It was an eventful summer for the Theatre Department’s Head of Design and Production, Jesse Dreikosen. He co-authored a two-part article, entitled “Feng Shui Me: Free Yourself from Clutter-Part 1,” which was published in the September issue of Sightlines, the monthly newsletter for United States Institute for Theatre Technology (USITT) members (Jesse is the Vice Commissioner for Education at USITT’s Scene Design & Technologies Commission). The article explores the rewards of incorporating feng shui into one’s workspace and/or life, and suggests techniques on how to do so. This was a topic of much discussion at the USITT 2014 Annual Conference and Stage Expo, held earlier this year in Fort Worth, Texas. Look out for part 2 in next month’s edition of Sightlines.
Additionally, Jesse was tapped by Peggy McKowen, Associate Producing Director of the Contemporary American Theater Festival (CATF), to design the set for their world premiere show Uncanny Valley, written by Thomas Gibbons and directed by Tom Dugdale. The show originally opened in West Virginia and is currently transferring to New York City Off-Broadway and opening at 59E59 Theaters this October. This was Jesse’s first major project for CATF and the opportunity came as a result of having his past work at the Texas Shakespeare Festival noticed by McKowen. The set took him approximately six months to design and complete, and he was required to work closely with a technical director and the different teams/crews responsible for building the scene. The project involved the gradual unveiling a robot (first appearing as a talking head, then a torso, followed by limbs), all within the constraints of a desk, while on-stage. Working for CATF proved to be a challenging yet rewarding learning experience, and the ability to create such an illusion in a small space, while being close to the audience, required a great deal of imagination and talent from Jesse. Luckily, he has an abundance of those qualities!
For Jesse’s article, “Feng Shui Me: Free Yourself from Clutter-Part 1,” click here
To learn more about the Contemporary American Theater Festival, click here
For more information about Uncanny Valley, click here
