MEET THE BOARD OF SAFE MAKERS
KEARSTON DILLARD-SCOTT
Kearston Dillard-Scott is a Theatre graduate of Randolph (Macon-Woman's) College. Her 20+ years of experience in lighting include Assistant Lighting Designer at the Virginia Opera in Norfolk, VA and the Atlanta Ballet in Atlanta, GA. She also designs lighting for dance programs across the Mid-Atlantic. She is a master lighting programmer with in-depth experience on various consoles. She has even worked on several film productions, as Art Director and even Assistant Stunt Coordinator. Her deep understanding of lighting, rigging, projections, sound, and video shines through in her Barbizon role of the past 6 years as Outside Sales Associate, dedicating herself not only to helping venues enhance their lighting but also educating individuals to better utilize lighting to help tell a story. Besides being a wife and a mother, she enjoys video games, singing, and doing art with her collection of art stationery, to include over 500 Sharpie markers.
RICH DIONNE
Rich Dionne is Associate Professor of Technical Direction with a particular interest in scenery automation and show control systems. Additionally, he mentors Multidisciplinary Engineering students concentrating in Theatre Engineering. He has a passion for both the art of theatre and the science and engineering of making theatre happen. Rich has served as the technical director for numerous productions in the Department of Theatre; prior to coming to Purdue, Richard was the production manager and resident sound designer at The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, where he mounted numerous productions at various indoor and outdoor venues, including a nationally-recognized educational touring company. Additionally, he has served as the technical director for Berkshire Theatre Festival, Alpine Theatre Project, Weston Playhouse Theatre Company, and Dorset Theatre Festival, mounting critically-acclaimed productions including The Whipping Man, Barefoot in the Park, Amadeus, Night of the Iguana, Avenue Q, The Illusion, and Death of a Salesman.
Rich is the co-director of Purdue’s Fusion Studio for Entertainment and Engineering, founded in 2020 with his colleague Dr. Mary Pilotte. The Fusion Studio connects industry leaders with scholars and practitioners, provides space for development and exploration, and inspires pedagogical innovation at the nexus of engineering and live entertainment.
Rich is the author of Project Planning for the Stage: Tools and Techniques for Managing Extraordinary Performances (available from Southern Illinois University Press) and is co-author with Michael Gillette of the ninth edition of Theatrical Design and Production (available from McGraw-Hill).
Info about BOARD MEMBERS #2, #3, and #4 coming soon!
Stay tuned!