About:

             David Dwyer holds a Master of Fine Arts in production design from Michigan State University, a Bachelor's in theatre and an Oral Communication Certificate with distinction from Marietta College.  

             As a free-lance designer he works primarily in the Eastern United States, His designs have been seen at The Boarshead Theatre, Theatre Winterhaven, Dance Ocala, Gemstone Productions, The Gorilla Theatre, Live Arts Theatre, Mt. Washington Valley Theatre Company, Carolina Actor’s Studio Theatre, The Arundel Barn Playhouse, and at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian.

             He has served as technical director for the Showboat Becky Thatcher and Northern Michigan University, as well as TD and Scenic and Lighting Designer at Southern Virginia University. He is an Assistant Professor of theatre at Niagara University, where he is the principal Scenic Designer and teaches courses in theatre design. He resides near Lockport, New York with his wife and children.

Dwyer Design Studio

David Dwyer, Scenic Designer.

Press:

The Conversion of Ka’Ahumanu
The Smithsonian, National Museum of the American Indian
Scenic Design

Staunton, Virginia, News Leader Article regarding the set designer

A
You Tube Video produced by the National Museum of the American Indian features interviews with the production staff.

Another
You Tube Video about this production– an interview with the playwright.

A link to the NMAI Blog for this production.

Dancing at Lughnasa
Southern Virginia University
Scenic and Lighting Design

This production received the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival Meritorious Achievement Award in Scenic Design

From the Kennedy Center American College Theatre festival Adjudication

The set. . . was of a quality that I have seen at small regional theatres or universities with professional staff and/or graduate students responsible for construction. The fact that this magnificent set was built by undergraduate students at a small university with fewer than 800 students is an extraordinary achievement.

Downloads:

Coming soon!

Copyright©2011

 

Email: david@dwyerdesignstudio.com

Tartuffe
LiveArts Theatre, Charlottesville, Virginia

Scenic Design

“It is no accident that David Dwyer’s set design for Tartuffe incorporates dramatic, gilded picture frames that stretch from the stage to the Live Arts balcony. Like the title character of Molière’s play, the frames are attractive on the outside and empty on the inside. They are bloated, eye-grabbing symbols of hypocrisy, so it makes sense that Tartuffe should gesticulate in their figurative shadow. “


- Winstar Watts Murry,  “False piety goes down easy in Tartuffe “
C-ville News and Arts, May 18, 2009.

 

A link to the article here, or a .pdf here.

The Producers
Mount Washington Valley Theatre Company

Scenic Design

Nominated for a 2009 New Hampshire Theatre Award - in the Professional Theatre category.

Best Scenic Designer Nominations

-Around the World in 80 Days - Winnipesaukee Playhouse (David Towlun)  
-
Heartbreak House - Peterborough Players (Charles Morgan)  
-
On the Town - Papermill Theatre / NCCA (Matt Kizer)  
-
Sweeney Todd - Weathervane Theatre (Gibbs Murray & Xiapo Wang)
-
The Producers - Mt. Washington Valley Theatre Company (David Dwyer)

The Grandchildren of the Buffalo Solders
The Smithsonian, National Museum of the American Indian
Scenic Design

Scenic designer interview

A link to the NMAI Blog for this production.

Hair
Mount Washington Valley Theatre Company

Scenic Design

Nominated for a 2010 New Hampshire Theatre Award - in the Professional Theatre category.

Best Scenic Designer Nominations

Crossing Delancey - Winnipesaukee Playhouse (Melissa Shakun)
Freud's Last Session - Peterborough Players (Charles Morgan)
Hair - Mt. Washington Valley Theatre Company (David Dwyer)
Scotland Road - Winnipesaukee Playhouse (David Towlun)
The Pirates of Penzance - New London Barn Playhouse (Jarrod Bray)

The Elephant Man
Carolina Actor’s Studio Theatre

Scenic Design

Nominated for a 2011 Metrolina Theatre Association Award.

Outstanding Set Design Nominations

Chip Decker - Blue Door - Actor's Theatre of Charlotte
Chris Timmons - 
The Glass Menagerie - Theatre Charlotte
David Dwyer and Michael Harris - 
The Elephant Man - Carolina Actors Studio Theatre (CAST)
Michael R. Simmons, Buddy Hanson, and Charles LaBorde - 
When You Comin' Back Red Ryder - Carolina Actors Studio Theatre (CAST)
Timothy Baxter-Ferguson - Agnes of God - Carolina Actors Studio Theatre (CAST)