Visual Terrain, a leading lighting design company, was part of the creative teams for WishWorks at Make-A-Wish Southern Florida, and Universal Epic Universe, both of which have been honoured with Thea Awards for Outstanding Achievement from the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA).
This takes the firm's total number of Thea Awards, the Oscars of the themed entertainment world, to 20. The awards will be presented to the project owners and design teams at the annual Thea Awards Gala in Orlando, Florida, on 2 May 2026.
Visual Terrain CEO and principal-in-charge, Lisa Passamonte Green, says: “I feel incredibly honored and grateful to have our work recognized with two more Thea Awards.
"Visual Terrain is truly fortunate, not only to have a team that is capable of stepping up to deliver lighting designs for so many projects that receive acknowledgement, but to have clients who, time and again, seek to achieve a level of excellence, quality, and uniqueness that puts us in line to be on so many Thea-awarded teams.”
See also: Lighting the way: Visual Terrain’s 30 years of creativity & innovation
Award-winning projects call for award-winning lighting
She noted that Visual Terrain works on many projects under strong NDA protection, which typically extends beyond the project's completion, so it is often only when a project receives an award that Visual Terrain receives public credit for its work.
Visual Terrain was the concept lighting designer on Celestial Park, the central hub at Universal Epic Universe
“I’m obliged to Universal Creative, and to Susan Bonds and Animal Repair Shop for including Visual Terrain on the credits lists and allowing our team to be recognized for their hard work.
"Our role on Universal’s Epic Universe was very early on in the park-wide concept design phase, with Dale Mason and THG Creative.
"On WishWorks, our role was throughout the tenure of the project, but it was so top-secret, we were thrilled when Make-A-Wish Southern Florida received a Thea. We are thankful for being part of such impactful projects. As far as I know, no other independent lighting design firm has been a part of so many Thea-acclaimed projects as Visual Terrain.
"We are truly humbled and grateful that our clients support us, because they understand that award-winning projects deserve award-winning lighting design."
In addition to its collection of Thea Awards, Visual Terrain has received more than 50 awards in the lighting design industry, including Lumen West and IIDA Awards of Merit and Excellence, as well as an IALD Award of Merit.
In 2006, Visual Terrain was named Firm of the Year by the Lumen West Awards, and over the past 20 years, the company has continued to deliver excellence in design.
Lisa Passamonte Green was recognised as a TEA Master of Lighting Design in 2019, and she continues to work with the TEA Masters programme as a mentor to young people seeking a path into themed entertainment.
More recently, Visual Terrain received a 2025 LIT Award for its work on the Brooklyn Paramount Theater in Brooklyn, New York, USA, and an LIT Honorable Mention for Vibrant Music Hall in Waukee, Iowa, USA.
“After celebrating our 30th year in business, it means a lot to me that the VT team is not complacent! We continue to strive, excel, and design with beauty," says Green.
"Our current team is our strongest ever, and we have more surprises and milestones in store for the rest of 2026.”
Last month, Visual Terrain recognised principal designer and director of design and production, Michael Mahlum, for his 20 years of service.
