Zachary Hamm

Clinical Associate Professor of Theatre Design & Technical Director
Performing Arts
Performance Design and Technology
Performing Arts Division

Education

  • MFA: Technical Theatre Production, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2005
  • BA: Architectural Studies and Art, Connecticut College, 2002

Specialties / Areas of Interest

  • Technical Production and Scenic Construction
  • Lighting
  • Sound
  • Rigging
  • Safety and Health

Biography

Zachary Hamm is the Technical Director for the Performing Arts Division and the Miller Performing Arts Center at Alfred University. He teaches in the Performance Design and Technology program. Annually, the program supports two dance productions, three theatre productions and over ten music events in the Miller Performing Arts Center. In the past ten years. three of the theatre productions have toured to the regional KCACTF festival. In addition to teaching stagecraft he has been responsible for the design and technology component for Alfred University’s residential High School Theatre Institute for the past eight years. He works with Angier Performance Works on site-specific installations, most recently “Framing New York” on Governor’s Island, NYC. Active at Alfred University since 2007, Zach earned his MFA in Production from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and subsequently served as Assistant Technical Director, and lectured in the graduate program for two years. He spent two years with Heritage Repertory Theatre in Charlottesville, VA first as Assistant Technical Director and then as Technical Director.

Courses Taught

  • PDAT 223 Sound Design for Performance
  • PDAT 224 Entertainment Lighting: Electricity and Equipment
  • PDAT 225 Woodworking Techniques for the Stage
  • PDAT 231 Property Design and Construction
  • PDAT 270 Play Production
  • PDAT 370 Advanced Play Production
  • PDAT 120 Technical Theatre

Research, Publications, & Presentations

Research & Publications

  • PANEL CHAIR- Emergency Procedures 102 - Application of Emergency Planning - Facilitating Drills, USITT 2016 Salt Lake City, UT
  • PANEL CHAIR- Event Safety Alliance - Roundtable Discussion Based on Member Feedback, USITT 2015 Cincinnati, OH
  • PANELIST- Care and Feeding of Safety Plans, USITT 2011 Charlotte, NC
  • AUTHOR - "ANOTHER BLOODY KNIFE," TECH EXPO, THEATRE TECHNOLOGY EXHIBIT, United States Institute For Theatre Technology Stage Expo & Conference 2009, page 30.
  • CO-AUTHOR -"SNOWING LEAVES," TECH EXPO, THEATRE TECHNOLOGY EXHIBIT, United States Institute For Theatre Technology Stage Expo & Conference 2007

Affiliations & Memberships

  • A.E. Crandall Hook & Ladder Co., Alfred, NY
  • United States Institute for Theatre Technology, USA

Activities

As part of Performance Design & Technology, we have the good fortune to work not only with Theatre, but also the Dance and Music departments. I enjoy working with students in the shops and on-stage as we collaborate on building productions and telling stories.

Outside of work, I enjoy:

  • Woodwork, Leatherwork, Metalwork, etc.
  • Hiking
  • Baking and Cooking
  • Reading Mysteries

Faculty/Staff Directory

What makes a place great? The consistent hard work of its caring & friendly faculty/staff. Every person here is a valued member of a living-learning community, and it really shows.

View More Profiles