Who I am

I am a Scenic Designer & Storyteller! My work as a theatre artist is always rooted in the concept of Poetic Faith:

a.k.a. “the willing suspension of disbelief.”

For me, Poetic Faith is a contract storytellers make with the audience. Meaning if you agree to be witness, I promise I will tell you a story to the best of my ability. Mentally, emotionally, intellectually, creatively; I believe that telling a good story visually means more than designing a “set.” You are creating the world where “it” will happen. Where the journey will begin and where it will end. And not just a journey for the audience, but for the performers who walk us through that story. And I love to collaborate with storytellers who share a similar view of the power of theatre in all varieties of live performance: Plays, Musicals, Opera, Dance, Puppetry, and so much more. I am always looking to expand my collaborative storytelling family and try something new!

I believe that all theatrical storytellers share three common values: Creation, Discovery, & Collaboration, and we all have some combination of the three. My number one is “Discovery.” Each new project offers an opportunity to learn, to grow, and to innovate.

I am a student and steward of the Collaborative Storytelling Design Process: Dramaturgy, Research, Drawing/Sketching, Modeling, & Drafting. It’s my passion for “Discovery” that drives my learning & mastery of New/Emerging Technologies: 3D Rendering, Laser Cutting, & 3D Printing. The more tools I have, and knowing when to use them, the better stories I’ll tell.

In addition to designing my own work, I have been lucky to also work with many major theater companies as an assistant and an associate designer to Todd Rosenthal (Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, The Goodman, 2nd Stage Theatre Broadway, Royal National Theatre of London, Mark Taper Forum, The Guthrie, The Alliance Theatre).

I am a graduate of Northwestern University’s Theatrical Design Program, a Participant & Presenter at Ming Cho Lee’s “Clambake Portfolio Review” and USITT’s Young Designer’s Forum.

Currently, I am the Assistant Professor of Scenic Design for The Department of Theatre at The University of Alabama Birmingham. I joined the Faculty in the Fall of 2022 and I teach Scenic Design, Introduction to Theatrical Design, and Drafting for Theatrical Design & Collaboration.