“To me the Hangar Design Fellowship was exciting and interesting because I could gain assistant experience with a number of designers, meet a whole host of people, be a part of a new theatre community, and design full productions. Designing for KIDDSTUFF is a fun exercise in making within a constricted environment (there are so many factors you can’t change and you have to make the thing pop up and pack up in a very specific window of time).  For me, someone pursuing a career as a designer, and not so interested in being a lifelong assistant, the Wedge was what made the Hangar program stand out.  Over the course of the summer I gained so much confidence asking for the things I needed and learning how to communicate things in a way that would lead to work getting done well. I can’t express enough how valuable that has been in my career.” Lindsay Fuori ’18 Scenic Designer

Lindsay is currently based in Boston, MA. To see her work, visit: lindsayfuori.com

“Being in a quirky Glasgow-looking town and collaborating with wildly creative theatre artists​ at the Hangar was a truly unique experience. In the unreal​ 8 weeks in Ithaca, I worked more than I thought I could and​ pushed all my creative limits. Most importantly, I made friends and collaborators who look out for each other even when I moved to NY. For that, I would not have traded it for anything else in the world.” Phuong Nguyen ’17 Costume Designer

Phuong is now a freelance designer based in New York City.  To see her work, visit: phuongtlnguyen.com

“The Hangar Design Fellowship was the perfect way to begin my post-graduate school career. I was looking for a summer program that offered intense design opportunities in a professional setting, and this certainly delivered. The rigor of the structure and schedule prepared me for my first year in New York, and the connections I made that summer have led to many professional opportunities and personal friendships.”  Almeda Beynon ’16 Sound Designer

Almeda is now a freelance sound designer based in New York City.  To see her work, visit: almedabeynon.com

“The Hangar Design Fellowship is where I learned to be an artist. In the fellowship I was pushed and challenged to take my work further and really dive into a script and focus on the visual story I was telling on stage. Not only did I discover my own personal voice, I also discovered and met artists that I still work with today. The Design Fellowship and Lab Company is a family, and I take pride in saying that I continue to nurture and work with that family today.” Joe Klug ’12 Scenic Designer

Find more information about Joe here: jckscenicdesign.com

“My summer at the Lab connected me with designers and directors who are not only my colleagues in the industry but also my friends. The diversity of the work gave me a breadth of experience in one program that I don’t think I could have found somewhere else.” Mary Ellen Stebbins ‘09 Lighting Designer

Mary Ellen is a current freelance designer. Check out more of her work at maryellenstebbinsdesign.com

“I worked at the Hangar as a costume designer my first summer out of graduate school. What I discovered about myself as both a designer and a professional during those weeks has been invaluable to my career. The intensive and overlapping nature of the show deadlines, as well as the artistic and high creative standards of the Hangar staff pushed me to new heights in finding my voice as an artist and collaborator.” Eric Abele ’09 Costume Designer

Eric is currently a costume design professor at the University of Maryland-Baltimore County. See more of his work at ericabele.com.

“The Hangar Lab program was speedy, insane, and completely accurate training for the professional lifestyle that lay ahead. It gave me the opportunity to practice juggling many projects at a time, meet some inspiring collaborators, and assist designers that took the time to share their advice and skills. Our time together at the Hangar built relationships that continue to this day.” Masha Tsimring ’07 Lighting Designer

Masha is currently a freelance designer. More of her work is available at mashald.com including Hangar Mainstage credit 4000 Miles (2013).

“The Hangar Theatre provided the opportunity to meet so many professionals and emerging artists face to face, forming important relationships that I have collaborated with many times over the years. That experience gave me the confidence to continue expanding my design skills. The Wedge shows particularly let me experiment with site specific environments which I now apply to my opera designs across America.” Julia Noulin-Merat ’07 Scenic Designer

Julia is currently a freelance designer/principal at Noulin-Merat Studio. You can see her work at noulinmerat.com, including her Hangar Mainstage credits: November (2009), Penelope of Ithaca (2010), Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show (2011).

“The Lab Company Program at the Hangar Theatre was one of the best summers of my life. Over the eleven weeks or so that I was in beautiful Ithaca, I gained experiences that pushed the limits of my understanding of art, theatre, design, and collaboration to a new level. It was a remarkably rewarding, but challenging period where I created work of a professional caliber, and developed professional contacts that I retain to this day.”  Matt O’Hare ’05 Sound Designer

Matt is a current freelance designer. You can hear his work here, including Hangar Mainstage credits: Sleuth (2006), Art(2006), and The 39 Steps (2009).