ASU Makes Strategic Design & Production Hires

The Arizona State University Department of Theatre (a unit of the Herberger College of Fine Arts) announced the appointment of three new faculty members in design and production to join its faculty as it engages with emerging theatrical forms.

Jake Pinholster joins ASU as assistant professor of theatrical design with specialization in multimedia design. Pinholster's credits include video design for off-Broadway's Boozy, assistant projection design for Wicked and Spamalot on Broadway, and set design for Ubu the King at Williamstown Theatre Festival. "I am very excited to join the faculty at Arizona State," he says. "The program is poised to become a pioneer in theatrical design education, giving students the opportunity to explore the art and technology of show business simultaneously. In media design, it's tremendously important to teach the art and the craft, the aesthetic and the science side-by-side." Pinholster will be teaching graduate students in a newly designed MFA program in Performance Design that links design education with MFA programs in directing, performance, playwriting, and theatre for youth.

Also joining the faculty are David Coffman as production manager/professor of stage management and Ronald Thacker as technical director. Coffman comes to ASU with 20 years of professional experience in the San Francisco Bay as PSM for San Francisco Opera and production manager for SF Jazz. Ron Thacker was most recently the TD at Phoenix Theatre and taught at Virginia Commonwealth University after receiving his MFA degree from Cal Arts.

Linda Essig, department chair and artistic director, notes that the appointment of these new faculty in design and production, the strength of the existing faculty and world-class facilities will help the ASU Department of Theatre to achieve its mission to "move the art of the theatre into the future."