Theater professor sets sights on Prague

One IU professor’s résumé is rising among higher ranks.

Paul Brunner, head of theater technology at IU, was elected to the board of directors at the United States Institute for Theater Technology, the most prominent organization for theater design and technology.

Between that and overseeing the construction U.S. exhibits at the 2015 Prague Quadrenniel, the world’s biggest competition in entertainment design and architecture,
Brunner has a lot on his plate this year.

“I’m very humbled to be elected to the Board of Directors at USITT,” he said. “I take very seriously the responsibility my fellow theater artisans have instilled in me.”

As a director at USITT, Brunner will superintend the direction and policy of the institute.

But last year, when he was approached by a friend about a potential nomination, he said he thought he lacked the experience, partly because he’s only 37.

“I thought I was a little too young to aspire to the board,” he said. “But when I was approached by two other colleagues who also wanted to nominate me, I felt the timing was better than I knew.”

He said it was a surprise he didn’t mind.

“You never know what people think of your research presentations,” he said. “I guess more people know me than I thought.”

Brunner’s been a member of USITT since his undergrad days. As a graduate student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, his research presentations on alternative stage scenery materials got him noticed in 1999, and he’s been researching and presenting his findings at USITT’s National Conference ever since.

The freshly-elected director said his new role in the association will be a chance to show some appreciation for how far it’s helped him come.

“It may sound cliché, but I can’t wait to give back to USITT,” he said. “It’s provided me with opportunities to present and network with theater makers from all over.”

He said knowing how to network and make connections is the most important part of what he does.

“More than anything else, I’m a collaborator,” Brunner said.

He said it’s a job that doesn’t come easily.

“Collaboration, particularly in an artistic field, requires face-to-face interactions to create great productions,” he said. “It means a busy year of meetings, lots and lots of
meetings.”

He’s currently taking conference calls and Skyping to discuss the conceptual ideas for the 2015 Prague Quadrennial.

“At this point, my job for the PQ is to listen very carefully to my fellow members of the creative team to decipher exactly what is the essence of the design and exhibit,” he said.

He’ll also be in charge of researching materials and the feasibility of the ideas according to the budget.

Fortunately for his IU students, Brunner said he wants to make sure they get a taste of all the hard work.

What his team comes up with in Prague will be built at the IU Scenic Studio in summer 2014. In March 2015, their creation will be packed into a shipping container and it won’t be seen again until they travel to Prague to set it up in June.

He said the cultural barrier will prove to be a challenge for all of them. He attended the last PQ in 2011, where he got an idea of how overwhelming the process can be.

After dealing with broken parts, learning the metric system, getting acquainted with weird electrical outlets and all the foreign languages, it’s a whirlwind of confusion and pressure.

“But I discovered theater artisans are much the same all around the world,” he said. “They’re willing to collaborate with each other in amazing ways.”

He said taking his students overseas for the project will be something to remember.

“I think it’s pretty neat to think that IU students will be representing our campus and country at what has come to be known as the Olympics of performance and design,” Brunner said.

Follow reporter Ashley Jenkins on Twitter @ashmorganj.