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Theater Studies

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    Richard V. Riddell

  • Richard V. Riddell

  • Vice President & University Secretary and Mary D. B. T. and James H. Semans Professor of the Practice of Theater Studies
  • Theater Studies
  • 205 Allen Building
  • Campus Box 90030
  • Phone: 919 684-2424
  • Fax: 919 684 -3050
  • Curriculum Vitae

  • Specialties

    • Theater History
    • Lighting Design

  • Research Summary

    Theater History, Lighting Design

  • Research Description

    Richard Riddell has had a career as a scholar, professional lighting designer, and academic administrator. A graduate of Knox College and Stanford University, he has published articles on education and the arts, design, and European theater in The New York Times, The Chronicle of Higher Education, American Theater, The Drama Review, and other publications. He has received the Tony, Drama Desk, and Maharam Awards for excellence in lighting design and has designed productions on Broadway and at resident theater and opera companies in the United States and Great Britain, including the American Repertory Theatre, the English National Opera, the New York City Opera, the La Jolla Playhouse, the Guthrie, and the Royal Shakespeare Company. He designed the lighting for the premieres of three operas by Philip Glass: Satyagraha, Akhnaten (also collaborating on the libretto), and The Fall of the House of Usher. Prior to coming to Duke, he was chairman of the Department of Theater at the University of California, San Diego, and Director of the Institute for Advanced Theater Training at Harvard University. He led the Duke University Department of Theater Studies (formerly Program in Drama) from 1992 to 2003.

  • Education

      • PhD,
      • Stanford University,
      • 1978
      • BA with Honors,
      • Knox College,
      • 1972

    • Lighting Design Credits

      • A Philadelphia Story by Philip Barry, directed by Michael Bloom
        • 2001
        • Missouri Repertory Theater
      • Eleanor: An American Love Story by Jonathan Bolt and Tom Tierney, directed by Lisa Portes
        • 1999
        • Ford's Theatre, Washington, D.C. and Theater Previews at Duke
      • Kudzu by Doug Marlette and Bland Simpson, directed by Lisa Portes
        • 1998
        • Ford's Theatre, Washington, D.C. and Theater Previews at Duke
      • Otello by Verdi, directed by David Freeman
        • 1998
        • English National Opera, London
      • Private Lives by Noel Coward, directed by Michael Bloom
        • 1995
        • The Cleveland Playhouse
      • Queen of Spades, directed by David Pountey (Revival of Original 1983 Production)
        • 1993
        • English National Opera, London
      • Steel by Derek Walcott and Galt McDermott, Premiere, directed by Derek Walcott
        • 1991
        • American Repertory Theatre
      • The Return of Ulysses, directed by David Freeman
        • 1989
        • English National Opera, London
      • The Flying Dutchman, directed by Nicolas Lehnhoff
        • 1988
        • Santa Fe Opera
      • A Walk in the Woods by Lee Blessing, directed by Des McAnuff
        • 1987
        • La Jolla Playhouse; Booth Theatre, Broadway (1988); Pushkin Theatre, Moscow (1989)
      • The Day Room by Don DeLillo, directed by Michael Bloom
        • 1986
        • American Repertory Theatre (Premiere)
      • Akhnaten by Philip Glass, directed by David Freeman
        • 1984
        • Houston Grand Opera; New York City Opera; English National Opera, London (1985)
      • Big River by William Hauptman and Roger Miller, directed by Des McAnuff
        • 1984
        • La Jolla Playhouse; Eugene O'Neill Theatre, Broadway (1985)
      • Pieces of Eight, directed by Alan Schneider
        • 1984
        • The Acting Company National Tour (inc. The Public Theater)
      • The Tempest, directed by Ron Daniels
        • 1982
        • Royal Shakespeare Company, Stratford-Upon-Avon; Royal Shakespeare Company, London (1983)
      • The Yellow Sound by Vasily Kandinsky, directed by Ian Strasfogel
        • 1982
        • Marymount Manhattan Theatre, New York (World Premiere); Alte Oper Frankfurt, Germany (1982)
      • Katya Kabanova, directed by David Pountney
        • 1981
        • Houston Grand Opera
      • Our Town, directed by Alan Schneider
        • 1981
        • Guthrie Theatre
      • Satyagraha by Philip Glass, directed by David Pountney
        • 1980
        • Netherlands Opera, Rotterdam, Amsterdam (Premiere); Brooklyn Academy of Music (1981); Chicago Lyric Opera (1987); Seattle Opera (1988); San Francisco Opera (1989)

    • Scene Design Credits

      • Akhnaten by Philip Glass, directed by David Freeman, design with Robert Israel
        • 1984
        • Houston Grand Opera and New York City Opera
      • The Yellow Sound by Vasily Kandinsky, directed by Ian Strasfogel, design with Robert Israel
        • 1982
        • Marymount Manhattan Theatre, New York City (World Premiere); Alte Oper Frankfurt, Germany (1982)
      • Krapp's Last Tape, directed by Samuel Beckett
        • 1977
        • Akademie der Kuenste, West Berlin

        • Commentary on my designs has appeared in Artforum, The Drama Review, The New York Times, The New Yorker, Newsweek, Opera News, Theatre, Theatre Design and Technology, Time, The Times(London), International Herald- Tribune, and other publications.

    • Other Production Credits

      • Libretto for Akhnaten by Philip Glass, directed by David Freeman
        • 1984
        • Houston Grand Opera; New York City Opera; English National Opera, London (1985); Wuerttembergische Staatstheater Stuttgart (1985)

  • Selected Publications

      • "Ibsen's An Enemy of the People at the 35th Berlin Theatertreffen."
      • Theaterforum
      • (1999)
      • .
      • "Artists and Audiences."
      • Duke Magazine, Arts and Ideas
      • (1996)
      • .
      • Davi Napoleon.
      • "Shedding Light on the Play."
      • Theater Week
      • (February 19, 1996)
      • .
      • (Interview)
      • "The Training Explosion."
      • American Theatre
      • (1990)
      • .
      • "In Praise of Groups."
      • American Theatre
      • (1990)
      • .
      • "The Academy Flunks Out."
      • American Theatre
      • (June 1989)
      • .
      • (Reprint of previous article in The Chronicle of Higher Education, February 1989)
      • "On German Stages, a Society Explores Itself."
      • The New York Times
      • (March 19, 1989)
      • .
      • "The University Once Thought It Could Develop Artists: Now We Know It Can't."
      • The Chronicle of Higher Education
      • (February 11, 1989)
      • .
      • (Reprinted in American Theatre under title, "The Academy Flunks Out", June 1989)
      • "Tribute to Alan Schneider."
      • Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers Bulletin
      • (1985)
      • .
      • "Achim Freyer, Karl-Ernst Herrman, Wilfried Minks."
      • Contemporary Designers.
      • St. James Press,
      • 1984.
      • "The German Raum."
      • The Drama Review
      • (March 1980)
      • .
      • "The Schaubuehne. Spatial Experimentation in Berlin."
      • Theatre Crafts
      • (January/February 1979)
      • .
      • "Wilfried Minks."
      • Theatre Crafts
      • (January/February 1978)
      • .
  • View All Publications

  • Teaching

    • Theater St 129S
      • Ethical Stages
    • Theater St 131
      • Contemporary Theater in Production (with Manny Azenburg)
    • Theater St 169S
      • Special Topics: Lighting Design for the Theater