Associate Professor of Theatre Kerry Bechtel was invited to collaborate with the Drama Department at Austin Community College (ACC) on their production of The Long Christmas Ride Home  by award-winning playwright Paula Vogel. Bechtel designed the costumes and mentored three ACC students in costumes, hair, makeup, and puppetry. This deeply moving play chronicles a seminal event in the life of Vogel and her siblings and features bunraku puppetry. The production runs through March 2, 2025. Tickets can be reserved here.

—February 2025

Associate Professor of Theatre Kerry Bechtel designed the costumes for Unity Theatre’s production of The Trip to Bountiful. This mid-20th century play was written by Pulitzer Prize-winning Texas native Horton Foote and explores themes of longing, discontent, and family. This production runs from February 6 through February 23 in historic Brenham, Texas. Tickets can be purchased at unitybrenham.org.

—February 2025

Associate Professor of Theatre Kerry Bechtel designed the costumes for The Star Spangled Girl  at Unity Theater in Brenham, TX. This classic Neil Simon comedy required 15 distinct costumes from the late 1960s for the three main characters. Unity Theater is a professional theatre company located in beautiful Washington County, attracting theatre artists and patrons from both the Austin and Houston areas. The Star Spangled Girl  runs through June 30.

—June 2024

Senior Research and Instruction Librarian Katherine Hooker presented a poster at the Texas Library Association’s annual conference on April 17. “Three Ring Library Circus (But in a Good Way): Leaning into the Theme with Creative Instruction for Creative Students” summarized three-part library instruction delivered to students in Associate Professor of Theatre Kerry Bechtel’s “Design Fundamentals” course. Students learned via an online escape game, a collaborative Padlet, and an InfoGuide, all highly customized around the course’s vibrant circus theme.

—April 2024

Associate Professor of Theatre Kerry Bechtel worked as a costume buyer for Amazon Pictures’ new series “Fallout.” Alumnus Jonathan Knipscher ’03 was the Associate Costume Designer on the project. The show premieres on April 11, 2024. The series trailer can be seen here.

—March 2024