Michael Locher — Assistant Professor, Department of Television, Radio, Film, and Theatre
Dr. Michael Locher has been a part of the SJSU community since fall 2013, when he began teaching theatre design in the Department of Television, Radio, Film, and Theatre. This fall, we are thrilled to welcome Michael back as an Assistant Professor of Theatre.
Michael brings with him an array of experiences, both from his academic career and his work as a freelance scene designer for the past 15 years. Focusing on theatre and scene design, Michael completed his undergraduate studies at the University of California, San Diego, and his MFA at the Yale School of Drama. Since then, he has worked with prestigious theatre companies across the country, including the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, the Guthrie Theater, CENTERSTAGE, Yale Repertory Theater, and Cal Shakes. He is excited by San Jose State University’s commitment to expanding and developing the study of theatre, especially in the use of onstage design and technology.
“Theater design is a wonderful merger of interests and practices: we’re both individual artists serving in a unique capacity, and part of larger collaborative teams and systems,” he elaborated. “Good designers are strong students of literature, history, and culture as well, meaning our projects give us wonderfully varied challenges each time.”
With his breadth of experience, Michael offers many learning opportunities for students. In addition to designing scenes, Michael has also extensively worked as a freelance illustrator and graphic designer, widening his artistic sense and ideals. He is devoted to the idea that artists should feel free to express themselves through their work, potentially in provocative ways, but should also create an atmosphere that invites discussion and accepts both positive and negative criticism.
When asked about his favorite aspect of teaching, Michael remarked: “I used to envy my professors – it seemed they were most effective when simply sharing their craft, and conveying their passion. It turns out they were onto something, and it’s great fun.”
By Kaitlynn Magnuson
