MFA Design Showcase 2025
330 21st Ave S
Minneapolis,
MN
55455
Join us for the 2025 Design & Tech Showcase, an open forum featuring the work of UMTAD MFA Design & Technology candidates!
This is a great opportunity to see the work of students studying and training in Stage Design and Technology. It is also a wonderful opportunity for the students to get feedback and advice from a wide range of theater artists and practitioners.
Learn more about each student, and get a glimpse into their amazing work here.
This event is open to the public, students, faculty and staff. There will be refreshments provided!
Participating Graduate Students:
Jacqulin Stauder - 3rd year Lighting & Scenic Design
Jacqulin Stauder is a multidisciplinary theatre artist originally from Ann Arbor, Michigan. She is currently a third-year MFA candidate in Design & Technology at the University of Minnesota, set to graduate in May 2025.
Jacqulin's design work spans both lighting and scenic design. Recent credits include The Ferryman (lighting designer), Witch (scenic and lighting designer), Fucking A (lighting designer), Roe (lighting designer), The Aliens (lighting designer), and Describe the Night (lighting designer) at the University of Minnesota; Cinderella (assistant lighting designer), NEXT Festival 2024 (lighting designer), and NEXT Festival 2023 – Love Them First (lighting designer) at Theater Latté Da; Kumbayah the Juneteenth Story (lighting designer) at The Capri; and Once (scenic designer) at Theatre L’Homme Dieu.
Jacqulin is deeply committed to creating accessible theatre experiences, advocating for inclusive design practices and accessibility initiatives. With a strong foundation in both design and technical theatre, she works to ensure that all voices are heard and celebrated in the creative process.
Kirsten Jolly - 3rd year Scenic Design
Kirsten Lee Jolly is a Scenic Designer and Visual Artist. She graduated in 2020 with a BA in Theatre, Design and Production Track from University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), where she was a recipient of the Linehan Artist Scholarship for Theatre. Kirsten is currently a Theatre Design and Technology MFA candidate at University of Minnesota, focusing in Scenic Design, and is expected to graduate Spring 2025. Kirsten’s interest in theater stems from her passion for combining story analysis with visual art as well as a strong belief in the power of live theater to humanize people and promote understanding of different cultures. As a queer individual she understands how important it is to see representation of people like yourself in the arts, and so strives to produce work that draws attention to those often overlooked. She is drawn to expressionistic stories and loves to incorporate fantastical elements into her scenic design.
Recent credits include The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (Park Square Theater), and Cabaret (University of Minnesota).
Bailey Fenn - 3rd year Sound Design
Bailey Fenn is a third-year MFA candidate with a specialty in Sound Design and Composition. She is originally from Ozark, Alabama. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Design/Technology from Auburn University in 2022. Prior to that, she received her Associate of Arts in Technical Production from Chipola College in 2020. Bailey is slated to graduate in May 2025.
Bailey has sound designed several productions at the University of Minnesota over the past few years. Starting with the most recent, her designs include The Ferryman (2025), Witch (2025), Fucking A (2024), Uncle Vanya (2023), Describe the Night (2023), and Troilus and Cressida (2023).
Beyond the university, Bailey has contributed her skills as a sound designer and engineer on various projects. Notably, she designed sound for Log Kya Kahenge at Lyric Arts in collaboration with Exposed Brick Theatre Co. and SAATH. She has also served as a sound engineer for multiple productions at the Capri Theatre.
Sound design is beautiful because it often goes unnoticed—people don’t always catch the small crescendos or hidden details tucked into a mix. Bailey enjoys being a quiet contributor, helping shape a piece of art into what it’s meant to be. Working on productions that speak directly to the moment we are in is one of Bailey’s passions. She plans to continue working on projects that break away from norms and truly ask the audience to become a part of the aural works she is creating.
Jacelyn Stewart - 3rd year Scenic Design
Jacelyn Stewart is a third-year MFA Graduate Scenic Design student who has worked on a diverse range of theatrical projects throughout her academic career. Her design work in the Twin Cities began with Pride & Prejudice in 2023 and continued with the design and construction of a dance piece titled Soft Sediment, performed at the Goodale Theatre in the Cowles Center. Last summer she was the lead Scenic Artist on Once the musical, produced through The Hive Collaborative at Theatre Le Homme Dieu. While also props coordinating a debut of The Reunion, produced by Trademark Theatre at The Gremlin Theatre. Most recently, she served as Scenic Artist for the production of Witch while simultaneously scenic designing The Ferryman. In addition to her design work, Jacelyn spends much of her time in the props shop, where she crafts specialty props for productions—an aspect of theatre she is especially passionate about. Beyond her university work, she contributes to the Twin Cities theatre community as a props designer, scenic designer, and scenic artist on various productions and projects.
Jaime Lupercio - 3rd year Sound Design & Composition
Hola y Bienvenidos, I am Jaime Salvador Lupercio. I am a 2nd generation (3rd if you believe my great grandmother) Chicane American, queer, enby, nerd, composer, sound designer, and theatre artist. I am obsessed with stories. Stories can heal, they can enlighten, they can disrupt. The possibilities are endless. For me, my stories are a way of finding commonality with the world around me. This is the impetus behind my designs and composition. I’m hoping that by hearing my work, someone will find that comradery and it will inspire them to make the changes this world needs.
Joe Chambers - 2nd year Lighting Design
Joseph Chambers (he/they) is a black theatre artist who originates from the south suburbs of Chicago. Joseph cherishes the ability to share the art of both his and others with his community and hopes to inspire others. He seeks to do this by advocating for the telling of stories of minority groups.
Ariel Aranda-McEtchin - 1st year Scenic Design
Ariel Aranda-McEtchin (she/her) is a Mexican American theater artist from Alameda, CA. She earned her bachelor’s degrees from the University of California, Irvine, receiving a B.A. in Film & Media Studies and a B.A. in Drama. Her multidisciplinary background serves as the foundation for her artistic approach to theater, blending performance art, installation, and cinema into her design work. Ariel has completed her first year in the Design & Technology program at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, with a focus on scenic design.
Ariel is driven by her passion for cinematic storytelling and the democratization of the performing arts. Ariel has always delighted in the pageantry of theater and strives to imbue each of her designs with playful spectacle and bold innovation. As a first-generation American and artist, she is deeply committed to amplifying diverse voices and bringing fresh perspectives to the stage. Her goal is to contribute to an ever-evolving medium where experimentation thrives and barriers are broken.
Titilope Daniel - 1st year Costume Design
Titilope Daniel(she/her) is a highly skilled and imaginative African artist who identifies as a multidimensional designer. With a Bachelor’s degree in Performing Arts from the University of Ilorin, Nigeria. Titilope is committed to producing aesthetically engaging and thematically significant works. Her passion for sewing and design is evident in her approach to costuming, where she believes each piece should independently convey a narrative, reflecting the character or wearer’s story.
Sommerdai Kier - 1st year Costume Design
Sommerdai Kier (they/them) grew up in Minnesota with a love of creativity that drove them towards creating. They got a Bachelor's of Science in Theatre and Entertainment Technology at Michigan Technological University before returning to Minnesota to continue their creative journey.
Sommerdai has found a home in theatre as a quirky queer nerd. They love bringing ideas to life in many mediums, but the community makes theatre a home.
Participating Undergraduate Students:
Ella Nelson - Scenic Art
Ella Nelson is an artist that paints for theater productions. She works with the University’s theatre department, creating and painting the sets and scenery for their shows. Her work can be found in the 2024-2025 productions and is credited with the lead scenic position on the Fall 2024 Cabaret and Spring 2025 Witch showings. She has also worked with Chanhassen dinner theatres on their 2025 production of Grease and recently worked on a commercial for the Minnesota Lynx basketball team. She is in the process of completing her BA degree in Art from the University of Minnesota and recently displayed work for the UMN 2025 Spring Capstone Exhibition.
Evelyn Kelly - Stage Management & Lighting
Evelyn Kelly is a third-year student (but graduating in the fall) studying theatre arts with an emphasis in stage management and lighting. She's currently stage managing The Chrysalis, which will be performed at Mixed Blood at the end of May. Some of her previous works include being the stage manager for BFA mainstage The Ferryman and MN Fringe debut Seance Sisters, assistant stage manager for Open Eye's Scrooge in Rouge and UMTAD's Pride and Prejudice, and assistant lighting designer on UMTAD's Witch and F*cking A. In addition, Evelyn started working as an overhire electrician around the Twin Cities last fall and has enjoyed exploring the Twin Cities theater scene through those calls. She is looking forward to meeting and connecting with everyone!
Sam Peper - Lighting
Sam Peper is a graduate this spring at the University of Minnesota. During his time at the U, he was the Lighting Designer for over 10 shows, and the Head Electrician for 3. He will be working as an intern at Gopher Stage Lighting over the summer.
Ben D. Litzau - Scenic
Ben Litzau kinda snuck his way in here. Graduating with a Graphic Design Major, Ben started working in the Scene Shop second semester of Freshman year. From there he began taking courses in Scenic and Costume design, and was assistant scenic designer for both F*cking A and Cabaret at the U. He is incredibly grateful for the multifaceted education he managed to carve and even more so for the wonderful people he's gotten to work with.
Sammy Nunez-Mudoy - Stage Management, Lighting, Props
Samantha is a graduating BA Theatre Design and Technology major, focused primarily on Stage Management. Her time at UMTAD has been spent on the stage management team for various productions such as Pride and Prejudice (ASM), Energy & U (SM), and most recently Cabaret (SM). Outside of the U, Samantha has stage managed Mamma Mia (Benilde-St. Margaret’s High School) as well as Church Basement Ladies (Cedar Summerstock Theater) - theaters where she also worked as a scenic and lighting crew member. Most recently, Samantha joined the lighting team at the Chanhassen Dinner Theatres. Though she has appreciated her time in Rarig, she is thrilled to be graduating.
Grace Maijala - Costumes
Grace Maijala is a Minneapolis based costume designer, technician, and makeup artist. Her work often explores the worlds of horror and camp aesthetics and features a variety of found objects and recycled materials.
Danielle Croom - Scenic
Danielle Croom is a fourth year student from Seattle, WA getting her Bachelor of Design in Architecture, and a Theater Design and Technology minor. Over the course of their time at UMN, Danielle has worked as a scenic carpenter on a variety of shows at the U and Penumbra Theater. She was the assistant scenic designer for Witch, and did scenic and props work for DRC the Musical, as well as the OPENSTAGE production of Mr. Burns, a post-electric play. She is currently completing her honors thesis on Environmental Scenography.