WINSTON-SALEM – The School of Design and Production at the North Carolina School of the Arts will host master classes and a design competition for the Southeast Section of the United States Institute for Theatre Technology (USITT) this coming Friday and Saturday, Sept. 23 and 24.  

Approximately 150 USITT members from across the Southeast are expected to attend.  

“It gives our school an opportunity to show off not only our great facilities, but our faculty as well,” said NCSA School of Design and Production (D&P) faculty member Doug Brown. “Most of the classes are being taught by our faculty.” Brown, a member of the technical faculty, is helping to coordinate the event.  

Master classes will include “Design and the Creative Process,” presented by NCSA School of Design and Production Dean Joseph P. Tilford; “Performer Flying 101,” presented by Delbert Hall of ZFX Flying Effects; and “Costuming for Film,” presented by free-lance costumer Keith Lewis, an NCSA D&P alumnus and former faculty member, just nominated for a 2005 Emmy Award. 

Other master classes will include “Motion Control,” presented by Jack Miller, director of stage automation at NCSA; “Blood and Guts” (creating realistic wounds and prosthetics for stage and screen), presented by Michael Meyer, NCSA wig and makeup artist/prosthetic specialist; “Getting the Most Out of AutoCAD,” presented by Dennis Booth, technical director at NCSA; “Commercial Stage Electrics and Touring,” presented by Eric Rimes, NCSA lighting technology faculty; “Creating Expressive Character Makeup,” presented by Martha Ruskai, NCSA resident makeup artist and wig specialist; “Fundamentals of Structures,” presented by Henry Grillo, NCSA technical faculty; “Rough Tough Stuff” (creating scenic “goop”), presented by Howard Jones, NCSA’s resident scenic artist; “Bowl Turning,” by Bland Wade, NCSA properties department manager; “Pro Tools,” presented by Jason Romney, NCSA sound design faculty; and “Planning a New Costume Shop,” by Pam Knourek, NCSA’s costume shop director, and Christine Turbitt, director of costume studies at NCSA. 

“D&P is the class act in the American Southeast,” said School of Design and Production Dean Joseph P. Tilford. “We have the faculty, the facilities, and the institutional commitment to the arts.”  

The School of Design and Production offers a unique and comprehensive program of instruction and practice in 12 different concentrations in theatrical design, production and crafts. With more than 20 faculty members, D&P has more than 70,000 square feet of space in separate carpentry, paint, properties and furniture, welding and metal, lighting, sound, and automation shops, as well as a brand-new, 16,000-square-foot costume, wig and makeup facility.  

In addition to the master classes, the USITT-SE event also will feature a design competition, which will showcase student and faculty/professional work in costume, scenery and lighting design, as well as technical production and costume technology. Work will be displayed and judged by a panel of professional designers, artisans and technologists. 

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 For more information, contact Marla Carpenter at 336-770-3337 in the public relations office at the North Carolina School of the Arts, or e-mail carpem@ncarts.edu.