Current Students

Kevin Beltz

Kevin is a 1st year M.F.A. candidate in Design. He recently graduated with his Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Design from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. In Detroit, Kevin is a founding member of The Magenta Giraffe Theatre and works collaboratively with Open Door Productions. In addition to these things, Kevin is an actor, a photographer, an aspiring writer, and a pyrotechnician with Great Lakes Fireworks.

Elizabeth Bracken

Michelle Ferrier

Michelle is a first year M.F.A. candidate in design. She recently graduated with honors from SUNY New Paltz in New York with her Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre and a minor in English Literature. Her previous theatrical experience includes designing, musical direction and directing in various venues within the military community both in the United States and in Germany. Most recently, she served as a Production Designer for the West Point Military Band's Holiday Concert in 2006. In the civilian world, she served as an Assistant Designer at Albany's Capital Repertory Theatre and directed children's theatre program for the Highland Falls School System for two years. Her most recent honors include The Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival award for Scenic Design Excellence for her 2006 design of Fefu and Her Friends and SUNY Rockland's Outstanding Service Award for the creation and development of their Black Box Theatre in 2004. Michelle proudly includes in her credits, wife of Army SFC Blair Ferrier for over 18 years and “best mom ever” title according to her 13 yr. old son Ian.

Natalee Franklin

Alison Heryer

Alison Heryer is a first year graduate student in theatrical design. For the past six years she has worked as a freelance costume designer and stylist in Chicago. She has designed extensively with Steppenwolf Theatre where her credits include The Bluest Eye, The Fall to Earth, A Lesson Before Dying, Orange Flower Water, Things Being What They Are, and World Set Free. As an artistic associate of Redmoon Theater, she has collaborated on dozens of spectacle events, including Twilight Orchard and Seagull. Other notable credits include The Last Two Minutes of the Complete Works of Henrik Ibsen with the NeoFuturists, Red Scare with Second City, and Sueno with Greasy Joan & Company. Alison also worked for three years as an adjunct faculty and resident designer at the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University. She holds a B.F.A. in Fashion Design with a second major in History from Washington University in St. Louis.

Peter Holtin

Darren Levin

Darren E. Levin is a Second Year M.F.A. Design candidate, emphasizing in Lighting Design, and is thrilled to be studying at the University of Texas. Originally from Versailles, Missouri, he graduated Magna Cum Laude from Missouri State University in 2007 with his Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Theatre with a Lighting Design/Tech Emphasis. During his time at Missouri State, he designed several shows including Urinetown, Hedda Gabler, A Chorus Line (Scenic Design), and Beguiled Again. Also during undergraduate work, he was a Student/Lighting Manager for the Juanita K. Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts, also in Springfield, Asst. Lighting/Laser Tech with The Haygoods in Branson, MO, and with Downhome Productions. Most Recently, Darren has worked with Cedar Point Live Entertainment in Sandusky, OH as the Associate Lighting Designer of Country Unleashed, Assistant Lighting Designer of Signed Sealed Delivered, and as Head Electrician of the Centennial Theatre for the past three years. At Texas, he recently designed last years productions of Big Love and Susannah. Much love to his family and friends for their continued love and support.

Darren E. Levin Designs website

Download Darren's resume (pdf – download adobe reader.)

Jennifer Madison

Jennifer J. Madison is thrilled to be joining the M.F.A. Costume Design program at The University of Texas, and is excited to begin her exploration of both Austin and Texas. An Honors Graduate of Eastern Oregon University in Theatre, Jennifer has designed costumes for The Maids, Closer, The Taming of the Shrew, and A Flea in Her Ear, for which she earned The Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival Meritorious Achievement Award. Jennifer has also designed scenery for Fuddy Meers, The Taming of the Shrew, and Wit, for which she earned The Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival Meritorious Achievement Award.
Taking a two year break between undergraduate and graduate studies, Jennifer worked in professional theatre while exploring the local attractions of her temporary homes. Working at the Arkansas Repertory Theatre as the Wardrobe Supervisor/Costume Shop Intern, Jennifer experienced the workings of a LORT D Theatre. At the Cleveland Playhouse, Jennifer had the opportunity to work with and observe the talented Costume Shop and various talented professional designers.
As Jennifer takes her next step in becoming a professional designer she would like to thank everyone who has supported her this far and welcome those people she has yet to meet.

Ilana Marks

Anne McMeeking

Sonja Rainey

Ariana Schwartz

Ariana is a first year theatre design M.F.A. with an emphasis on costume. She has an AAS in Fashion Design from the Fashion Institute of Technology and a B.F.A. in Fiber Arts from University of Oregon, where she also studied costume design. Her interest in textile arts and costume design stem from time spent living in Bali, Indonesia and traveling throughout Asia since early childhood. Ariana has studied batik painting and Balinese traditional costuming, and she enjoys designing Middle Eastern dance costumes. Her experience living and traveling in Asia has deeply influenced her aesthetic and her appreciation of beauty and fine craftsmanship, and contributed to her understanding of the role of costume and adornment in various cultural contexts. She spent the last two years living in Bali and teaching Balinese women sewing, pattern drafting and other skills needed to attain economic self-sufficiency.

Will Sutliff

Will Sutliff earned his B.F.A. in Theatre Design at the University of Arizona. He has worked professionally as a Lighting Designer and Programmer both locally and nationally. Will was the Lighting Designer on the University of Texas production of Plump Jack in the spring of 2007. Will has also been running Black Dome Productions since 2003, a company that has assisted with lighting several Corporate and Special Events in Arizona and Texas. He has been interning with a local LED company called Element Labs Inc., who designs and manufactures LED lighting fixtures. Will is in his second year working towards his master's degree at the University of Texas at Austin.

Cheng-Wei Teng

Lih-Hwa Yu

Lih-Hwa was born in Hwalian, Taiwan. He is a second year graduate student in Lighting Design at the University of Texas at Austin. After graduating with a B.F.A. from Taipei National University of the Arts, he gained 7 years experience as a master electrician and has since taught lighting technology at college level. He has designed numerous theater productions in Taiwan including Hamlet Machine, the Butterfly Lovers, as well as shows for children's theater. During his graduate study in UT, he designed lighting for The Shadow Box and is very excited to be designing The Summer People, A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Hansel and Gretel for the 2008 – 2009 Performing Arts Center season.