About Michael O'Nele

Michael joined the design faculty of the Department of Theatre & Dance at University of Memphis in the Fall of 1998. Michael believes that the art of technical direction is to transform imagination into reality. Technology is pushing its way into the world of art, and we can either choose to embrace it or hope that it is a trend and will go away. Michael chooses to embrace technology because it provides theatre with new means of expression. At the simplest level, computers allow for the efficient and easy manipulation and presentation of images, text, and ideas. The impact that technology may have in the future is something that students must be prepared for; as an artistic tool theatre artists are only now scratching the surface of what will come. In order for students to compete in a future workforce, Michael's goal for each class and project is to lay the ground work for technological skill development that will make them competitive.

Education

MFA in Technical Direction and Sound Design from the University of Missouri-Kansas City, 1998

Admitted

Member USITT

Experience

Professional

• Associate Professor Theatre & Dance The Univeristy of Memphis 2004-present
• Assistant Professor Theatre & Dance The Univeristy of Memphis 1998-2004
• Technical Director Chautauqua Conservatory Theatre 1998-2000 (summers)
• Graduate Student Theatre & Dance University Of Missouri-Kansas City 1995-1998
• Carpenter Department of Theatre University of Iowa Summer 1994 & Spring 1995
• Carpenter Opera Production unit University of Iowa Spring 1995
• Technical Director Tibbits Opera Foundation

Research and Scholarly Activities

Research Interests

Teaching interests: Production technology such as CNC applications, 3D printing & scanning and materials research. Teaching specialties include Technical Direction, Structural Design, Scenic Technology and Scenic Production.

Publications/Creative Research

• United States Institute for Theatre Technology. Panelist, Metal Fabrication Techniques for Theatre. Fort Worth, Texas: Annual Conference, Spring 1995. 
Demonstration of common fabrication techniques as they apply to the construction of theatrical scenery.
  
  
• United States Institute for Theatre Technology. Panelist, Identifying and Mentoring Student Technical Directors. Denver, CO: Annual Conference, Spring 2000 Panel discussion of identifying student interest in and the training of graduate and under graduate student technical directors in theatre design and technology programs.
  
  
• United States Institute for Theatre Technology. Panelist, Surviving Your First Job out of Graduate School. Denver, CO: Annual Conference, Spring 2000
  
  
• United States Institute for Theatre Technology. Chair, Finding, Training and Retaining Technical Directors in the Theatre Industry. Long Beach, CA: Annual Conference, Spring 2001
  
  
• United States Institute for Theatre Technology. Panelist, Stock Platform Shootout. Long Beach, CA: Annual Conference, Spring 2001
  
  
• United States Institute for Theatre Technology. Chair, Technical Director Mentoring: Team Problem Solving & Networking. New Orleans, LA: Annual Conference, Spring 2002.
  
  
• United States Institute for Theatre Technology. Chair, Technical Director Mentoring II: Team Problem Solving & Networking. Minneapolis, MN: Annual Conference, Spring 2003.
  
  
• United States Institute for Theatre Technology. Chair, Technical Director Mentoring: Interview Skills & Asking the Right Questions. Long Beach, CA: Annual Conference, Spring 2004.
  
  
• United States Institute for Theatre Technology. Presenter, PID Motor Controls and Motor Tuning for Scenic Automation. Ft. Worth, TX: Annual Conference, Spring 2014 Panel presentation of the propotional-integral-derivative loop controls for AC and DC variable speed motors and their application to automated scenery.
  
  
• United States Institute for Theatre Technology. Project leader, Early Career Technical Director Mentoring. 2004-present An on going outreach project to mentor early career Technical Directors. This project provides a network of working professionals that volunteer time to mentees seeking advice on a wide range of topics from production solutions to management styles.