MFA, University of Oklahoma
BA, West Texas State University
Stagecraft
Stage Lighting
Stage Management
Theatre Production
Graphics for Theatre
Computer Graphics
Advanced Stage Lighting
Advanced Stagecraft
Theatrical Lighting and Design, Stage Production, Stage Management
Michael Skinner is a Professor of Theatre and the Resident Lighting Designer for the Theatre Department at Texas Christian University. He received his B.A. in technical theatre from West Texas State University and his M.F.A. in Lighting Design and Production from the University of Oklahoma. He has designed the lighting and or scenery for over 200 productions of theatre, opera, and dance in various venues.
Michael has had the pleasure of designing in Italy, Germany, and Russia, including the Russian premiere of the American musical The Fantasticks at Theatre Koleso in Togliatti, Russia. Michael has designed for Contemporary Ballet Dallas, the William Inge Theatre Festival, as well as Amphibian Productions’ Miss Witherspoon, This is How it Goes, I’ll Eat You Last, and An Artist Descending a Staircase for which he received his 7th DFW Critics’ Forum Award for creative contribution. He has also designed scenery and lighting for numerous productions at Jubilee Theater. He designed lighting for ten years of the Trinity Shakespeare Festival, including productions of Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, Taming of the Shrew, King Lear, and The Tempest, to name a few; earning six DFW Critics’ Forum Awards for creative contribution. Michael’s work outside the theatre also includes corporate event design, production, and consultation with companies such as Ignition! Creative Group, and ZOOM.7, Inc., working on such projects as the Kawasaki Motors New Product Showcase and Mary Kay Inc, Seminar. He recently redesigned the lighting system for University Christian Church in Fort Worth, converting them to a complete LED lighting system for their sanctuary.
Michael is a member of The United States Institute for Theatre Technology and the International Organization of Scenographers, Theatre Architects and Technicians. Michael was honored in 2005 by the Texas Educational Theatre Association as the Featured Designer for Design Southwest and an exhibit of his theatrical design work was on display during Theatrefest. Also, in 2005 Michael was inducted into the Branding Iron Theater Hall of Fame by his alma mater WTAMU. He was honored in 2018 by the Tarrant County Live Theatre League with The Design and Technical excellence award.
Work as both professional Set Designer and Lighting Designer outside of TCU.
7 DFW Critics Forum Awards for creative contribution.
2018 Design and Technology Award from Live Theatre League of Tarrant County.
Honored in 2005 by the Texas Educational Theatre Association as the Featured Designer for Design Southwest.
United States Institute for Theatre
Technology Organization Internationale des Scenograhes
Technicians et Architectes de Theatre
