BFA, University of North Carolina School of the Arts. École Jacques Lecoq, Paris. Theatre work includes designing sets, puppets, and costumes and directing, choreographing, and performing. Drawn to incorporating puppetry, movement, and live music into the theatre, shows are frequently made from the ground up. Work seen in many New York theatres, including HERE Theatre, La Mama E.S.T., P.S. 122, St. Mark’s Church, Dixon Place, and One Arm Red. Past collaborative work includes Electric Bathing, Wind Set-up, White Elephant, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, What’s Inside the Egg?, How I Fixed My Engine With Rose Water, and Etiquette Unraveled. As an artistic associate with the Hip Pocket Theatre in Fort Worth, Texas, designed sets and puppets for a multitude of productions over the years, presented seven collaborative theatre pieces, performed in more than 30 world premieres, and launched its Cowtown Puppetry Festival. Puppet/mask designer for New York Shakespeare Festival, Signature Theatre Company, My Brightest Diamond, Division 13, Kristin Marting, Doug Elkins, Cori Orlinghouse, Daniel Rigazzi, and various universities; puppetry associate for War Horse on Broadway. Awarded a variety of grants and awards for theatre work. SLC, 2012–
Undergraduate Courses 2023-2024
Theatre
Puppet Theatre
Open, Component—Year
This course will explore a variety of puppetry techniques, including bunraku-style, marionette, shadow puppetry, and toy theatre. We will begin with a detailed look at those forms through individual and group research projects. Students will then have the opportunity to develop their puppet-manipulation skills, as well as to gain an understanding of how to prepare the puppeteer’s body for performance. We will further our exploration with hands-on learning in various techniques of construction. The class will culminate with the creation and presentation of puppetry pieces of their own making.
Faculty
Graduate Courses 2023-2024
MFA Theatre
Puppet Theatre
Component—Year
This course will explore a variety of puppetry techniques, including bunraku-style, marionette, shadow puppetry, and toy theatre. We will begin with a detailed look at those forms through individual and group research projects. Students will then have the opportunity to develop their puppet-manipulation skills, as well as to gain an understanding of how to prepare the puppeteer’s body for performance. We will further our exploration with hands-on learning in various techniques of construction. The class will culminate with the creation and presentation of puppetry pieces of their own making.
Faculty
Puppet, Spectacle, and Parade MFA Studio
Graduate Component
Drawing from various puppetry techniques alongside the practices of Jacques Lecoq we this graduate studio explores and experiments with puppetry and performance. Throughout the course, we will work in collaborative groups to create puppetry performance including building the puppets and devising works that utilize puppets and objects. We will explore large-scale processional style puppets, puppet as objects and materials, puppeteering the performance space, and the role/relationship of the puppeteer/performer to puppet. This class meets once a week. Prerequisite: Puppetry or by permission of instructor.
Faculty
Previous Courses
Theatre
Puppet Theatre
Open, Component—Year
This course will explore a variety of puppetry techniques, including bunraku style, marionette, shadow puppetry, and toy theatre. We will begin with a detailed look at these forms through individual and group research projects. We will further our exploration with hands-on learning in various techniques of construction. Students will then have the opportunity to develop their own manipulation skills, as well as to gain an understanding of how to prepare the puppeteer’s body for performance. The class will culminate with the creation and presentation of puppetry pieces of the student’s own making.
Faculty
Puppet, Spectacle, and Parade
Intermediate, Component—Year
Drawing from various puppetry techniques alongside the practices of Jacques Lecoq, we will explore and experiment with puppetry and performance. Throughout the course, we will work in collaborative groups to create puppetry performance, including building the puppets and devising works that utilize puppets and objects. We will explore large-scale, processional-style puppets, puppets as objects and materials, puppeteering the performance space, and the role/relationship of the puppeteer/performer to puppet.
Faculty
Scenic Design
Open, Component—Year
This course introduces basic elements of scenic design, including developing a design concept, drafting, and practical techniques for creating theatrical space. Students will develop tools to communicate their visual ideas through research, sketches, and models. The class will discuss examples of design from theatre, dance, and puppetry. Student projects will include both conceptual designs and production work in the department.
Faculty
Scenic Design I
Open, Component—Year
This course introduces basic elements of scenic design, including developing a design concept, drafting, and practical techniques for creating theatrical space. Students will develop tools to communicate their visual ideas through research, sketches, and models. The class will discuss examples of design from theatre, dance, and puppetry. Student projects will include both conceptual designs and production work in the department