DESIGN & PRODUCTION MENTORS

Michelle Bland, Studio 39 Production Manager, has been working in theatre and education professionally for over 20 years. Since starting her career in production management at Berkeley Repertory Theatre, she has been committed to creating collaborative environments and providing project management resources for all artists. She has master’s degree in Theatre education from Catholic University and has presented both regionally and nationally for American Alliance for Theatre and Education.

William K. D’Eugenio is a Helen Hayes Award winning Lighting & Sound Designer based in Washington DC. He was involved in PVA's expansion to the Studio 39 campus in 2014. Since then, he has guided all theatrical equipment upgrades, been a mentor to student designers through the production process, and has guest designed for several shows. His recent regional lighting credits include:Trying, The Brothers Size (1st Stage); The Explorers Club (Prologue Theatre); Native Son (Mosaic Theater); 12 Angry Men (associate LD, Ford’s Theatre); Diana Ross & the NSO, An Evening with Norm Lewis, RIOT! Women in Comedy Festival, Ava DuVernay: 13TH, The REACH Opening Festival Mainstage, NSO: Apollo 11 - A 50th Anniversary, Long Way Down, August Greene, Tituss Burgess in Concert, Hannah Gadsby - Douglas (The Kennedy Center); Agnes of God, Lela & Co (Factory 449); Cinderella (Imagination Stage); The Events, Mnemonic, Still Life with Rocket, Word Becomes Flesh (Theater Alliance). His work as sound designer/composer has been heard for: Souvenir, True West, The Other Place, and Circle Mirror Transformation (Rep Stage), among others. He is a proud member of USA829, the designer's union.

Natalie Matthews is a recent graduate of UMBC with a Bachelors in Theatre with a focus in Design & Production and a minor in Psychology. Natalie has been involved in theatre for 11 years. Her main focus is in Lighting, both design and electrician work, but she also enjoys carpentry, welding, and sound mixing.

Currently, she does freelance work in the Baltimore area, and works as a Multimedia Assistant at UMBC and an in-house technician at the Baltimore Theatre Project.

Her next step is to go to graduate school of lighting design some day and eventually be a lighting design professor.

Emily McCort has been a Guest Artist for PVA since 2016. In addition to managing the costume shop and wardrobe storage, she has taught Applied Arts classes like Intro to Sewing, and has mentored student costume designers on multiple PVA productions.

Emily holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Design and Production from Towson University, where she focused on costume design.

Her past credits include working wardrobe for Baltimore Centerstage, Weston Playhouse Theatre Company, Shakespeare Theatre Company, and Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theatre.

Alexander Rothschild is a Theatrical Props Designer and Technical Director who works with Studio 39 providing mentorship in the areas of Scenery and Props as well as a variety of classes in assemblage sculpture and storytelling. Alexander believes that collaborative storytelling provides one of the greatest outlets for both educational and creative growth, and that every new project inherently has the opportunity to showcase any aspect of the world around us. Alexander has worked for numerous regional theatres as a props artisan and designer including the Washington National Opera, Constellation Theatre, and Signature Theatre. Alexander holds a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Stage Properties from University of North Carolina School of the Arts.

Lian Rothschild holds an MFA in Stage Properties from UNCSA and a BA in Theater Education from UMBC. She is extremely passionate about enabling her students as artists and leaders and is proud to be entering her eleventh year as a Design & Production educator and her fifth year at AHS. In addition to her classroom experience, Lian has also worked as a professional in the industry in a variety of capacities; she began freelancing professionally as a carpenter and scenic artist while still in high school, continuing her career full-time throughout college and after. Notable residencies include Staff Charge Artist and Props Master at UMBC, Production Advisor at the Carver Center for Arts & Technology, Production Manager of Weston Playhouse Theater Company, and her current position as Design & Production Instructor at AHS PVA.

Alexis Sheeks graduated from University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) in 2018, with a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre where she focused on lighting and projection design. Currently she freelances at UMBC as an events technician and at Everyman Theatre as an electrician. She has also worked as a projection consultant and as a finals advisor for her alma mater Patapsco High School and Center for the Arts.

Johnny Weissgerber is an professional actor and union theatrical scenic artist and muralist, who works in the DC area. He studied acting and musical theatre at Marymount Manhattan College. His professional experience includes, theatrical artist for Signature Theatre, FX make-up artist, puppeteer, screenwriter, and carpenter. He brings this experience to classes on painting, make-up, acting, and design and production. Johnny is a big believer in the artistic collaborative process and encourages his students to explore their art forms together.