Gina Sandi-Diaz
Workshops on History of Latinx Theatre and Devised Theatre for Directors
Dr. Gina Sandi-Diaz is an Associate Professor of Theatre at California State University, Fresno where she teaches Latinx Theatre, Devised Theatre, Acting and Directing, among other classes. She is an actor, director, deviser and an applied theatre facilitator with an emphasis on representation of people of the global majority.
She earned her PhD. and MA. in Theatre from the University of Kansas and has a BA. and MFA. (equivalent) in Acting from the National University Costa Rica, where she was born and raised.
Her most recent productions at Fresno State include Sanctuary City by Martyna Mayok, Men on Boats by Jaclyn Backhaus, and Electricidad by Luis Alfaro.
She mentors the ArteVism Fellowship in California’s Central Valley, a program she cofounded with the Pan Valley Institute to train young community leaders of color in the intersections of Art and Civic Engagement. She also serves as the National Chair of Representation, Equity and Diversity for the Kennedy Center’s American College Theatre Festival and is an active member of the Latinx Theatre Commons.
Her areas of expertise and interest are Latinx and Latin American Theatre and Performance, Devised Theatre, Directing, Social Justice and Applied Theatre. She is currently researching and co-writing a book on Intersectionality and feminist theatre directing practices.
Rob Sunderman
Guest Scenic Designer, Fairy Tales for the Anthropocene and Die Fledermaus
Rob Sunderman graduated from the University of Iowa with a BFA, MA and MFA 1982. He is a Fine Artist, Scenic Designer, Scenic Artist, and ISU Associate Professor Emeritus of Theatre. He was the Resident Scenic Designer/Scenic Artist and Associate Professor Emeritus of Theatre Design at Iowa State University for 21 years. Prior to his work at ISU, he was the Scenic Designer at Iowa Public Television for 16 years. Rob has been teaching Art classes at the Des Moines Art Center for over 36 years. He has scenic designed over 287 productions of theatre, opera and TV during his career. He has received Iowa Film, National Broadcasting Designers, Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival awards for his scenic designs and also many Fine Art awards. He has been a fine artist throughout his life and has exhibited his work in over 295 exhibitions nationally and internationally. Rob’s artwork is best described by this quote from him, “Not limiting materials is so important in my work. I use whatever best conveys the subject or story that I am addressing”. He recently has been working on pieces dealing with renewal, fleeting moments, human intervention of natural cycles. Most of his artwork deals with nature, humanities intrusive nature and climate change. His sculpture work has been recently included in a book published recently titled “Chunghi Choo and Her Students”. Rob has recently exhibited his work in national and international on-line exhibitions at the “The Holy Art Galleries”, “The Boomer Gallery” and “KBM Art Gallery”. This past year Rob designed sets for Theatre Cedar Rapids production of “School of Rock”, Revival Theatre’s production of the “Million Dollar Quartet”, Iowa PBS’s “Studio 3 Live” and Cleveland Institute of Music’s opera “Alcina”
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