Welcome!
Emily Gill is currently an Associate Professor of Theatre specializing in Costume Design and Technology at the University of Montevallo in Montevallo, Alabama. She comes to UM from earning an MFA in Drama from the University of Georgia (2007), a freelance design career in Atlanta, Georgia as well as an internship at the Seattle Repertory Theatre (2000-2001). Emily earned a BA in English and Theatre Performance and Design from Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida (2000).
In addition to primary costume and props design duties at UM, Emily designs costumes and make-up effects for Southeast area regional theatres, receiving the Broadway World Birmingham 2015 Best Costume Design of a Local Play or Musical for City Equity Theatre's production of Peter and the Starcatcher. When possible, she especially enjoys the chance to work on premieres and original works. "I like the idea that I am a part of the beginning of something- that we are introducing something new to our local audience or even the world!" Academically, Emily's research interests stem from these experiences, focusing mainly on the designer/scenographer's role in the development of new work, and more specifically how academic institutions can best prepare students to meet the challenges of this evolving role.
As a continuation of her duties as a member of the Board of Directors of the United States Institute of Theatre Technology, Emily maintains active involvement in USITT initiatives including the International Activities group, an area close to her heart as a former beneficiary of the USITT Student Travel Award, that allowed her to drag a hula hoop around some of the most beautiful land and sea on earth in Croatia, Montenegro and Serbia. Why a hula hoop? Well, because the kind people of the USITT United States Exhibition for the Scenofest Schools of Scenography selected "JellyFish," a "design as performance" piece created with performance partner Ben Philipp to be a featured performance exhibit at the Prague Quadrennial Design Exhibition in 2007 as part of the Scenofest branch of the exhibition. Hula hoops and white sweatpants were a significant design element in the performance.
In addition to primary costume and props design duties at UM, Emily designs costumes and make-up effects for Southeast area regional theatres, receiving the Broadway World Birmingham 2015 Best Costume Design of a Local Play or Musical for City Equity Theatre's production of Peter and the Starcatcher. When possible, she especially enjoys the chance to work on premieres and original works. "I like the idea that I am a part of the beginning of something- that we are introducing something new to our local audience or even the world!" Academically, Emily's research interests stem from these experiences, focusing mainly on the designer/scenographer's role in the development of new work, and more specifically how academic institutions can best prepare students to meet the challenges of this evolving role.
As a continuation of her duties as a member of the Board of Directors of the United States Institute of Theatre Technology, Emily maintains active involvement in USITT initiatives including the International Activities group, an area close to her heart as a former beneficiary of the USITT Student Travel Award, that allowed her to drag a hula hoop around some of the most beautiful land and sea on earth in Croatia, Montenegro and Serbia. Why a hula hoop? Well, because the kind people of the USITT United States Exhibition for the Scenofest Schools of Scenography selected "JellyFish," a "design as performance" piece created with performance partner Ben Philipp to be a featured performance exhibit at the Prague Quadrennial Design Exhibition in 2007 as part of the Scenofest branch of the exhibition. Hula hoops and white sweatpants were a significant design element in the performance.