Michael Mell

Over the past thirty years, Michael Mell has worked in Broadway theaters, on tour and in television studios as a lighting designer, technical director, stage manager and stage hand. As technical director for the American Dance Festival, he coordinated the technical aspects of all Festival performances, including the PBS telecast of the Paul Taylor Dance Company. Mr. Mell has been associated with the Trisha Brown Dance Company, the Dance Theater of Harlem and Rudolph Nureyev and the Boston Ballet. He has worked on a variety of television shows, including: Kate and Allie (CBS), One Life to Live (ABC), The 1994 Daytime Emmy Awards (ABC), The Jane Whitney Show (Lifetime) and Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? (PBS).

From 1978 through 1980, Mr. Mell was an adjunct professor at Sarah Lawrence College where he taught graduate level classes in lighting for dance. As technical director he supervised all technical and production aspects of performances at the Sarah Lawrence College Dance Theater. From 1992 through 1993, Mr. Mell was an adjunct professor at CUNY Queens College where he taught under-graduate classes in lighting design and stagecraft. In the spring of 2005, Mr. Mell became an adjunct professor at Pace University's NYC campus where he taught a class in stagecraft and stage lighting.

Michael Mell continues to work as a lighting designer for the World's End Theatre and the Philipstown Depot Theatre. Recent designs include: 'Beyond the Fringe', 'The Beggars Opera', 'The Way of the World' and 'Arsenic and Old Lace'.

Mr. Mell received his undergraduate degree in Theater and Drama from City University of New York (CUNY) Queens College. He received his Masters Degree in Theater Design and Lighting from Indiana University in Bloomington.

Mr. Mell is the author BUILDING BETTER THEATERS, a Guide to the Design and Construction of Performing Arts Facilities. He may be reached via his website: www.theaterdesigninc.com.