Speaker
Jan K. Rolník (Czech Republic)
Studied Financial Management and Aesthetics (Philosophy of Art) in Prague and Mexico City. Combines the two approaches (pragmatic and aesthetic) in everything he does: curatorship, executive production, project management or consulting in the fields of new media arts, performing arts, light art and lighting design, permanent museum exhibitions and festivals.
Founded, produced, curated, organized or managed various projects including Prague Quadrennial (www.pq.cz), festival of digital and creative cultures SIGNAL (www.signalfestival.com), Theatre Architecture in Central Europe (book, exhibition, workshops, web database - www.theatre-architecture.eu), Institute of Lighting Design Prague, Czech Pavilion at EXPO 2015 in Milan, Interpretation Centre of Erbil Citadel, permanent exhibition of Nature in National Museum Prague or Capacity Expo company. (www.capacityexpo.com ).
Lifelong seeker of new challenges now explores mainly the worlds of light art, creative use of new technologies and new ways of narration in museum exhibitions.
Moderator
Wan-Jung Wei (Taiwan)
Wan-Jung Wei is the youngest executive director to hold the position at OISTAT since its establishment in 1968, and also the first with diplomatic training. While in her teenage years, she practiced hip -hop dancing and later transitioned to contemporary dance. With a belief in the commonality between diplomacy and performing arts of "creating dialogues in daily life," Wei explores the relationship between contemporary dance and society by writing dance critiques, with a particular focus on feminism and gender issues. She earned her MA degree in Arts Politics from Tisch School of the Arts, New York University. She loves dogs.
Panelists
Aby Cohen (Brazil)
Dr. Aby Cohen is a Brazilian/Slovenian scenographer, artistic director, exhibition designer, and curator. She is internationally recognized for her work in theatre, exhibitions, film, and live events, with projects realized in the United Kingdom, Germany, Portugal, the Netherlands, Czech Republic, Suriname, Taiwan, Japan, Brazil, and Argentina.
She was awarded the Prague Quadrennial Golden Triga in 2011 as designer and curator of the Brazilian National Exhibition. She has also represented Brazil at the Prague Quadrennial since 1995, with notable roles including Co-curator for Brazil Thematic Session at PQ1999, International Curator of SharedSpace/Politics at PQ2015, and National Curator of Brazil at PQ2019, presenting the project "The Body as Space, Territory and its Borders." She founded the PQBrasil Platform in 2017 to promote collective engagement and open participation of the Brazilian community in PQ. Dr. Cohen is also the co-founder of the CenografiaBrasil collective, established in 2001.
Other international awards include the IDCA2013 Exhibition Layout (International Design Communication Awards) for a project created for the Tropenmuseum, Amsterdam.
She holds a PhD in Theatre Theory and Practice, with research on the intersection of Scenography, Art Installation, Expography, and Performance.
Dr. Cohen comes from a diverse multicultural and multilingual family with religious beliefs of immigrants from Europe and the Middle East, who moved to Brazil in the 1950s. She was born in Brazil, where she developed her education and much of her career before moving to the UK, where she currently lives and works as Head of the Postgraduate Department at the Academy of Live Technology.
She has been an active contributing member of OISTAT since 2003, participating in several projects: in PQ 2007 as a Scenofest Team member/Birds' Critique; in PQ 2011 as Scenofest Co-curator/Digital Dramaturgies; as a WSD 2013 Exhibition Jury member; as Design as Performance Curator and Programme Coordinator at WSD2013 (Cardiff, UK); as WSD 2017 Executive Member (Taipei, Taiwan); and as Coordinator of the SENA 2020 Online Forum/Festival, among others. She was the vice-president of OISTAT from 2013 to 2017 and was elected President of OISTAT at the World Congress for the 2021-2025 term.
Bert Determann (The Netherlands)
Independent entrepreneur in the cultural field - experienced theatre professional. Bert Determann has been involved in several cultural and societal activities and is known for his organizational skills. He combines a sense of structure and governance with deep knowledge of the cultural field and entrepreneurship.
He was educated as a sculptor at the academy of arts in Rotterdam. During his studying years, he established a connection to theatre.
Determann holds diverse board positions in the theatre field and participates in several projects related to cultural, civic economy, and environmental issues, both nationally and internationally. Currently, he is involved in the transition towards the new theatre at Theater aan de Parade in 's Hertogenbosch, and serves as advisor on Operations and Facilities a.i. at De Nieuwe Veste in Breda, both in the Netherlands. He is also engaged in the co-creation process for an expansive cultural cluster at Berlijnplein, Utrecht, the Netherlands, involving theatre company Nut, and dance groups IRC, 155, and Shifft.
Determann served as the Immediate Past President of OISTAT, the Organisation Internationale des Scénographes, Techniciens et Architectes de Theatre, a global theatre network and a UNESCO acknowledged NGO with 30,000 members in 53 countries on 5 continents, with its Headquarters in Taipei, Taiwan ( http://www.oistat.org ).
He was the director of operations of 'Theater Rotterdam’ for 12 years (http://www.theaterrotterdam.nl ). Theater Rotterdam is a unique merger between one of the most important theatres in the Netherlands: the Rotterdam City Theatre and the Rotterdam Drama Company, as well as 'Productiehuis Rotterdam', a platform for theatre talent.
He owned “VORM & DECOR SCENERY WORKSHOP,” situated in Rotterdam, which was the largest independent scenery workshop in the Netherlands. “Vorm & Decor” specialized, due to the Dutch system, in touring sets and scenery. Over 1500 decors were produced in the workshop over a period of more than 30 years. For 25 years, Determann was responsible for artistic policy, governance, and management.
Patrick Rizzotti (USA)
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Patrick Rizzotti is an Associate Professor of Design at the University of British Columbia and maintains an active design practice both in Canada and the United States. His work spans live performances, television, and virtual/augmented/mixed reality. His designs focus on creating immersive, urgent, and immediate environments that enhance visual storytelling. His research examines the art of creative collaboration, exploring how advancements in technology can support and enhance this process.
Rizzotti 's design work includes numerous world premieres and Off-Broadway productions. He has worked in the United States, Canada, and Europe at companies including Pittsburgh Opera, Vancouver Opera, The Arts Club, Flat Rock Playhouse, Florida Repertory, Creede Repertory Theatre, Edinburgh Fringe, New World Stages, and North Carolina Stage Company.
T.V. credits include Art Direction for America's Got Talent, The Dr. Oz Show, and The Today Show.
He currently serves on the OISTAT Executive Committee and is the Chair of the USITT International Activities Committee. He was part of the 2022 World Stage Design Organizing Committee and was the Co-Exhibition Designer and Multiple Realities Coordinator. He was also the Associate Artistic Director for the U.S.A.'s 2023 Prague Quadrennial exhibitions and is currently working on the 2027 exhibitions.
Rizzotti has been recognized with the USITT Scenic Design Award and was a finalist for the OPERA America Director-Designer Showcase. He is an alumnus of the New York City Lincoln Center Director's Lab. He holds an M.F.A from Carnegie Mellon School of Drama and is a member of IATSE: ADC659 and USA829.
www.patrickrizzotti.com
Raymond Wong (Taiwan / Hong Kong)
Graduated with an M.A. in Arts and Cultural Enterprises from the University of the Arts London (Central Saint Martins) and a B.Sc. in European Studies from the Hong Kong Baptist University, Raymond Wong serves in performing arts for more than 20 years as producer of national and international programs, marketer, facilitator of cultural exchange projects and manager at venues and arts organizations. He joined the City Contemporary Dance Company in Hong Kong from 2006 and served as Managing Director from 2014 to 2021. He was appointed as Deputy General Director of the National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts (Weiwuying) Taiwan in 2021, to oversee branding, audience engagement and visitor experience.
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Moderator
Wan-Jung Wei (Taiwan)
Wan-Jung Wei is the youngest executive director to hold the position at OISTAT since its establishment in 1968, and also the first with diplomatic training. While in her teenage years, she practiced hip-hop dancing and later transitioned to contemporary dance. With a belief in the commonality between diplomacy and performing arts of "creating dialogues in daily life," Wei explores the relationship between contemporary dance and society by writing dance critiques, with a particular focus on feminism and gender issues. She earned her MA degree in Arts Politics from Tisch School of the Arts, New York University. She loves dogs.
Panelist
Aby Cohen (Brazil)
Dr. Aby Cohen is a Brazilian/Slovenian scenographer, artistic director, exhibition designer, and curator. She is internationally recognized for her work in theatre, exhibitions, film, and live events, with projects realized in the United Kingdom, Germany, Portugal, the Netherlands, Czech Republic, Suriname, Taiwan, Japan, Brazil, and Argentina.
She was awarded the Prague Quadrennial Golden Triga in 2011 as designer and curator of the Brazilian National Exhibition. She has also represented Brazil at the Prague Quadrennial since 1995, with notable roles including Co-curator for Brazil Thematic Session at PQ1999, International Curator of SharedSpace/Politics at PQ2015, and National Curator of Brazil at PQ2019, presenting the project "The Body as Space, Territory and its Borders." She founded the PQBrasil Platform in 2017 to promote collective engagement and open participation of the Brazilian community in PQ. Dr. Cohen is also the co-founder of the CenografiaBrasil collective, established in 2001.
Other international awards include the IDCA2013 Exhibition Layout (International Design Communication Awards) for a project created for the Tropenmuseum, Amsterdam.
She holds a PhD in Theatre Theory and Practice, with research on the intersection of Scenography, Art Installation, Expography, and Performance.
Dr. Cohen comes from a diverse multicultural and multilingual family with religious beliefs of immigrants from Europe and the Middle East, who moved to Brazil in the 1950s. She was born in Brazil, where she developed her education and much of her career before moving to the UK, where she currently lives and works as Head of the Postgraduate Department at the Academy of Live Technology.
She has been an active contributing member of OISTAT since 2003, participating in several projects: in PQ 2007 as a Scenofest Team member/Birds' Critique; in PQ 2011 as Scenofest Co-curator/Digital Dramaturgies; as a WSD 2013 Exhibition Jury member; as Design as Performance Curator and Programme Coordinator at WSD2013 (Cardiff, UK); as WSD 2017 Executive Member (Taipei, Taiwan); and as Coordinator of the SENA 2020 Online Forum/Festival, among others. She was the vice-president of OISTAT from 2013 to 2017 and was elected President of OISTAT at the World Congress for the 2021-2025 term.
Samuel Shih-Hsing Wang (Taiwan)
Samuel Shih-Hsing Wang is a set, lighting, and costume designer, currently serving as the Dean of the Theatre School at Taipei National University of the Arts. 2007-2013, he held the position of president at the Taiwan Association of Theatre Technology (TATT). He was the project leader for World Stage Design 2017 and curated the Taiwanese Exhibition at PQ’07.
His diverse design portfolio encompasses theatre, traditional opera, dance, and musicals. He has collaborated with numerous prestigious theatre and dance companies, including Godot Theatre Company, We Theater, TANG MEI YUN Taiwanese Opera Company, Paperwindmill Theatre, Cloud Gate, MeimageDance, and Guangzhou Song and Dance Theatre, among others.
Speaker
Bradlee Ward (USA)
Bradlee Ward is a Senior Associate at Apeiro Design/NYC based Sound Designer where he designs sound and video systems for the Immersive/Theatre/Performance Environments Apeiro designs. Projects include: Huntington Theatre, Chelsea Factory, Park Avenue Synagogue. He is also a freelance sound designer. Design credits include: I Need That – Broadway, Bedlam’s King Lear, York Theatre’s Penelope. Associate design credits: Choir Boy, (Tony and Drama Desk Awards), Rose Tattoo, Bernhardt Hamlet. Previously, Ward was the Lead Audio System Tech for Cirque du Soleil’s The Beatles LOVE.
Ward is the chair of the Sound Design Sub-commission for Organisation Internationale des Scénographes, Techniciens et Architectes de Théâtre and is very excited to be back in Taiwan again.
Other affiliations include United States Institute for Theatre Technology (vice commissioner and international sound representative), AVIXA - Certified Technology Specialist - Design (CTS-D), Theatrical Sound Designers and Composers Association (US) (Founding member, Education Committee), Association of Sound Designers (UK) (Founding member).
Brad holds an MFA degree in Sound Design from Yale School of Drama.
www.ApeiroDesign.com
www.BradWard.net
Speaker
Tessa Rixon (Australia)
Tessa Rixon is a Senior Lecturer in Scenography at the Queensland University of Technology (Australia), and a practitioner-researcher in digital scenography and Australian performance design. Her research explores the nexus of performance design, sustainability, and technology, and has been published in top-ranked academic journals as well as numerous prestigious international conferences. Rixon is passionate about celebrating the work of Australia theatre designers, architects and production artists. In 2021, Rixon guest-edited the first special edition in over a decade to highlight Australian scenography (Scene Journal (Intellect)), and in 2023 she curated the Australian Hub of the 2023 International Theatre Engineering and Architecture Conference.
Rixon’s work on sustainable performance design pedagogies has been shared with students from around the world through multiple hybrid and in-person workshops. Her collaborations with world leaders in ecoscenography, including Tanja Beer and Ian Garrett, has been featured in articles and book chapters.
Rixon currently serves as Chair of Australia’s national OISTAT Centre ScenoLab Australia, as well as the National Secretary for the Australasian Association for Theatre, Drama and Performance Studies. Previously, Tessa has been actively involved in Australia’s student contribution to the 2023 Prague Quadrennial of Performance Design and Space.
Since 2023, Rixon has acted as Chair of the Research Commission for OISTAT.
Moderator
Adam Mendelson (USA)
Adam Mendelson is excited to be in Taiwan for the first time. He is the Senior Lecturer in Lighting and Sound Design at the University of Maryland Baltimore County where he has been on the faculty since 2012 and helped prepare the new theatre spaces for the opening of the state-of-the-art Performing Arts and Humanities Building. He previously taught at the University of Wyoming, the University of Texas- Arlington, Stephens College (Columbia, MO), and Lawrence Academy (Groton, MA). His design work has been seen across the US and internationally in Germany and Scotland. Recently, he has worked on shows for the Everyman Theatre (Baltimore, MD), 1st Stage (Tysons, VA), The Kennedy Center (Washington DC), Folger Theatre (Washington DC), The Voxel/Interrobang Theatre (Baltimore, MD), Munich Film Academy/Pepper Theatre (Munich, Germany), Classic Theatre of Maryland (Annapolis, MD), Perisphere Theatre (Silver Spring, MD) Rep Stage (Columbia, MD), Lexington Children's Theatre (Lexington, KY), Bowie State University Department of Theatre and the Towson University Department of Dance. He is a 20-year member of USITT. He proudly serves as the Vice-Chair of OISTAT’s Lighting Sub-Commission as well as its US delegate. He lives in Catonsville MD with his wife, Catherine, and their menagerie, Lailah and Kona.
Speaker
Dinesh Yadav (India)
Dr. Dinesh Yadav is a distinguished interdisciplinary researcher, educator, and performance artist specializing in theatrical design. His expertise traverses various realms, including theatre, installations, events, museums, and media, merging arts, technology, humanities, and health to delve into the intricacies of performance politics. Dr. Yadav's creations adorn global theatres, galleries, and public spaces and are featured prominently in festivals, exhibitions, and events worldwide.
He has curated the Prague Quadrennial and World Stage Design, serving as a juror for the latter. He has authored the book, "Touring Theatrical Production: An International Guide," published by Routledge, alongside over twenty conference papers, and has been invited as a workshop leader and masterclass instructor across India, the USA, Canada, and the UK.
Chairing the Performance Design Commission of OISTAT, leading the ASPIRE Program of KCACTF Region 3, and holding the position of General Editor for Theatre Quarterly TD&T reflect his leadership in the arts community. He co-founded the non-profit Swayambhu Foundation and led its repertory company; he significantly enriched the arts landscape with original research and performance projects. He is revered as an educator in academia, imparting invaluable knowledge in theatre, performance, and design. Dr. Yadav is a fellow of the National School of Drama, University Grant Commission, Ministry of Culture of India, and a Wisconsin Teaching Scholar and Fellow.
Speaker
Sofia Pantouvaki (Greece)
Dr. Sofia Pantouvaki is a scenographer and Professor of Costume Design at Aalto University, Finland. She holds an MA and PhD in Scenography from University of the Arts London and has specialised in design for opera and ballet at La Scala, Milan. She is an awarded practising designer with over 90 design credits for theatre, film, opera and dance productions in major European venues. She won the Best Production Design and Best Costumes awards at the Short Film International Festival of the city of Drama (2005). Her work has been exhibited on three continents, including at World Stage Design 2017 and Prague Quadrennial 1999 and 2023. She is a founding Editor of the international peer-reviewed journal Studies in Costume and Performance and Chair of Critical Costume. She is also OISTAT Executive Committee member and Vice President of the Hellenic Costume Society. She led the research project “Costume Methodologies” funded by the Academy of Finland (2014-2018) and is lead editor of Performance Costume: New Perspectives and Methods (2021, with P. McNeil). She has curated many international projects, including the Finnish Student exhibits at PQ 2015 (Gold Medal) and PQ 2023 (awarded ‘Most Imaginative and Inventive Design’), and was international Jury member for PQ 2019. She designs, lectures, supervises PhDs, and publishes internationally.
Moderator
Wan-Jung Wei (Taiwan)
Wan-Jung Wei is the youngest executive director to hold the position at OISTAT since its establishment in 1968, and also the first with diplomatic training. While in her teenage years, she practiced hip-hop dancing and later transitioned to contemporary dance. With a belief in the commonality between diplomacy and performing arts of "creating dialogues in daily life," Wei explores the relationship between contemporary dance and society by writing dance critiques, with a particular focus on feminism and gender issues. She earned her MA degree in Arts Politics from Tisch School of the Arts, New York University. She loves dogs.
Panelist
April Viczko (Canada)
April Viczko has worked on over 100 live productions during the last 30 years. She has designed sets, costumes, lighting, and projections for companies such as Citadel Theatre, Theatre Calgary, The Banff Centre for the Arts, The Only Animal, The Belfry Theatre, Persephone Theatre, Tarragon Theatre, Factory Theatre, Vertigo Theatre, Alberta Theatre Projects, and Kill Your Television.
Viczkol is a Professor of Theatre Design and Chair of the Drama Department at the University of Alberta. She is a full member and past president of the Associated Designers of Canada (ADC IATSE659). She was the Project Lead for World Stage Design 2022, a festival-meets-conference of over 100 performances, colloquia, and events held every four years on a different continent. At UCalgary, Viczko received multiple awards for her teaching and research. In 2006, she shared the Siminovitch Protégé Prize. In 2000, she received a Tyrone Guthrie Award at the Stratford Festival of Canada, where she spent four seasons as an assistant designer.
Maaike Westinga (The Netherlands)
Maaike Westinga is an architect and the director of TenBrasWestinga architecture / interior design and urban design, this architectural practice she runs together with Roel ten Bras since 2008.
Westinga was responsible for the design and realization for a variety of theatres and cultural centra. She managed to combine the interests of the architectural firm and the client in a balanced manner. In controlling the design and construction process, she strives for consistent elaboration, simplicity combined with a strong expression, good manufacturability and smart integration of constructions and installations in the architecture.
Westinga is an active member of BNA (Royal Institute of Dutch Architects).
From 2017 till 2023 she was Chair of the VPT (association for stage technology, Dutch Oistat Centre).
Since 2020 Maaike Westinga became Chair of OISTAT Architecture Commission. She has experience in several architectural juries in the Netherlands and was a jury member for 2022 Theatre Architecture Competition.
Loren Schreiber (USA)
Loren Schreiber—BA, MA, MFA, ETCP-T. Loren Schreiber began his professional career as Technical Director for the Old Globe Theatre, San Diego, where he was instrumental in the production of more than 150 shows, including the world premiere of Sondheim’s Into the Woods, Neil Simon’s Rumors and Jake’s Women, the national tour of James Lapine’s Falsettos and the Broadway revival of Damn Yankees. After 12 years in Regional Theatre, Schreiber joined the faculty of San Diego State University, where he founded the San Diego Theatre Arts Research Laboratory (STAR-Lab), which developed one of the first commercially available stage automation systems. Schreiber ’s association with Sapsis Rigging began in 2005 with the inspection of the automated rigging of Cirque du Soleil’s O at the Bellagio, Las Vegas. He currently manages the SRI cruise division, responsible for safety and rigging inspections of the performance venues on Royal Caribbean cruise ships. He has made 60+ cruises in the last 10 years, visiting more than 50 countries on 6 continents in the process.
Schreiber is a former, multi-term board member of USITT, and currently the USITT Technical Production Commission liaison to OISTAT. He is a founding member of the Long Reach Long Riders motorcycle charity ride, raising money for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, and Behind the Scenes. In his spare time, he enjoys flying small planes upside down and riding motorcycles right side up.
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