushing the boundaries of what live entertainment can be. In addition to his online presence through YouTube videos and TED Talks, Watson has also been featured on stage and screen with performances on Masters of Illusion, Penn & Teller: Fool Us, and most recently, as a semifinalist on America’s Got Talent.
As our modern society is transformed more and more by the rapid pace of technological change, Watson will continue to use his magic to bridge the gap between the physical and digital worlds.