FEATURED AUTHOR
Gene Leitermann
Gene Leitermann is a lecturer at Yale School of Drama and co-founder of Nextstage Design. He has been the lead theater designer on more than 100 buildings, working with many of the top-ranked architects in the United States, and on nearly every type of performing arts facility. He began working at Theatre Projects as a senior consultant in 1996, and led the US office from 2003 until 2014, when he left to form Nextstage Design. He has taught at Yale since 1998 and has lectured internationally.
Subjects: Built Environment, Theater
Biography
ConsultingNextstage Design, New Haven, CT, 2014 – present
Theatre Projects Consultants, Inc., South Norwalk, CT, 1996 – 2014
Systems Design Associates, Inc., New Haven, CT, 1984 – 1995
Teaching
Yale University, School of Drama—appointment as lecturer 1998 to present, responsible for the elective sequence that leads to an MFA degree with a concentration in Theater Planning and Consulting, currently teaching Theater Planning and Construction (DRAM 229), Theater Planning Seminar (DRAM 529), formerly taught Theater Engineering (DRAM 429)
University of Warwick, School of Theatre Studies, Performance and Cultural Policy Studies—PGDip/MA Theatre Consultancy Induction Day address, 2012
Bowling Green State University—Mechanical and Electrical Building Systems I (Architecture 236), 2008
University of Connecticut—Studies in Theatre Design (DRAM 5209-322), 2003
University of Wisconsin, Arts Institute—Interdisciplinary Studies in the Arts (469), 2002
Conference papers
The Keys to Collaboration: Successful Teams and Buildings, United States Institute for Theatre Technology, 2009
Temples of the Future, LDI conference, 2007
Moveable Element Design, United States Institute for Theatre Technology, 2007
Performing Arts Architecture and Construction Symposium, USITT Chesapeake Section, 2003
Computer Aided Design, USITT New England Section, 1991
Publications
Theater Planning, Routledge, 2017
The Taming of the Venue, Facility Manager, September/October 2002
Contributing author of The Technical Brief Collection: Ten Years of Solutions to Recurring Problems in Technical Theatre, Yale University, 1992
www.theatreprojects.com, un-credited author of “Size Matters: How a growing American audience affects the size and cost of performing arts spaces” and several short pieces including “Parts of a Theatre Building,” “Types and Forms of Theatres,” and “What is Theatre Design?”
Appointments
External review committee for Yale College, Office of Undergraduate Production, 2011
Technical Standards Council of the PLASA Technical Standards Program, alternate (current)
National Fire Protection Association technical committee on Assembly Occupancies and Membrane Structures, alternate (until 2014)
Public testimony, code change proposals, and written commentary for the Board of Coordination of Model Codes, National Fire Protection Association, International Code Council, United States Access Board (Americans with Disabilities Act)
Education
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MFA, Yale University School of Drama, 1982, New Haven, CT
BS, University of Wisconsin, 1978, Madison, WI
Areas of Research / Professional Expertise
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Architecture
Theater design
Theater planning
Websites
Books
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