*** (Edits 3/2/23) Both letters from Deena Conley, Chair of Performing Arts, were uploaded again on Mar 2nd, after initially being uploaded upon receipt. They were not listed when I reviewed this page.
TO: David Franke, Chair of Fine Arts and Humanities Sub-School Personnel Committee
FROM: Deena Conley, Chair of Performing Arts
DATE: 2/27/2023
RE: Continuing Appointment for Scott Holdredge
Since joining the faculty in 2016, Professor Scott Holdredge has displayed strong teaching methods, vibrant creative activity through his design work, and valuable service to the department and university. I agree with the Personnel Committee in Performing Arts and endorse Professor Scott Holdredge’s continuing appointment.
Teaching:
Professor Holdredge regularly teaches THT 240 (Technical Theatre) and THT 100 (Introduction to Theatre) for the department. Whether in large, general education classes, or smaller, hands-on courses, he is highly adept at gauging student progress and what modifications he needs to make to enhance classroom learning. Specifically, in THT 240, Professor Holdredge creates an educational environment in which students are comfortable asking questions and taking risks with their own design work. He stresses that process is as important as the final product. Within the past couple of years, student interest in taking independent studies with Professor Holdredge has significantly increased. Those who take his class, want to continue learning from him and create their own opportunities to do so. Professor Holdredge is a reflective instructor who is amenable to adjusting course syllabi and expectations while still ensuring student learning outcomes are achieved.
This past fall, the department needed to replace an instructor, mid-semester for THT 100. Professor Holdredge did not hesitate when asked if he could cover the course. He remarked that he’d been thinking about some new assignments and alterations he’d like to pursue if he had the opportunity to teach the class again. He excelled at this challenge and received positive CTE’s from that course.
Scholarly/Creative Activity:
Professor Holdredge is a talented designer. His scenic designs are evocative, thoughtful, and stylized to fit the mood and/or style in which the musical or play is set
Since 2016, he has scenically designed all of the department’s productions. This is a substantial accomplishment; the Performing Arts department produces four fully realized productions per year. Professor Holdredge is adept at designing in disparate venues utilizing different techniques. Whether he’s working on a production of Lysistrata, a Greek comedy that demands space and farcical grandeur or Proof, a modern play necessitating a realistic touch, Professor Holdredge easily vacillates between modes, no doubt his deep understanding of art and theatrical history assists him in crafting effective set designs for any period.
Professor Holdredge has successfully continued to design professionally for opera and theatre. His ongoing design work with Franklin Stage and Anchorage Opera is impressive. He does not shy away from challenges. For The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, he designed the set, lights, and projections for the play.
Earlier reviews commented on Professor Holdredge’s time management skills and encouraged him to work on which aligning projects into a hierarchy that would assist successful completion. He has definitely improved in this area.
As a designer, Professor Holdgredge is a true collaborator. He presents his concepts for a design, while also striving to make a director’s vision come to life. He is approachable, and similar to his teaching style, will amend his ideas and work with the creative/production staff to make sure the production, as a whole, is successful.
Service:
Professor Holdredge has served on several departmental committees since 2016. In the fall of 2022, he chaired the department’s Musical Director search. This was a challenging position, as the search needed to be completed by December; he was successful with the aggressive timeline. Also in the fall of 2020, Professor Holdredge served on the Arts and Sciences Curriculum Committee. The Chair of that committee, Professor Werner, commented that he, “…hit the ground running as an active contributing member.”
Currently, Professor Holdredge has a full complement of advisees, and is knowledgeable of the new BFA curriculum. Future plans do include a potential concentration in design, and to facilitate the creation of those courses, Professor Holdredge has consulted with the Art and Art History department, which is another example of how much he values collaboration.
Since joining the Performing Arts faculty, Professor Holdgredge has become a very involved member of the faculty. He is always willing to assist with on campus recruitment events, has volunteered his time and expertise to assist with student-led performances, and is always willing to mentor majors who have an interest in theatre design.
Due to his strong teaching, compelling creative work, and notable service, I endorse Professor Scott Holdredge’s continuing appointment.
Respectfully,
Deena Conley
Chair, Performing Arts
TO: Dr. Deena Conley
Chair, Performing Arts Department
FROM: David Neal
Chair, Performing Arts Personnel Committee
DATE: February 20, 2023
RE: Scott Holdredge – Continuing Appointment
The Department of Performing Arts Personnel committee enthusiastically endorses Professor Scott Holdredge’s application for continuing appointment. Professor Holdredge’s contributions in teaching, creative design work, and service have been an integral part of the growth and success of the Musical Theatre program at SUNY Cortland. Specifics in each area are found below.
Teaching:
Professor Holdredge is a gifted and dedicated teacher. In addition to his work as Scenic Designer for all the department’s productions, his classroom teaching includes THT 100 (Introduction to Theatre) and THT 240 (Technical Theatre). In his classes, students are taught not only the history and concepts behind theatrical works but are actively involved in the process of creating sets and props. Professor Holdredge’s commitment to students is profound. He acts as a mentor to musical theatre students through numerous Independent Study courses in design and scenic painting and assists students in special projects. He advises students in the Musical Theatre program and maintains connection with them after graduation. He has taught both General Education students and Musical Theatre majors with equal aplomb.
Professor Holdredge has succeeded in striking an admirable balance between the heavy demands of production design work and teaching, a challenge for any teaching artist. In response to early CTE comments, he adjusted the scheduling of major assignments to better coordinate with production demands. Letters of observation from faculty reflect Professor Holdredge’s enjoyment in sharing his knowledge and expertise in his teaching. Students now regularly seek him out for Independent Studies for special projects in design and scenic painting.
Scholarly / Creative Work:
Professor Holdredge has created scenic designs for all SUNY Cortland productions in the mainstage theatre and lab theatres since his appointment to the faculty in 2016, including Big Fish, Possessing Harriett, Raise Your Voice (COVID video production), Holiday Inn, Lysistrata, Children’s Hour, Dangeous Liaisons, Little Women, Kindertransport, Urinetown, Crazy For You, The Laramie Project, Top Girls, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Annie Get Your Gun, Company, and collaborative productions of Bone Harp (with New York City’s Create Theatre company) and Proof (with Cortland Repertory Theatre). This semester, he has gone above and beyond expectations and created designs for two large musicals in one semester, Seussical and Cabaret. He has also contributed his talents in lighting and projection design and as a scenic charge artist on many productions.
Professor Holdredge’s work is visually stunning and theatrically effective, as shown in the photos included under the “Design / Creative Work” tab of his website. Working within a limited budget, he has been able to create the world of each production with as little cost as possible. He devotes whatever time is necessary to realize the director’s vision of the work, and to make any adjustments necessary to accomplish that goal. In work outside of SUNY Cortland, Professor Holdredge has designed sets and lighting for such companies as Syracuse Stage, Anchorage Opera, and Franklin Stage Company, including productions of Glory Denied, Tosca, Two Gentlemen of Verona, and Bricktop.
Service:
Professor Holdredge has served on the Department of Performing Arts Personnel and Curriculum Committees and has chaired the latter. He has served on search committees for Musical Director and Technical Director (which he chaired), and as member of the search committees for Publicity/Production Manager and Voice Lecturer. He makes meaningful contributions to discussions in faculty meetings. He has volunteered to do the lighting for the annual Dance Demo performance, raising the production values (and awareness) of this event in Dowd Theatre. Additionally, Professor Holdredge has worked on developing a new concentration in Design in collaboration with the Art & Art History Department, which will be officially proposed in the near future. As a part of this process, he has developed course descriptions and syllabi for 12 courses within the concentration.
Given his creative accomplishments, significant service contributions, gifts and dedication as a teacher, and vision for the design concentration, the Personnel Committee unanimously endorses Professor Scott Holdredge for continuing appointment by a vote of 3-0.
Sincerely,
David Neal, D.M.A
Chair, Personnel Steering Committee
Cc: Edward Moore, Kevin Halpin, Scott Holdredge
Teaching Evaluation
Scott Holdredge
2/9/23
On February 9th I observed Scott Holdredge’s Technical Theatre class (THT 240). This class was split into two segments: the first took on place on the Dowd Fine Center’s mainstage and the second was in the theatre’s scene shop.
During the first section of the class, Professor Holdredge brought all of the students onto the theatre’s stage where the set for the musical, Seussical, was nearing the final end of the construction phase. Scott referred to the ground plan (bird’s eye view of the stage) and compared it to the actual scenic properties that were now on the set. Professor Holdredge’s tour of space and use of the ground plan was very successful as students could see how important the initial drafting of the set was paramount to a successful structural design. After examining the set from the audience’s point of view, he then took students behind the platforms (walls) and explained how the mechanism for the doors would work, the spacing needed for set pieces/properties, how the band would be configured, and the area required for instrumentation. One element that Professor Holdredge always addressed was safety; he would relay how the capacity of the theatre and all the elements needed, must first be considered in reference to the safety of the actors and technicians who would be working on Seussical.
During the second part of the class, the students were in the scene shop working on their individual assignments. Again, protection was paramount, as students wore the appropriate safety goggles. Student projects were in various stages of completion. Some were sketching, others were using power tools to cut and/or sand their projects, while some were painting. Professor Holdredge gave individual instruction to each student. This was very difficult considering that all of the assignments were at different stages. However, Scott easily refocused from one project to the next, providing detailed notes to the students. It was obvious that those in the class were very comfortable in this environment, as many asked Scott questions. Professor Holdredge would finish with one student’s project and quickly begin working on the question posited by the next student.
Professor Holdgredge had a great rapport with this class. Many students were also encouraged to view the work of others and see what they could glean from their projects. He was knowledgeable of his craft, receptive to all questions asked by the students, and created a space in which students were free to express their creativity.
Respectfully,
Deena Conley
Chair of Performing Arts
TO: Performing Arts Department Personnel Committee
CC: Scott Holdredge, Associate Professor of Stage Design
FROM: David Neal, Professor of Performing Arts
DATE: February 13, 2023
RE: Scott Holdredge – observation of THT 240 Class (Technical Theatre)
I observed the Tech Theatre Class (THT 240) taught by Professor Scott Holdredge on Thursday, February 9, 2023, during production week of the mainstage musical theatre production of Seussical. Professor Holdredge began the class on the stage, where the set was in the final stages of the building process. Students were seeing the scenic elements in place for the first time and were taken on a tour of the set.
Professor Holdredge discussed the set from all angles, and showed how the ground plan was designed to accommodate the needs of the stage action, including choreography, the placement of the orchestra pit, places for quick costume changes, as well as safety considerations – fire code, allowance for entrance and egress in an emergency, safe operation of a trap door that allows for entrance of the Cat in the Hat from below stage level, etc. – lighting (including blue lights backstage), and sightlines. Practical considerations such as how high a platform can be built in order that audience members can see an actor who is on top of the platform, calculation of the riser height of the stairs, and other specific construction details, were discussed. Since the orchestra pit in front of the stage is covered in the Seussical production so that that area could be used for a playground during the action of the play, the instrumental ensemble is placed offstage, which requires the use of monitors so that the musical director and the actors can see each other.
The discussion also involved differences in building for a set as opposed to building elements used in everyday life. For example, in houses and office buildings, doors generally open into a room; on set, for theatrical reasons, doors open outward into the playing area. Benches used in the playground also act as steps for the actors to enter and exit the playground area from the stage. Since the production uses projections, materials used for a portion of the set were of a material that allowed for this use. Masking behind the set is placed in order block the actors from the audience’s view as they move backstage.
In addition to these considerations, budgetary concerns were also discussed. Building two large shows in one semester on a limited budget means that the supports for elevated sections of the set need to be used for both shows. They therefore need to be at a height that accommodates the staging for the two productions. After discussing these various aspects of the set, students walked the set, opening doors, using staircases, familiarizing themselves with it thoroughly.
The class then relocated to the shop and the adjoining lab theatre, where tables were set up to work on building props. On the tables there were raised areas made of a material that could be drilled into without damaging what was beneath it. Students received drawings created by Scott that they then transferred onto pieces of quarter-inch plywood, which were then cut into various shapes, such as cowboy boots, heart-shaped valentines, and others. It was remarkable how comfortable the students were at using power tools including jigsaws and cordless drills. Members of the class proceeded to their stations and began the process of transferring the drawings and cutting them out, so that a lot of progress was made toward completion of this task. Professor Holdredge worked with students individually on their drawing, occasionally demonstrating for them and giving them technical pointers as to the use of the power tools. Safety equipment such as goggles were used throughout the process. The atmosphere of the class could be described as respectful, friendly, productive, and enjoyable, with the result of unhurried productivity. Students were relaxed, focused, working steadily, and engaged in friendly banter.
Scott Holdredge leads the class in a manner that is both authoritative and knowledgeable, and clearly enjoys sharing his enthusiasm and wealth of experience with the class. Tall, friendly, and avuncular, he conveys both the art and the craft of scenic design and technical theatre. I was impressed with the amount of material covered in this class, and the relaxed and productive way it was executed.
I highly recommend him for continuing appointment.
David Neal
Professor of Performing Arts
SUNY Cortland
TO: Department Personnel Committee
From: Edward Moore, Personnel Steering Committee
DATE: February 17, 2023
RE: Class Observation of Scott Holdredge, Assistant Professor of Performing Arts
On Thursday February 9, 2023, I observed the Tech class (held in the Lab Theatre/Shop) for majors taught by Professor Scott Holdredge. Professor Holdredge began by leading the class through a walk-through of the set for the upcoming production, Seussical the musical. Holdredge discussed Tech elements when working in a theatre: location of the pit, how entryway doors and locker doors are constructed, hung, and operate on a set. Professor Holdredge also explained how stairs are built with proper dimensions in order to avoid tripping, how trap doors are designed and used on a set, and the process of breaking down a set. In using specific props on the Seussical set, Scott also explained to students how construction and placement of props on the set must follow fire codes.
Following the walk-through of the Seussical set, Professor Holdredge led the students to the workshop area. Using two spaces, the workshop and Lab Theatre space, the students began working on individual projects. Holdredge divided his attention between the two spaces, instructing students on drawing/sketching projects, and then instructing them on the use of electrical tools (saws) in the finalization of their projects. In previous observations of Scott’s Tech class, he instructed the students on safety features in the use of electrical tools, and by observing how comfortable the students were in using those tools, it’s apparent that the same safety features had been discussed in a prior session.
Professor Holdredge was very attentive and patient with each student, moving effortlessly between the two spaces and masterfully instructing and offering advice to the students working on their individual projects. Scott’s passion for set design is displayed in his beautiful and inviting work on productions such as Seussical.
In all, I found Professor Holdredge’s class to be informative and engaging. Scott clearly possesses excellent skills as a set designer, and has a natural, relaxed, and commanding teaching style, he held the attention of the students throughout the entire class.
February 16, 2023
Personnel Committee Performing Arts
SUNY Cortland
Re: SCOTT HOLDREDGE
Class observation and design interaction
On February 16, I observed Scott Holdredge’s Technical Theatre class.
The class was engaged in a project involving understanding positive/negative space, using a grid to plot and transfer a design and how to safely use power tools to cut out that design from a Luan sheet (a thin wooden material). The enthusiasm and energy in the class was palpable and invigorating. It was abundantly clear from the students’ interaction with Professor Holdredge, that they respect and are inspired by him. Each one seemed truly invested in the precision of their work and determined to produce the highest quality piece they can. Scott made the rounds regularly throughout the space, assessing the progress of each student’s work, answering questions with patience and clarity, giving pointers, and noticing errors in real time. Through discussion he worked students through how to overcome those errors. In one case, a student came to him with a project that had gone significantly wrong. He pointed out what had been the missteps and offered ways in which they might salvage the current piece, including starting over again. The student so clearly wanted to have their project be the best it could, so they made the choice themselves to start the project from the beginning. This is a clear example of how effective Scott’s teaching is and how much the students respect and enjoy learning from him.
As a collaborator on productions since his last re-appointment, I have worked with Scott on three; Company, The Bone Harp and Seussical the Musical. Each one had a unique set of challenges to address artistically and practically.
In Company, it was very important to me that the set. Deeply evoked the feeling of excitement , tension and magnitude that is New York City. The skyline would be a strong presence throughout, and we needed to experience the feeling of different locations and neighborhoods of the city. I also expressed the idea of using negative and positive space, moving across each other to change the texture of how the space appeared and give visual excitement as we transitioned from one location to the next. The result was an elegant and imposing series of platforms and moving wagons, with rectilinear shapes and lines attached, creating various views of the NYC skyline, and creating stunning visual impact as the pieces moved to form each new location. The color choices immediately evoked the steel, glass and concrete “canyons” of NYC streets, and the flexibility of how the pieces could be moved and arranged to connect and create each new space allowed for fluid and engaging transitions throughout the show. Working with Scott from the conceptual stage, offering some visual images I had found and Scott bringing so many ideas and images of his own, the world of our Company took a few different shapes. Each time we would meet again and “tweak” the design, resulting in a set that was as much a character in the show as the actors themselves.
The Bone Harp was our inaugural production as part of the New Musical Development College/Professional Theatre Partnership with CreateTheater, a NYC based theatrical producing organization. The “Partnership” is an opportunity for our students to work with contemporary musical theatre writing teams on the development of a new musical. After a nationwide call for submissions for the project, the scripts were culled to 10 possible options that were submitted to me. I further whittled that down to two options for the Department to consider. The final choice was the musical The Bone Harp by Laura Stratford and Heidi Joosten. The musical is inspired by a Scottish Folk Song about two sisters and a magic harp, that reveals a horrible secret and avenges the treachery that befalls one sister. The piece is set in a mythical, rural American village at the turn of the last century. Since this was a developmental reading, the original idea was to produce the staged reading in our performance studio space, with no set or technical support beyond very basic lighting. Due to the last-minute resignation of a full-time faculty member, our planned season needed to change in the beginning of the fall semester. when the decision was made to move the staged -reading to the mainstage in Dowd, Scott jumped on board with creating a stunning, evocative environment using in-stock and scrap materials (including plastic drop cloths). Since there was literally NO budget for technical support, Scott’s creativity, and ingenuity (along with our Technical Director Simone Scalici and Lighting and Sound Designer, Joel Pape) was put to the test. The result was a haunting and visually beautiful stage environment, that provided the perfect back drop to bring the audience into the fantastic world of the play.
Our most recent collaboration was Seussical the Musical. We had originally intended and conceived the production for the lab theatre, but with the adjustment to the season, it was moved to the mainstage. Scott adapted to fill the much larger space, and switch to a proscenium format beautifully. The resulting design was impressive and very practical as well. Our addition of the projection screen and projections to the set was challenging and time intensive, but ultimately was an essential part of solving the challenges of doing this show with a cast that was half the size of the original, a very small budget and a very tight build and rehearsal schedule.
Working with Scott, I have seen his development as a part of the faculty and growth as a designer. He has improved greatly in realizing that the aesthetic must come second to the practical and functional part of set design. Our mainstage theatre has very challenging sightlines that sometimes result in his full design not being as useable because large sections of the audience are obstructed from seeing area of the set. He has improved in this area, but it still remains challenging. Scott also has the tendency to overfill his plate with projects. He did do a much better job of delegating ( props in particular) projects on Seussical.
Overall I believe Scott is a very valuable part of our Performing Arts Department
Kevin T Halpin
Musical Theatre Program Coordinator