Lighting, Scenic, and Audio Designer
I am a lighting and scenic designer based in Nashville, TN. I joined the Theatre faculty at Vanderbilt University in 1998. At Vanderbilt, I teach courses in lighting and sound design, scenic design, and theatre management, as well as a first year seminar that examines visual design in theatre and film. I serve as the resident scenic, lighting, and audio designer for the Theatre Department while also maintaining an active professional lighting design career.
I design extensively for Nashville Repertory Theatre (formerly Tennessee Repertory Theatre) and have been an Associate Artist with the company since 2009. My other credits include designs at American Stage Theatre Company, Arkansas Repertory Theatre, Nashville Shakespeare Festival, Verge Theatre Company, Little Theatre of the Rockies, Vanderbilt Opera Theatre, Nashville Opera, and Mockingbird Theatre.
I believe that my task as a designer is to illuminate and illustrate dramatic text with sensitivity and grace. The choices I make must always relate back to the performance text, whatever form it may take. No matter the venue or the material, I strive for clarity and to create an environment appropriate for the play, while supporting the collaborative vision of the production team.
As an extension of my design work, I am a photographer specializing in nature, landscape, and architectural photography. I use my photography as a creative outlet and to explore composition, lighting, color, texture in a medium other than theatre.
I am a member of United Scenic Artists, Local 829 and serve as Vanderbilt's institutional representative for USITT. I hold an MFA in Lighting and Scenic Design from Northwestern University and a BA in Theatre from the University of Puget Sound. I grew up in the scenic panhandle of Idaho where I learned to appreciate the beauty of the natural world. This appreciation informs my photography as well as my work as a designer.
