[SML] Guest designers in schools (was Vectorworks for...)

[John McAfee]

I want to dig in to this a little bit.  I agree, best practice is a professional designer who is current with standard practices and technology.  Having folks who are currently making their living in theater should guarantee this (but it doesn’t necessarily).

In my high school and college, there was a sense that you should make theater your life, which led to little guidance in how to set boundaries or diversify your income.  The pandemic set a number of our fellow theater-makers who had made theater their life on a back foot and many, reasonably, decided to take other work, found it satisfying, and have not returned to theater full-time.  Does that mean they are no longer viable candidates to design?

You could argue that not having a current license for Vectorworks inherently means the designer is not up to date with standard practices and technology, but by that same token, the full-time designer who needs me to convert our file from v2024 to v2022 isn’t either.

How many shows does a designer have to do in a year to be a professional?

(Unherdable kitten aside) I’m relatively new to -this- institution, so it’s not so much about maintaining a past relationship, but about the fact that this designer makes sure to include the students in the conversation and practice, which not all designers do.  Our program is relatively acting-centric, with few design and production classes, so having a designer who centers the teaching aspect of it is important. I’ve worked with a number of designers, both established and early-career, who care more about the show being a portfolio piece than being an opportunity for the students.

Until this semester, none of the designers I’ve hired or worked with in schools have been lapsed theater-folk, but I do think there is an interesting line of inquiry here to examine.  If I were at a BFA program, I wouldn’t hire someone who wasn’t currently practicing.  But I don’t know what my personal definition of “practicing” is.

What about other folks, are all your guest designers making their primary income from theater?  Do you need them to?  Is your design fee high enough for them to (our fee for design is $1500)?


> On Feb 10, 2025, at 5:42 PM, Kevin Lee Allen via Stagecraft <stagecraft at theatrical.net> wrote:
> 
> That’s probably also best for the students.
> 
> 
> -----
> Kevin Lee Allen
> Designer, Author, Producer
> klad at klad.com • 201.280.3841
> 
>> On Feb 10, 2025, at 5:08 PM, Scott Parker via Stagecraft <stagecraft at theatrical.net> wrote:
>> 
>> Though I understand you likely like working with this particular designer who has moved away from theater, and you have a past relationship you'd like to maintain. 
>> Why not find a designer who is neck-deep in the profession and give them the opportunity? Just my two cents.
>> 
> 
> 
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