Tom is thrilled to be joining the Ithaca College faculty, after spending the past several years teaching at the University of Chicago, and working as a freelance scenic designer based there. Chicago area design credits include: TALKING PICTURES, GAS FOR LESS, the Horton Foote Festival and THE HAIRY APE (Goodman); SPUNK and COMEDY OF ERRORS (Court Theatre); TEN CHIMNEYS, SOUVENIR, A CIVIL WAR CHRISTMAS, RED HERRING and others (Northlight); WOYZECK, FRANKENSTEIN, NO EXIT, PIRATES OF PENZANCE, SOPHOCLES: SEVEN SICKNESSES and others (The Hypocrites); as well as shows at Chicago Shakespeare, Museum of Contemporary Art-Chicago, Light Opera Works, House Theatre and many other “storefront” companies. His work in Chicago garnered him 4 Jeff Award nominations (1 win), 3 After Dark Awards, and the Michael Maggio Emerging Designer Award.

In NYC, he designed MISTAKES WERE MADE starring Michael Shannon (Off-Broadway, Barrow Street Theatre), which originated at Chicago’s A Red Orchid Theatre. Regional credits include NIXON’S NIXON, SENSE AND SENSIBILITY, and OH GASTRONOMY! (Actors Theatre of Louisville – regular season and Humana Festival); THE LADY WITH ALL THE ANSWERS (Arizona Theatre Co, Cleveland Playhouse), the American premier of Jukka Linkola’s opera, ROCKLAND (Pine Mountain Music Festival), as well as shows at Milwaukee Rep, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Peninsula Players, Stage One, Childsplay (AZ), Alpine Theatre Project, and many others. Currently running and upcoming projects include the Chicago production of A STEADY RAIN (for which he designed the original 2007 production, and current midwest tour), SENSE AND SENSIBILITY at Repertory Theatre of St. Louis (FEB 2013), and this fall's LEGALLY BLONDE, the Musical, here at IC Theatre.

He’s taught at Georgetown College (KY), DePaul University Theatre School, North Park University, and Northwestern University (assistantship), from which he received his MFA in Stage Design. He also holds a BFA in Stage Design from University of Kentucky, and a Post Graduate Diploma in Drama (History) from the University of Bristol, England (received while on a Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholarship).  He was the Mentor for the American Student Design Exhibit that travelled to the 2011 Prague Quadrennial in the Czech Republic (which presented the work of over 230 American student designers at the international festival). His areas of academic research interest include design for site-specific performance, puppet and object-based performance and visual storytelling.  He’s a proud member of USA Local 829, the union for professional stage designers. He’s an avid reader, especially to his 3 kids--Lucy, Owen and Ike.