Shannon Robert
Shannon Robert, from New Orleans, LA, teaches scene design at Clemson University, where she also directs. She entered the world of design for theatre after falling in love with listening to stories told by her grandmother; amazed by how what she had envisioned was different or like what was described when visiting locations from the stories. To this day, she will listen to any story and get lost in the world that story creates. It was the interest in telling stories, painting, and drawing that led her to study design for theatre at Florida State University School of Theatre with Gerry Leahy. During her time at FSU, Shannon participated in an exchange with the Moscow Art Theatre and studied with Valery Leventhal. She worked as a scenic artist/craftsperson/props fabricator which opened her eyes to the waste generated by the entertainment industry. She works toward a more sustainable practice that is focused on sourcing reused and recycled materials and keeping those materials out of landfills.
Shannon is drawn to theatre that gives voice to the forgotten/ignored, promotes social justice, and addresses or reveals problems in society. She is passionate about providing creative outlets and opportunities for those who don’t have access to them. Some of her most rewarding and fulfilling work is that which reaches out and serves a need in the community. Encouraging students to create guided by service to others and by using their passion to inspire and influence positive change is the thing that feeds her artistically. Shannon believes design in the world of theatre should reinforce storytelling and that the experience should not stop when the performance concludes. Design should help it to live in the mind of the observer. The process by which the space was forged and how the story informed it can be an integral part of the conversation.
