Theatre Design & Technology - Spring 2011 - 24

Paul Brunner (Assistant Professor and Faculty Technical
One surprise was how many similar choices were made
Director at Indiana University, Bloomington), Ellen E. Jones
in the name of sustainability at two very different academic
(Assistant Professor of Theatre and Faculty Designer at Bemidji
institutions. Indiana University at Bloomington is the flagship of
State University in MN), and James McKernan (Assistant
the Indiana University system and offers BA, BFA, MA, MFA, and
Professor and Faculty Technical Director at York University in
PhD degrees. There are twenty-three full-time faculty members,
Toronto, Canada) each presented different approaches to the
each with a discipline-specific focus. In addition, several support
problem of sustainability in academic theatre. Instead of simply
staff professionals, adjuncts, and graduate assistants support this
repeating the mantra "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle," these educators
professional training program. Bemidji State University is a small
made significant changes in their academic programs to reduce
regional university in northern Minnesota. The school offers a
the environmental impact of theatre production work.
broad-based BA in theatre. Only two full-time faculty members,
Brunner's research at Indiana University has focused on efthree part-time staff, and a number of undergraduate student
fective use of materials in scenic construction through the use of
employees support the production program there.
engineered wood products. He has also revisited more traditional approaches to scenery
Being "greener" does not always require massive
construction. Realizing that there is no perfect material to meet all of the complex needs
alterations to operations or enormous financial
of scenery, he uses a balanced approach that
and human resources
actually recommends the wide use of wood
over any other construction product.
Jones' work has a broader focus that
includes both theatre operations and experimentation with
BSU does not produce as many shows as IU, nor does
materials as a designer. Her research into sustainability was
it have the same goals as a BFA or MFA program. At larger
initially motivated by the specific issues she found when she
institutions, there may be concerns that including sustainability
joined the Bemidji State University faculty. The theatre program
in the design or production equation will compromise the
needed to institute safer workplace practices and make facility
integrity of the final product, or that a particular director or
upgrades to allow greater artistic achievement in designs. Both
designer will be shortchanged in the name of greening the
of those interests dovetailed with the desire to make the entire
show. The smaller the program, the easier it is to reach a
production program more environmentally friendly.
consensus on the balance of sustainable practices and artistic
McKernan's work has moved outside the York University
achievement.
setting by building alliances with manufacturers to determine
Being "greener" does not always require massive
the most effective equipment choices to meet sustainability
alterations to operations or enormous financial and human
goals for his department. His work on joint symposia with
resources. Most of the well-documented efforts toward greening
manufacturers did not begin with a specific goal related to
production have involved larger institutions or professional
sustainable practices, but the results yielded opportunities
settings with greater divisions of labor and more resources than
for the York students and faculty to explore a range of
academic theatre programs with a liberal arts foundation. The
options related to reducing carbon footprints. Results of these
LDI session highlighted the fact that small steps can be taken to
partnerships included the chance for York University to beta
improve overall sustainability, and that those small steps matter
test prototypes of AC Lighting's LED fixtures and use them in
whatever the size of the operation.
show rigs.
One lesson from McKernan's initiatives is the fact that
production at indiana University,
the vendors and manufacturers who are ESTA and USITT
Bloomington
members are a terrific resource for exploring sustainability
in production. Educators who are overwhelmed by the
possibilities may find trade-show floors the perfect place to
t Indiana University, the Department of Theatre
begin research on the topic.
and Drama is committed to improving overall sustainability.
The 2010 LDI session, "Green at the University:
The current approach studies the scenic construction process,
Teaching Green by Being Green," was designed to share the
analyzing every aspect from conceptualization through strike
findings of each individual as well as to initiate discussion
and material reuse. The most tangible aspect of this study is
among conference attendees. The work at Indiana
an exploration of the materials commonly used to build stage
University and Bemidji State were rooted in the practice
scenery. A popular notion exists that cutting down a tree is
of design and construction and directly related to specific
inherently wrong or immoral. There is also an industry-wide
production work. This overview will deal with those
assumption that theatre scenery construction is naturally
projects. Professor McKernan will address his broader
wasteful and therefore bad for the environment.
ranging work in a future article.
Theatre scenery is, however, a model of sustainable

theatre design

& technology

spring 2011

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Theatre Design & Technology - Spring 2011