I started my theatre career in my home town of Rock Springs, Wyoming, where I earned an Associate of Fine Arts degree in Musical Theatre from Western Wyoming Community College. While continuing my theatre studies at the University of Northern Colorado, I began exploring the Design and Technology fields; this led me to The Ohio State University, where in 2006, I received an MFA in Theatre Arts with an emphasis in Scenic and Lighting Design. After three years as the Faculty Technical Director for the Kansas State University Theatre Department, I relocated to Chicago, Illinois to pursue a freelance career in Design and Technical Direction. I found a niche with Chicago Shakespeare Theater as a House Carpenter and Tour Technical Director. In my four years there, I helped bring professional Shakespeare productions to schools all over Chicagoland, northwest Indiana, Wisconsin, and western Illinois. As an Assistant Professor for the Ohio State Lima Department of Theatre, I fulfill the roles of Scenic Designer, Lighting Designer, Technical Director, and Production Manager. My Jack-of-All-Trades approach to theatre has prepared me well for this multifaceted position.

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I have had opportunities to study Czech and Slovak Theatre Design in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. This has led to an interest in contemporary and historical Czech Scenography. This interest has and will continue to inform my Research and Creative Activity. I have been fortunate to meet peers in this field from The University of Hull in Hull, United Kingdom; The Academy of Performing Arts in Prague, Czech Republic; Masaryk University in Brno, Czech Republic; The Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava, Slovakia; The Slovak National Gallery in Bratislava, Slovakia; and The Museum of the Theatre Institute in Bratislava, Slovakia. I have offers to teach masterclasses in Hull, Brno, and Bratislava. The Slovak National Gallery in Bratislava is interested in having me reconstruct Scenographic models for their collection. This should lead to exciting research opportunities in the future.

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My position in the Department of Theatre and my Creative Research both involve work in many different areas of Theatre Design and Technology. In addition to my official production positions, I have performed the tasks normally assigned to a Scene Shop Supervisor or Master Carpenter, a Master Electrician, a Scenic Charge Artist, a Stage Crew Supervisor, and a Prop Master. To continue developing my network of working professionals and practice my skills, I maintain my relationship with 2008 Regional Theatre Tony Award winner, Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) – working as a contractor on various projects. I hope to keep my relationship with CST active for the foreseeable future. This could include being a paid consultant to help attain bids from scenic studios and drafting construction drawings for the in-house carpenters, as well as working at CST as a carpenter, painter, or project manager.

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I teach courses covering many areas of theatrical technical production and design, including scenic design, lighting design, sound design, prop design/ construction, technical direction, and stagecraft. I also teach Introduction to Theatre, a General Education course. I have found that the ability to work and communicate across disciplines in the world of technical theatre is paramount. Professional theatre technicians often go from one project to the next and in this very competitive field it is often easier to find work when one is experienced in multiple areas. Also, collaboration is key in our field, and having a strong working knowledge of other areas aids in communication with members of a production team. This focus on teamwork, collaboration, and the importance of cross-disciplinary knowledge has always informed my approach to teaching.

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