The Thorn continues to captivate audiences across the U.S. on its 2026 spring tour with a sweeping blend of theatrical storytelling and modern production technology. Touring the South and Southeast through early May, the large-scale production combines drama, dance, music, martial arts, and aerial acrobatics, brought vividly to life through a striking lighting design by Cory Fournier.

This year's production features a full lighting refresh that includes Elation's PARAGON M LED profile moving head, supplied by 4Wall Entertainment. The fixtures play a central role in shaping the show's visual language from subtle emotion to high-impact concert-style moments.

Visual Storytelling
The modern-day passion play delivers an immersive retelling of the life and death of Jesus. Working alongside Creator & Founder John Bolin and Director Andrew Harmon, Fournier helped shape the look of a show that leans heavily on visual storytelling.

"Lighting plays a gigantic role in guiding the audience's experience," explains Harmon, who has been directing the show for the past 15 years. "Lighting tells the audience where to look and, in many ways, it becomes part of the dialogue. It says 'this moment is important' or 'wow' or 'this is a sad moment."

"Precision"
An Emmy Award nominee for his work on Fox's The Masked Singer, Fournier brings a wealth of experience across broadcast, film, and live events. His connection to The Thorn dates back to 2010, having first joined as a lighting tech under early collaborator Robby Kurtz of 4Wall. Departing in 2012 to pursue his own career before returning to this year's production, Fournier collaborated closely with Harmon and Bolin on the production.

Each year, The Thorn adopts a guiding principle to focus on, with 'precision' chosen for 2026. "Even before the tour started, we focused on precision with the crew," Fournier explains. "When we brought in the PARAGON fixtures, they immediately meshed with that concept."

Fournier, who serves as production manager, lighting designer, and lighting director on the tour, embraced that philosophy while refining a design he inherited from previous Thorn collaborators. Given creative freedom, he introduced new programming elements, sharpened the visual look, and added his own 'tips and tricks.'

"It's been a lot of fun," he shares. "We kept the core of what makes The Thorn special but upgraded the rig to deliver sharper, more precise lighting throughout the show."

A Versatile Rig for a Dynamic Show
Recommended by 4Wall's VP of Business Development, Robby Kurtz, PARAGON has proved to be a versatile and reliable solution on the tour. "I've been thoroughly impressed," says Fournier. "The framing shutters are incredibly accurate, the colors are rich, and the increased lumen level across the stage really shows. The precision on those fixtures has been great." He adds that they haven't had to touch the spares or even reset a fixture.

The lighting system includes 36 PARAGON M fixtures deployed across the rig. Ten are positioned on the front-of-house truss for key lighting, while the remainder are distributed across side-stage torms and overhead trusses. The majority-32 units-are integrated with a real-time performer tracking system. To cover the variation in the story, Fournier says he leans into the fixture's full feature set.

"We're using virtually everything the fixture offers for high-energy, concert-style looks to very quiet, emotional moments," he explains. "One of the biggest comments we get when people first see the show is that they didn't expect how varied and impactful it would be, and it's what makes the experience so powerful. One minute it's deeply theatrical, set-piece driven and dramatic, and the next it feels like a full-on rock 'n' roll show. It's a full experience."

Creating Emotional Impact
The ability to support storytelling through light is central to the production and PARAGON effects capabilities, from color floods to break-up textures to mid-air beams, all play a key role in maintaining visual interest throughout. Among the many visually striking scenes, one moment stands out for the designer and, undoubtedly, for many who see the show.

"It's the starry night scene when Jesus is born," Fournier says. "Dot gobos from the PARAGONs cut through the haze, and it feels like you're really inside that moment. Using gobos and the animation wheel while tracking creates these beautiful, evolving shadows and textures as the focus moves around to the different zones. The beam spread across the room, and the clarity of the fixture really carries the emotion and underscores the importance of that moment."

While The Thorn assumes that many audience members are familiar with its story, the production aims to create a deeper connection. "We assume that most people know the story of Jesus, but they might not have experienced it or felt it," Harmon says. "We hope people leave the show with a different understanding of the story of Jesus and that they feel it more emotionally."

Powered by Partnership
4Wall provided the AV package for the tour, including the new lighting kit. Fournier credits the company for helping shape the system, and for its excellent on-the-road support. "4Wall has been incredible to work with," he said. "The gear looks brand new out of the box, and Robby Kurtz and Gabe Thruston are great to work with. It's a great team and makes a big difference when you have that level of partnership on a tour like this."

Lighting Crew List:
Production Manager & Lighting Designer: Cory Fournier (www.CoryFournier.com)
Lighting Programmer & Lead Rigger: Levi Foster
Lighting Crew Chief: Alex Martinez
Lighting & Video Tech: Zach Moore
Lighting & zactrack Tech: Teddy Mendoza

4Wall Entertainment:
Robby Kurtz: VP of Business Development
Gabe Thruston: Director of Live Events

Photos: Jessalyn Lorrig, Cora Wagoner, Cory Fournier