The November issue of Theatre Design & Technology features a fascinating article about the USITT-USA National Exhibition for the 2015 Prague Quadrennial.

The technical director chosen to lead the build and installation was URTA’s own Paul Bruner, Associate Professor at Indiana University. A grant from USITT and another from a private donor in Bloomington, allowed for eight IU students to work with Bruner on the install and staffing of the exhibit in Prague.

 Aside from the obvious learning opportunity provided to the students, it also allowed them to gain experience in areas they may not have been comfortable in beforehand. The complete National Exhibition was 80 percent sculptural which pushed the Indiana team to develop an overall creative product. Brunner writes that a painter was operating a welder and a costume designer built platforms, giving the students a holistic advantage.

USITT-USA National Exhibition photo: Karen Gruenhagan, USITT

Attending the Prague Quadrennial is an immersive experience that allowed the students to be exposed to all artistic and cultural design benefits during one major event. “The opportunity for these students to attend the PQ and be exposed to the world of design and performance during a significant period in their artistic development is an immeasurable benefit,” wrote Brunner.

URTA is very excited to share some of the excitement with the staff and students of Indiana University, an URTA member school!