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I go by Kurt or Kurtis(he/him), and was born and raised in Michigan.
My formal training and degrees are from The Yale School of Drama(MFA) and The Theatre School at DePaul University - I've spent time teaching and mentoring at Interlochen and The University of Chicago. Feel free to contact me: scenicdesign[at]gmail.com |
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Education: Yale University MFA Design - Yale School of Drama Advisors: Ming Cho Lee, Michael Yeargan DePaul University BFA - Scenic Design Advisor: Linda Buchanan Professional Experience: Collaborated closely with Directors, Playwrights, Technical staff and other designers to realize the vision and physical requirements for over 100 productions in Los Angeles, Chicago, Milwaukee and New Haven, among others. Designed and built scale models, created sketches, and developed design drawings and paint elevations for use in construction. Designed and fabricated special props, painted faux finishes on scenic elements as required. The University of Chicago: Director of Design - Theatre and Performance Studies(TAPS), Lecturer, Humanities Division Assistant Instructional Professor - TAPS, Humanities Division Designed and implemented syllabus and lecture material for four, 30 hour, quarterly courses per academic year for undergraduate students. Mentored student designers and directors through production proposal and execution processes, including the conception of design ideas, and implementation of all physical design elements from sketching and model making, to scenic painting. 2018-2021 Interlochen Center for the Arts: Designed and implemented syllabus and course material for 180 hour course for students ages 12-16 covering topics in theater design, assessed student course work and material. Supported, advised and mentored students working on production assignments. 2015 Honors & Awards: Chicago Jeff Award Nomination - Best Scenic Design Grey House - World Premier by Levi Hollaway - A Red Orchid Theatre Director: Shade Murray 2020 Chicago Jeff Award Nomination - Best Scenic Design Gentle - World Premier adaptation by Zeljko Djukic - T.U.T.A Director: Zeljko Djukic 2017 Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award Bob Z Award for Career Achievement in Scenic Design 2011 LA Weekly Award Best Production Design House of Gold - West Coast Premier by Gregory Moss - EST/LA Director: Gates McFadden 2011 Los Angeles Ovation Award Nomination Scenic Design Heavier Than - World Premier by Steve Yockey - Theatre@Boston Court Director: Abigail Deser 2010 Falstaff Award Nomination Scenic Design The Comedy of Errors - A Noise Within Director: Michael Michetti 2010 NAACP Theatre Award Nomination Best Set Design, Equity Production Take Me Out - Celebration Theatre Director: Michael Matthews 2010 Production Experience - Theatrical Scenic Design: Nosferatu - contributing scenic designer, V-Bar Creator/Director: Donald Rupe 24 - contributing scenic designer, Paradise Bar Director: Donald Rupe, Blake Auburn The Renaissance Theatre - Orlando, FL Grey House - World Premier by Levi Holloway Director: Shade Murray Small Mouth Sounds - Chicago Premier by Bess Wohl Director: Shade Murray A Red Orchid Theatre - Chicago, IL Mies Julie - Chicago Premier by Yäel Farber Director: Dexter Bullard A Wonder in My Soul - World Premier by Marcus Gardley Director: Chay Yew Never the Sinner by John Logan Director: Gary Griffin Victory Gardens Theater - Chicago, IL Big River - Book by William Hauptman - Music by Roger Miller Director: Marti Gobel The Miracle Worker by William Gibson Director: Matt Daniels The Wiz - Book by William F. Brown - Music by Charlie Smalls, Timothy Graphenreed Directors: Sheri Williams Pannell and Ameenah Kaplan First Stage Milwaukee Scapino - adaptation by Zeljko Djukic and Jeffrey Binder Director: Zeljko Djukic Gulfshore Playhouse - Naples, FL Fool for Love by Sam Shepard Director: Zeljko Djukic Facility Theatre - Chicago, IL Gentle - World Premier adaptation by Zeljko Djukic Director: Zeljko Djukic T.U.T.A. - Chicago, IL Caught - Chicago Premier by Christopher Chen Director: Seth Bockley Sideshow Theatre Haymarket: The Anarchist's Songbook - World Premier by Alex Higgin Hauser and David Kornfeld Director: Elizabeth Margolius Underscore Theatre - Chicago, IL The Cousin from Nowhere by Eduard Künneke, Herman Haller and Fritz Oliven Director: Elizabeth Margolius Chicago Folks Operetta Uncle Phillip's Coat by Matty Selman Director: Elizabeth Margolius Greenhouse Theater Center - Chicago, IL Elevada - World Premier by Shiela Callaghan Director: Jackson Gay Yale Repertory Theatre - New Haven, CT Thunderbodies by Kate Tarker Director: Dustin Wills Carlotta Festival of New Plays - Yale School of Drama Sit Up, Speak Nicely, and Don't Twiddle Your Fingers All The Time by Emily Zemba Director: Ato Blankson Wood The Most Beautiful Thing in the World Creator/Director: Gabe Levey Yale Cabaret Heavier Than… World Premier by Steve Yockey Director: Abigail Deser Courting Vampires - World Premier by Laura Schellhardt Director: Jessica Kubzansky The Pain and the Itch (co-produced by Furious Theatre) - West Coast Premier by Bruce Norris Director: Damaso Rodriguez Theatre@Boston Court - Pasadena, CA Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare Director: Julia Rodriguez-Elliot The Comedy of Errors by William Shakespeare Director: Michael Michetti Blithe Spirit by Noel Coward Director: Damaso Rodriguez Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations - adaptation by Neil Bartlett Director: Julia Rodriguez-Elliot Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare Director: Michael Murray Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist - adaptation by Neil Barlett Director: Julia Rodriguez-Elliot The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare Director: Geoff Elliot A Noise Within - Glendale, CA The Bacchae - adaptation by Allain Rochel Director: Michael Matthews Edinburgh Fringe Festival - Edinburgh, Scotland House of Gold - West Coast Premier by Gregory Moss Director: Gates McFadden Ensemble Studio Theatre/LA Extinction - World Premier by Gabe McKinley Director: Wayne Kasserman Greedy - West Coast Premier by Karl Gajdusek Director: James Roday Red Dog Squadron - Los Angeles, CA boom[sic] by Peter Sinn Nachtrieb Director: Damaso Rodriguez Hunter Gatherers by Peter Sinn Nachtrieb Director: Damaso Rodriguez Furious Theatre - Pasadena, CA The Marvelous Wonderettes - World Premier by Roger Bean Director: Roger Bean El Portal Forum Theatre - North Hollywood, CA Dusk Rings a Bell - West Coast Premier by Stephen Belber Director: Daniel Henning The Temperamentals - West Coast Premier by Jon Marans Director: Michael Matthews The Cradle Will Rock by Marc Blitzstein Director: Daniel Henning The Santaland Diaries by David Sedaris Director: Michael Matthews The Jazz Age - West Coast Premier by Allan Knee Director: Michael Matthews The Blank Theatre - Los Angeles, CA Broadsword: A Heavy Metal Play - West Coast Premier by Marco Ramirez Director: Mark St. Amant Forgiveness - World Premier by David Schulner Director: Matt Shakman Black Dahlia Theater - Los Angeles, CA Loving Repeating - West Coast Premier by Stephen Flaherty Director: Caryn Desai The Old Settler by John Henry Redwood Director: Caryn Desai Southern Comforts by Kathleen Clark Director: Jules Aaron International City Theatre - Long Beach, CA Positively Wicked Creator/Director: Ryan Scott Oliver Jasper in Deadland - World Premier Musical Workshop Director: Ryan Scott Oliver Pasadena Musical Theatre Program What’s Wrong with Angry? by Patrick Wilde Director: Michael Matthews Take Me Out by Richard Greenberg Director: Michael Matthews [Title of Show] by Hunter Bell Director: Michael Sheppard The Women of Brewster Place: The Musical - West Coast Premier by Tim Acito Director: Michael Matthews Haram! Iran! - West Coast Premier by Jay Paul Deratany Director: Michael Matthews Altar Boyz[sic] by Gary Adler, Michael Patrick, Kevin Del Aguila Director: Patrick Pearson Porcelain by Chay Yew Director: Michael Matthews The Prodigal Father - World Premier by Larry Dean Harris Director: Michael Matthews Songs from an Unmade Bed - West Coast Premier by Mark Cambell Director: Patrick Pearson Stupid Kids by John C. Russell Director: Michael Matthews Gemini by Albert Innaurato Director: Stan Zimmerman Beautiful Thing by Jonathan Harvey Director: Michael Matthews The Bacchae - adaptation by Allain Rochel Director: Michael Matthews Play it Cool – World Premiere by Larry Dean Harris and Mark Winkler Director: Sharon Rosen Four by Christopher Shinn Director: Michael Matthews Buddies – World Premiere by Scott Smith, adapted from the book by Ethen Morden Director: Scott Smith Celebration Theatre - West Hollywood, CA John Gabriel Borkman by Henrik Ibsen Director: Leonard Pronko Pomona College Harvest - World Premier by Aaron Lipke Director: Jessica Hoff Tangerine Arts Group - Chicago, IL Street Scene by Elmer Rice Director: Kathy Scambiattera Natural Affection by William Inge Director: John Mossman Unchanging Love by Romulus Linney Director: Gillian Kelly The Artistic Home - Chicago, IL Playdates - World Premier by Sam Wolfson Director: Jennifer Chambers Elephant Theatre Theatre Asylum - Los Angeles, CA Meaningless - World Premier by Peter Sinn Nachtrieb Director: Lee Peters Just Wanderer - World Premier by Stephen Cone Director: David Zak Two Grooms and a Mohel - World Premier by Jay Paul Deratany Director: Lee Peters Bailiwick Repertory - Chicago, IL Assistant Scenic Design: In a Year with 13 Moons - World Premier adapted by Robert Woodruff & Bill Camp Scenic Design by David Zinn Yale Repertory Theatre Dear Elizabeth - World Premier by Sarah Ruhl Scenic Design by Adam Rigg Yale Repertory Theatre A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams Scenic Design by Reid Thompson Yale Repertory Theatre Publications: Diversifying Greek Tragedy on the Contemporary US Stage by Melinda Powers Photography credit for The Bacchae – Celebration Theatre Image 4.1, page 129 Published Oct 2018 Reclaiming Greek Drama for Diverse Audiences: An Anthology of Adaptations and Interviews Edited by Melinda Powers Photography credit for The Bacchae – Celebration Theatre Image 2.1, page 74 Published 2021 |
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scenicdesign[at]gmail.com