Award-winning scenic designer to join ASU theater faculty

The School of Music, Dance and Theatre at Arizona State University is pleased to announce that award-winning scenic designer and educator Dori Brown will be joining the faculty as assistant clinical professor of scenic design. As a visual storyteller, Brown has designed, developed and produced award-winning productions for more than 20 years.

“We are thrilled that Dori Brown will join our design and production faculty,” said Heather Landes, director of the School of Music, Dance and Theatre. “Dori brings a wealth of professional experience and a vision for assisting students (in finding) their individual voice — which will help our students gain design experience across music, dance and theater, and develop competitive portfolios to better prepare them for their futures.”

Brown said she’s excited to help the next-generation theater community.

“I have learned a lot about the industry,” said Brown. “Now it is my turn to teach what I have learned.”

Brown took a nontraditional trajectory to theater. She received a degree in marketing and then later received a degree in electrical engineering. After seven years in engineering, Brown decided to go back to school again — this time to pursue a degree in architectural lighting design.

After an ASU professor suggested she connect with the theater department — and a pivotal meeting with now-retired ASU Professor Jeffrey Thomson — Brown transferred to the MFA theater program.

“For the first 15 years of my career, I did both lighting and scenic design,” said Brown. “But now I focus purely on scenic design.”

Her skills and creativity have led her to collaborate with directors, playwrights and production teams across the state. Her work has been seen in productions all over the Phoenix area. She said it’s hard to pick her favorite production, but that designing “Rent” at Mesa Community College was particularly memorable.

“It was fairly early in my career, and the set was designed and built on a very minimal budget, and it worked so great for the show,” said Brown. “Throughout this production, I gained great friends that I still work with today.”

Brown said creativity and art are so important. Her “continually inventive” designs have brought to life a range of imaginative stories — from “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” to “Alice in Wonderland.”

“(Theater) pushes the limits and allows everyone's inner child to wake up,” said Brown. “In a time when the digital world is so prevalent, live theater allows the audience to break from reality in a whole new way.”

Brown often balanced multiple projects at a time as both a resident scenic designer and freelance artist. She said that working in theater provides a range of career skills.

“As a scenic designer, I am trained to be an architect, an engineer, an interior designer, a graphics designer, a painter, a builder/carpenter, an electrician, a draftsperson, a computer expert and an artist,” said Brown. “On top of the actual skills, theater-making also polishes communication skills. Every project requires you to learn how to create, listen, communicate and collaborate. It is probably the most well-rounded type of career you can find.”

As an experienced educator and artist, Brown said she’s looking forward to helping ASU students in this next step on their creative journey. Her advice to students? Don’t be afraid to fail.

“Now, I am not talking about failing classes,” said Brown. “I am talking about taking chances and making bad choices. We all learn from our mistakes, so making creative mistakes helps us grow as artists.”

She said students should also use the resources available to them.

“You do not need to do it all alone,” said Brown. “While you are in school, you are meeting people and establishing your inner circle. Use that inner circle to help you through your design challenges. Use that inner circle to help you through your personal challenges. Do not be afraid to ask questions and ask for help.”