ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM
ALEXANDRA BONDS - Eugene, OR PQ International Liaison
Alexandra Bonds is the professor of Costume Design for the University of Oregon and the USITT Vice President for International Activities. She served as the Commissioner for the USA entries in the Prague Quadrennial in 2003 and 2007. An award-winning designer, her costumes have been included in the USA PQ National Exhibits, and selected for the USITT Design Expo. In 1990-1, she received a Fulbright to teach at the National Institute for the Arts in Taipei, Taiwan, and the year there inspired her research interests in Chinese performance. She has recently published a book entitled Beijing Opera Costumes: The Visual Communication of Character and Culture, the first English-language in-depth analysis of the theory and practice of dress in this traditional performance style. Her research has twice been recognized by USITT with awards for excellence in writing for the performing arts.
DAN DENHART - Athens, OH Managing Director
Denhart has served as Technical Director for the Ohio University School of Theater since completing his MFA in Production Design and Technology. He recently became Associate Professor of Technical Direction and Scene Design.
Dan has overseen the Technical Direction of more than 80 productions, as well as The Turn of The Screw and South Pacific for the Ohio State School of Music and numerous productions with The Ohio Valley Summer Theater. Recent Technical Direction credits include Streetcar Named Desire, Tammicanfly, and Les Trois Dumas. He has designed scenery for numerous OVST productions including Sweeny Todd, The Man of La Mancha, Fiddler on the Roof, Big River (featuring computer generated video imaging), The Wizard of Oz and Damn Yankees. Dan was Lighting Designer for the Parkersburg Actors Guild?s Annie and Scenic Artist for Bowling Green State University?s Henry IV and OVST?s West Side Story. Denhart?s 1991 Scene Design for the OU production of Lanford Wilson?s Balm in Gilead was a USITT Peggy Ezekial Award Finalist.
Denhart has served on the National Conference Committee for the United States Institute of Theater Technology (USITT) and he was previously Special Exhibit Coordinator, which involved coordinating the conference exhibits of the world?s most noteworthy scenery, costume and lighting designers. Dan is currently on the USITT Board of Directors as VP of Special Operations.
ARCHITECTURE CURATORTop
SCOTT GEORGESON - Milwaukee, WI Theatre Architecture Curator
Georgeson believes theatres are the most complex buildings that we design and construct. They are three-dimensional puzzles with complex building systems, theatre equipment, ridge functional requirements, special acoustical needs and strong architectural character. They must create an intimate experience for performer and audience. All conditions must merge within narrow parameters to create a successful performance venue.
More than 20 years of designing performing arts centers has shown Scott that theaters are integral to a community's identity, occupying special place within the public realm. He has designed new theatres, converted found space into theatres, and completed historic restorations of theatres. Georgeson understands the varied programming requirements of Performing Arts facilities ranging from large multi-use complexes to small-town opera houses. ?We convert complex programs into dynamic spaces...Designing an arts facility is often a personal, once-in-a-lifetime experience for the client. A successful performance space answers the client?s current and future Artist needs. It should also give a sense of discovery every time you visit".
Scott is working on plans for a new Performing Arts Center for Carthage College in Kenosha, WI, and the renovation of the Menominee Opera House in Menominee MI. Recent projects include; Peninsula Players Theatre in Door County, WI, the Schauer Arts and Activity Center in Hartford, WI, (USITT Architecture Award) and the Forest Hill Fine Arts Center, Grand Rapids, MI- one of the first LEED certified theatres in the USA.
NATIONAL CURATORIAL TEAMTop
CHRISTOPHER BARRECA - Newhall, CA Scenic Curator
Christopher Barreca has designed 200 productions including the following premiers: On Broadway; The musicals Marie Christine and Gabriel Garcia Marquez's Chronicle of a Death Fortold (American Theater Wing Award) both for Lincoln Center Theater, The Violet Hour and Search and Destroy (Drama-logue Award), and Our Country's Good (Prague Quadrennial). Off-Broadway; Richard Greenberg's Everett Beekin and Three Days of Rain (Drama Desk Nomination), the Musical Bernarda Alba, Bernard-Marie Koltes's Roberto Zucco, and Neon Psalms (American Theater Wing nomination). Regionally: Anna Deavere-Smith's tour of Twilight. Los Angeles, Culture Clash's The Birds, Kate Robin?s What They Have, Christopher d?Amboise?s The Studio, Charles Ludlums Hedda Gabler, Eric Overmeyer?s The Heliotrope Bouquet. Internationally; King Lear France at the Frictions Festival (Prague Quadrennial), Macbeth for one actor, Stephen Dallane Almeida Theater London Opera; Munchener Biaennale Germany, Wole Soyenka's Scourge of Hyacinths (BMW award nomination), Peach Blossom Fan composed by Stephin Merritt and directed by Chen Shi-Zheng (Prague Quadrennial). Dance: at the Joyce, Susan Marshall's Solo, Roman Oller's Good Night Paradise and Tears for Violeta. In 1990 he was awarded an NEA visiting artist grant to work with artists in Calcutta, India. Mr. Barreca is currently Head of Scenic Design at CalArts in Los Angeles.
LINDA CHO - New York CIty Costume Curator
Costume designer Linda Cho has designed for opera, theatre and dance across the United States and abroad. New York credits include: New York Theatre Workshop, The Vineyard, Classic Stage Company, Drama Department, Theatre for a New Audience, New York Public Theatre, Second Stage, and Atlantic Theatre Company. Regional credits include: Hartford Stage, Arena Stage, Shakespeare Theatres in DC, New Jersey, Alabama and Chicago, Baltimore Center Stage, the Old Globe in San Diego, Actors Theatre of Louisville, The Goodman Theatre, Huntington Theatre of Boston, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Westport Country Playhouse, Goodspeed Opera House. Opera credits: LA Opera, Asia Society, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis and Virginia Opera. Internationally: The Merchant of Venice at the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford on Avon, Can Stage in Toronto, Canada, National Theatre in Taipei, National Arts Center in Hong Kong. Cho earned her Master of Fine Arts degree from the Yale School of Drama. Awards and nominations include the Craig Noel, Lucille Lortel, Drama Desk, IRNE, Jeff and Henry Hewes Awards. Her designs have appeared in the academic publication ?The World of Theatre: Tradition and Innovation? and in the exhibition ?Curtain Call, a Century of Women in the Theatre? at the New York Public Library.
RANDY GENER - New York City Curatorial Advisor
Randy Gener is a writer, editor, critic, playwright, and visual artist based in New York City. He is the author of the plays Love Seats for Virginia Woolf and What Remains of a Rembrandt Torn into Four Pieces, among other plays, as well as scholarly essays (in the Cambridge Guide to the American Theater, Theater and Humanism in a World of Violence, and The American Theatre Reader, among others), and articles and reviews in The Village Voice, The New York Times, New York Magazine, The Star Ledger, Time Out New York, and other publications. The senior editor of American Theatre magazine, published by Theatre Communications Group, he has also worked as an editor of the Arts Institute-Theatre Institute of the Czech Republic?s newspaper Prague Quadrennial Today and as a freelance dramaturge for the Joseph Papp Public Theater, Roundabout Theatre Company, Pan Asian Repertory Theatre, and Denver Center Theatre Company. His photography installation In the Garden of One World (in collaboration with scenic designer Nic Ularu) debuted in 2008 at La MaMa La Galleria in New York. He is the winner of the 2007-08 George Jean Nathan Award, the highest accolade in the United States for dramatic criticism, in part for his writings on world theatre, including two essays on the 2007 Prague Quadrennial, which appeared in American Theatre and Theatre Design & Technology.
ALLEN HAHN - Pittsburgh, PA Lighting Design Curator
Allen Hahn (Lighting Design Curator) has designed productions at City Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Glimmerglass and the Spoleto USA Festival among others and internationally for companies and festivals in The Netherlands, Spain, and France, Germany and the UK. He has designed world premiere operas at Juilliard and at the Royal Danish Opera. The 2002 production of Giulio Cesare he designed for the Royal Danish Opera is available on DVD from Harmonia Mundi. Allen has been a contributing artist with the acclaimed cross-media performance company The Builders Association since its inception in 1994. He has collaborated with Tony Oursler on museum installations at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and ARoS Kunstmuseum in Aarhus, Denmark. Several of his productions were selected for exhibition in the 2007 Prague Quadrennial.
Beginning in 2009 with The Secret City, Allen began developing theatrical work of his own as a response to new collaborative paradigms born of Web 2.0 technology. This work erodes distinctions between designed and found space, reality and narrative, audience and performer. Using interactive media, audience members are required to take action to discover and advance the story as well as negotiate their relationships with one another. This new-found agency makes assimilation of the story more deeply personal, and the experience of the audience as a whole not unlike that of members of game communities centered around Massively Multiplayer Online Role-playing Games (MMPORG).
DON TINDALL - Ithaca, NY Sound Curator
Don is an Assistant Professor of Sound Design at Ithaca College and a professional sound designer. Previously he was the resident sound designer and sound department head for the Alabama Shakespeare Festival, where he designed nearly seventy plays, musicals and many new works from the Southern Writer?s Project play festival. He has also designed sound for the Denver Center Theatre Company, Hangar Theatre, Signature Theatre Company, Cornell University, Riverside Opera Ensemble, Kitchen Theatre and many others. World premieres include The Quick Change Room by Nagle Jackson, Thunder Knocking on the Door by Keith Glover, A Lesson Before Dying by Romulus Linney, The Venus de Milo is Armed by Kia Corthron, Disguises by Craig Warner, and Strangerhorse and The Two of You by Brian Dykstra. Mr. Tindall is currently the USITT Vice-Commissioner for Sound Health and Safety and was the sound design curator for the USA Schools of Scenography exhibit at the 2007 Prague Quadrennial. He designs and consults on theatrical audio systems, composes music and works on studio projects.
SUSAN TSU - Pittsburgh, PA Artistic Director/Curator
Susan has designed theatre, opera and television, including the award-winning musical Godspell and The Joy Luck Club- a first-time collaboration between the US and China. Her work has been seen in Europe, Asia and the Pacific Rim. Memorable productions include The Balcony aspart of Sarah Caldwell?s American/Soviet Arts Exchange at theBolshoi Theatre, Russia; The Greeks, Dracula a Musical Nightmare, Importance of Being Earnest for theAlley Theatre; Titus Andronicus, The Tempest, Oregon Shakespeare Festival; King Lear, Travels of Angelica, Cincinnati Playhouse; Metamorphoses, Amadeus, Pittsburgh Public Theatre, Cymbeline, Quantum Theatre. Tsu has worked at most of this nation?s LORT theatres and has clothed many luminaries. Her designs are represented in numerous books, publications and videos. Awards: NY Drama Desk, NY Drama Critics, NY Young Film Critics, LA Distinguished Designer, Kennedy Center Medal of Achievement. Education: BFA, MFA - Carnegie Mellon where she now teaches. Honors: Who?s Who in Fine Arts Higher Education, Who?s Who of American Women. While on the Board of Directors for Theatre Communications Group, Tsu was on the task force to reconfigure American Theatre magazine and advocated for the Free Night of Theatre initiative across America- now reaching 600 cities. Featured in many exhibitions, her work was included in PQ?03 and the Lincoln Center exhibit- ?Curtain Call: Celebrating A Century of Women Designers.? Tsu co-curated the PQ?07 USA Exhibits.
STUDENT TEAMTop
RACHELLE BECKERMAN - New York City Student Exhibit
Rachelle Beckerman knew early that she was going to spend her life involved with the arts. She graduated with a BA from SUNY Buffalo in 2003, majoring in Photography and Theatre Production & Technology. She studied with Ursula Belden and Michael Lincoln at Ohio University and received her MFA in 2007. Rachelle studied for a term at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design in London, where the three months she spent exploring opened her eyes to alternative theatre practices.
Rachelle became involved in the USA PQ exhibits through the influence of Ursula Belden. During fall 2006 she was heavily involved creating OU's entry to the student exhibit and assisting Ms. Belden. The summer of 2007 was consumed with attending PQ 07 and interning with Warner en Consorten, a street theatre company in Amsterdam, NL. There, she spent time in the studio with the company and performed in The Netherlands and Aurillac, France. Since her move to New York City in early 2008, Rachelle has been keeping busy designing projects including Kim Schultz?s The F Trip, Elizabeth Audley?s all over for the NY Fringe Festival and Chris Cragin Day?s Emily with Firebone Theater Company.
TOM BURCH - Chicago, IL Student Exhibit Mentor
Tom is the Director of Design for the Theatre and Performance Studies Program at the University of Chicago. A freelance scenic designer, recent credits include The Hairy Ape, Gas For Less, Talking Pictures at the Goodman Theatre, Chicago; touring productions Romeo And Juliet, Macbeth and Comedy Of Errors for Chicago Shakespeare Theater; as well as many shows for other Chicago companies including, ATC, About Face, Apple Tree, Bailiwick, Chicago Dramatists, House, Lifeline, Northlight, Pegasus Players, Piven, Timeline, and others. He's the recipient of 3 After Dark Awards, a Jeff Award and the Michael Maggio Emerging Designer Award (all from Chicago). Regional work includes shows for Arizona Theatre Company, Cleveland Play House, Peninsula Players, Childsplay (Phoenix, AZ), Actors Theatre of Louisville, and others. He holds a BFA in Theatre from the University of Kentucky and an MFA from Northwestern University. He was a participant in Young Designers Forum in 2003 and presented at Clambake that year as well. Upcoming projects include Is He Dead? (Peninsula Players) Frankenstein (Hypocrites/Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago), and Souvenir (Northlight Theatre). His work can be seen online at http://www.tomburch
COLLIN RANNEY - Clarence, NY Student Exhibit
Collin Ranney will soon complete his BFA in Theatre Design & Technology from The University at Buffalo. He is currently seeking to further his studies at the graduate level. Collin?s design work has been represented at past KCACTF festivals, as well as the USITT Design Expo. Recently returning from a semester abroad in London, England, where he furthered his theatre arts education, some of his past work includes: Assistant Scenic Design: Pacific Conservatory for the Performing Arts, Costume Design: Hot ?N Cole, Kavinoky Theatre, Director & Designer: Woyzeck, University at Buffalo, Costume Design: Mauritius, Kavinoky Theatre, Sound Design: The Cherry Orchard, University at Buffalo, Production Design: Spring Awakening, University at Buffalo, Scenic & Costume Design: City Of Angels, University at Buffalo, Director: But The Clouds, Middlesex University, Director & Choreographer: The Exception & The Rule, Middlesex University, Costume Design: Zodiaque Dance Ensemble, University at Buffalo. Collin?s work earned him the 2008 USITT W. Oren Parker Scene Design, which included a Design Fellowship at the Kennedy Center (Intensive in Scenic & Costume Design: The Collaborative Process with Ming Cho Lee and Linda Cho). Collin has also garnered various KCACTF Regional awards.
YU SHIBAGAKI - Anaheim, CA Student Exhibit
Yu Shibagaki was born and raised in Japan. After she experienced an exchange student program in Australian high school, she decided to come to the US for her undergraduate studies. She recently received her BA in Theatre Design and Production from California State University, Fullerton after all great theatre experiences. She was also invited and participated at the Kennedy Center for the workshop with Ming Cho Lee this summer. Currently, she works as an assistant scenic designer while she polishes her works. Some of Yu's credits include scene designs at Cal State Fullerton for Moonburn, Lalique Nocturn, Camp 15, and A Wolf Cries To The Sun. Yu's recent Assistant Scene Design work includes The Magic Flute for The Canadian Opera Company: Designer - Myung Hee Cho, The Good Person Of Szechuan for The Landestheater, Austria: Designer- Myung Hee Cho, The Night Watcher for La Jolla Playhouse: Designers- Myung Hee Cho, Ann Sheffield, The Seagull for CSU Fullerton: Designer- Ann Sheffield, The Philadelphia Story for CSU Fullerton and PCPA Theaterfest: Designer- Ann Sheffield. Yu's work has been has been exhibited in The Dance Under the Stars Choreography Festival and USITT's Tech Expo. She has been recognized with The Todd Muffatti Merit Scholarship in Scene Design.
EXHIBIT DESIGN TEAMTop
WILLIAM BLOODGOOD - Ashland, OR Exhibit Designer
William Bloodgood?s work has been seen in many regional theatres in the United States and abroad, including the Arena Stage in Washington, DC, Arizona Theatre Company, ACT Theatre in Seattle, Barbican Theatre Centre (UK), Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Birmingham Repertory Theatre (UK), Chicago Shakespeare Theater, the Children's Theatre Company in Minneapolis, Denver Center Theatre Company, Hong Kong Repertory Theatre, Indiana Repertory Theatre, Intiman Theatre in Seattle, Kansas City Rep, the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego, Portland Center Stage, San Jose Repertory Theatre, and Syracuse Stage, as well as the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland, Oregon where he has designed the scenery for over 140 productions.
The quality of Mr. Bloodgood?s work has been widely acknowledged by regional and national critics and by his peers within the theatrical community. His work has been exhibited three times at the Prague Quadrennial International Exhibition of Stage Design in the Czech Republic. Awards and honors include many from the San Francisco Bay Area Critics Circle, Drama-Logue Magazine, and the Garland Awards in Los Angeles. In 2002 he was honored in Oregon with the Governor?s Award for the Arts.
ALESSIA CARPOCA - Missoula, MT Associate Exhibit Project Manager
Alessia is currently Associate Professor of Scenery and Costume Design for the Department of Drama/Dance at The University of Montana in Missoula, bringing backgrounds in both scenic/costume design and fine arts to the program. Alessia has designed sets and costumes for ten operas for the UBC School of Music (Vancouver, Canada), six of which were a co- production with Metzke Divadlo in Usti Nad Labem (Czech Republic). All have toured several cities in the Czech Republic and Germany, including the Estates Theatre in Prague (Stavoveske Divadlo). Alessia also spent a few years working as a scenic artist in Italy for television programs on the main national networks (Rai Uno, Channel Five) and designing scenery and lighting for Club Vacanze, a holiday resort management company. Recently, Alessia designed scenery for the national tour of the Montana Repertory Theatre production of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. Alessia holds an MFA in Theatre Design from Northwestern University and a BFA in Scenography from the Academy of Fine Arts of Rome.
CAROLINA CONTE - Jacksonville, FL Videographer
Carolina Conte is from Brazil. She received her Masters degree in Film (2001) and a Doctoral degree in Film/Theater (2005) from Ohio University. Carolina has directed and assisted many theater and film projects at the Ohio University School of Film, School of Theater and at ARTS/West in Athens, Ohio. In New York City she has directed plays and worked on different projects with her theater company. Additionally, she freelances as a videographer and editor. Now in Jacksonville, Florida, Carolina is responsible for the development of the Jacksonville University Film Program. At the same time, she continues working on projects in film, video and theater throughout the world.
MIKE MONSOS - Missoula, MT Exhibit Project Manager
Mike Monsos is currently Associate Professor of Design/Technology and Head of the Design/Tech Division for the University of Montana Drama Department. Mike has a BFA and an MFA in Scenic and Lighting Design from the University of Montana and an MS in Architectural Studies from The University of Utah. Mike's professional experience includes two years as Head of the production/tech department at the Missoula Children's Theatre and eight years teaching technical theatre at Central Wyoming College in Riverton, WY, designing the sets and lights for every departmental production. Other professional credits include seven summers as Designer and Technical Director at the Bigfork Summer Playhouse, three seasons at the Idaho Repertory Theatre- University of Idaho, and six tours with the Montana Repertory Theatre. Mike has served on numerous Arts Boards including the Wyoming Arts Council. He is currently the Chair of the Missoula Historic Preservation Commission. Mike has been involved with USITT since 1984, and has been on the Conference Committee and Publications Committee for the past four. He currently serves on the USITT Board of Directors. Mike's involvement with the PQ started in 2003 when he traveled with the USITT Study Tour that attended the PQ and traveled to Romania and Hungary.
R. ERIC STONE - Iowa City, IA Exhibit Design Associate
Eric is an Assistant Professor and Director of Graduate Studies in the Department of Theatre Arts at the University of Iowa. He is former Chair of the Scenic Design Program, University of Illinois, Krannert Center for the Performing Arts (2001-2008, 10 designs). Stone has been Resident Scenic Designer, PCPA Theaterfest (1995-2001, 36 designs); Associate Designer for the USITT USA National Exhibition at the 2007 Prague Quadrennial; and Associate Designer for Ralph Lemon's Come home Charley Patton. He has also designed for Utah Shakespearean Festival [12 productions] Skylight Opera Theatre [4 productions], New American Theatre, UC Santa Barbara [2 productions], Sacramento Theatre Company, American Players Theatre [2 productions], and San Jose Repertory Theatre. Eric is a member of USAA 829; his M.F.A. from Ohio University and his B.A. from Lewis & Clark College. www.rericstone.com
EXHIBIT TOUR TEAMTop
JEFFREY GRESS - Granville, OH Tour Manager
Jeffrey is completing his third year as assistant professor and resident designer at Capital University. Significant facility renovation and growth activities have expanded their capabilities and extended their engagements with students. Gress teaches Intro to Theatre and all technology and production classes. Prior to teaching at Capital, he was the owner of ArtSpace Design, Ltd., a full-service production company and theatre consulting firm. He opened ArtSpace after many years working as a freelance designer, technical director, and production manager. Gress has an MFA from the University of Cincinnati and has Bachelors degrees in Mass Communication and Theatre from Miami University. He is a published author, including a recent article in TD&T, and a busy guest artist. He is also the coach of Capital's club lacrosse team as well as a youth soccer and lacrosse coach. He is married, has two active sons, and makes his home in Granville, OH. This year he also created a new company, JBGress, LLC, that manages and develops real estate projects. Gress is a Board Member for the USITT Ohio Valley Section and is thrilled to be a part of the PQ team.
BRIAN HAPCIC - Fort Collins, OH Tour Assistant
Brian Hapcic has been working in theatre and the entertainment industry since 1989. He is currently employed as professor of Lighting and Sound Design at the University of Northern Colorado and has also held academic positions at the University of Southern Maine and the University of Southern Mississippi. He is a member of USITT and I.A.T.S.E. local 339 and has completed designs or production managed theatre, opera, dance, television, video, and media installations. Professional credits include work with such companies as the Port Opera Company, Little Theatre of the Rockies, Maine State Music Theatre, The Montana Repertory Theatre, Bigfork Summer Playhouse and The University of Southern Mississippi Repertory Dance Company. He earned his MFA in Lighting Design and Technology from The University of Montana, and a BA in English from Ohio University. In 2004 he was awarded the KCACTF Faculty Fellowship for meritorious achievement as a professor of Lighting Design.
TAMMY HONESTY - Cincinnati, OH Assistant to Tour Manager
Tammy is a freelance scenic designer based in Cincinnati. Her designs have been on stages from New York City (Off-Broadway), to the Human Race Theatre Company in Dayton, to the University of Illinois. She enjoys designing theatre for young audiences, recently designing Noonie's Masterpiece in Purple, her sixth show for Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park's Educational Touring Company, Lexington Children's Theatre's recent holiday show If You Take a Mouse to the Movies, as well as their past touring shows In the Garden of Rikki Tikki Tavi and Anansi the Spider. Other current projects include designing scenery for Picasso at the Lapin Agile and Something's Afoot for Denison University and Taming of the Shrew for Miami University. In addition to designing scenery, Tammy has been a scenic artist for River City Scenic and 3dx Scenic Studios where she was also a project manager. Examples of her painting talents have been cruising the world on Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, Princess Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Lines. Her work has also been on display at various corporate theatre events including the Longaberger conventions. Currently, she is a Visiting Assistant Professor at Denison University. Tammy is a member of USA Local 829.
KENNETH MARTIN - Conway, SC Tour Director
Kenneth J. Martin is a Scenic and Lighting Designer and Chair of the Department of Theatre at Coastal Carolina University. Ken has worked in the professional theatre for over 25 years. As a member of United Scenic Artists, his design work has been seen at numerous theatres, including The Sacramento Theatre Company, Surflight Theatre in New Jersey, Theatre by the Sea in Rhode Island and the Florida Rep. In the academic arena, Ken has served in a variety of capacities for the United States Institute for Theatre Technology and the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival. Ken has been teaching for 14 years while keeping active in regional professional theatre.