Theater Studies banner Link to Theater Studies Home page Link to Duke Home
Home
gradient image

Academic Program | People | Alumni | News & Events

Richard V. Riddell, Special Assistant to the President and Mary D. B. T. and James H. Semans Professor of the Practice of Theater Studies

Richard V. Riddell
Office Location:  205 Allen Building
Office Phone:  919 684-2424
Email Address:   send me a message
Web Page:  

Research Interests: Theater History, Lighting Design

Richard Riddell has had a career as a scholar, professional lighting designer, and academic administrator. A graduate of Knox College and Stanford University, he has published articles on education and the arts, design, and European theater in The New York Times, The Chronicle of Higher Education, American Theater, The Drama Review, and other publications. He has received the Tony, Drama Desk, and Maharam Awards for excellence in lighting design and has designed productions on Broadway and at resident theater and opera companies in the United States and Great Britain, including the American Repertory Theatre, the English National Opera, the New York City Opera, the La Jolla Playhouse, the Guthrie, and the Royal Shakespeare Company. He designed the lighting for the premieres of three operas by Philip Glass: Satyagraha, Akhnaten (also collaborating on the libretto), and The Fall of the House of Usher. Prior to coming to Duke, he was chairman of the Department of Theater at the University of California, San Diego, and Director of the Institute for Advanced Theater Training at Harvard University. He led the Duke University Department of Theater Studies (formerly Program in Drama) from 1992 to 2003.

Typical Courses Taught:

Education:

PhD Stanford University 1978
BA with Honors Knox College 1972
Specialties:

Theater History
Design
Curriculum Vitae
Awards, Honors, and Distinctions

Antoinette Perry (TONY) Award, New York City, 1985
Drama Desk Award, New York City, 1985
Joseph Maharam Award in Design, New York City, 1985
Golden Trigue (First Place): Best National Exhibit, Prague Quadrennial International Exhibition of Design, 1987
Knox College Alumni Achievement Award, June 1986
Invited Entry: Fourth Biennial Scenography Exposition, United States Institute of Theatre Technology, 1986
Dramalogue Award: Lighting Design, Los Angeles, 1985
German Academic Exchange Service Grant, 1982
National Endowment for the Humanities Grant, 1979
Representative Publications   (More Publications)

  1. Ibsen's An Enemy of the People at the 35th Berlin Theatertreffen, Theaterforum (1999).
  2. Artists and Audiences, Duke Magazine, Arts and Ideas (Fall, 1996).
  3. Davi Napoleon, Shedding Light on the Play, Theater Week (February 19, 1996) (Interview.).
  4. The Training Explosion, American Theatre (October, 1990).
  5. In Praise of Groups, American Theatre (April, 1990).
  6. The Academy Flunks Out, American Theatre (June 1989) (Reprint of previous article in The Chronicle of Higher Education, February 1989.).
  7. On German Stages, a Society Explores Itself, The New York Times (March 19, 1989).
  8. The University Once Thought It Could Develop Artists: Now We Know It Can't, The Chronicle of Higher Education (February 11, 1989) (Reprinted in American Theatre under title, "The Academy Flunks Out", June 1989.).
  9. Tribute to Alan Schneider, Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers Bulletin (1985).
  10. Achim Freyer, Karl-Ernst Herrman, Wilfried Minks, in Contemporary Designers (1984), St. James Press.
  11. The German Raum, The Drama Review (March 1980).
  12. The Schaubuehne. Spatial Experimentation in Berlin, Theatre Crafts (January/February 1979).
  13. Wilfried Minks, Theatre Crafts (January/February 1978).
Selected Production Credits

    Lighting Design Credits

  1. A Philadelphia Story by Philip Barry, directed by Michael Bloom, Missouri Repertory Theater, 2001
  2. Eleanor: An American Love Story by Jonathan Bolt and Tom Tierney, directed by Lisa Portes, Ford's Theatre, Washington, D.C. and Theater Previews at Duke, 1999
  3. Kudzu by Doug Marlette and Bland Simpson, directed by Lisa Portes, Ford's Theatre, Washington, D.C. and Theater Previews at Duke, 1998
  4. Otello by Verdi, directed by David Freeman, English National Opera, London, 1998
  5. Private Lives by Noel Coward, directed by Michael Bloom, The Cleveland Playhouse, 1995
  6. Queen of Spades, directed by David Pountey (Revival of Original 1983 Production), English National Opera, London, 1993
  7. Steel by Derek Walcott and Galt McDermott, Premiere, directed by Derek Walcott, American Repertory Theatre, 1991
  8. The Return of Ulysses, directed by David Freeman, English National Opera, London, 1989
  9. The Flying Dutchman, directed by Nicolas Lehnhoff, Santa Fe Opera, 1988
  10. A Walk in the Woods by Lee Blessing, directed by Des McAnuff, La Jolla Playhouse; Booth Theatre, Broadway (1988); Pushkin Theatre, Moscow (1989), 1987
  11. The Day Room by Don DeLillo, directed by Michael Bloom, American Repertory Theatre (Premiere), 1986
  12. Akhnaten by Philip Glass, directed by David Freeman, Houston Grand Opera; New York City Opera; English National Opera, London (1985), 1984
  13. Big River by William Hauptman and Roger Miller, directed by Des McAnuff, La Jolla Playhouse; Eugene O'Neill Theatre, Broadway (1985), 1984
  14. Pieces of Eight, directed by Alan Schneider, The Acting Company National Tour (inc. The Public Theater), 1984
  15. The Tempest, directed by Ron Daniels, Royal Shakespeare Company, Stratford-Upon-Avon; Royal Shakespeare Company, London (1983), 1982
  16. The Yellow Sound by Vasily Kandinsky, directed by Ian Strasfogel, Marymount Manhattan Theatre, New York (World Premiere); Alte Oper Frankfurt, Germany (1982), 1982
  17. Katya Kabanova, directed by David Pountney, Houston Grand Opera, 1981
  18. Our Town, directed by Alan Schneider, Guthrie Theatre, 1981
  19. Satyagraha by Philip Glass, directed by David Pountney, Netherlands Opera, Rotterdam, Amsterdam (Premiere); Brooklyn Academy of Music (1981); Chicago Lyric Opera (1987); Seattle Opera (1988); San Francisco Opera (1989), 1980

    Scene Design Credits

  1. Akhnaten by Philip Glass, directed by David Freeman, design with Robert Israel, Houston Grand Opera and New York City Opera, 1984
  2. The Yellow Sound by Vasily Kandinsky, directed by Ian Strasfogel, design with Robert Israel, Marymount Manhattan Theatre, New York City (World Premiere); Alte Oper Frankfurt, Germany (1982), 1982
  3. Krapp's Last Tape, directed by Samuel Beckett, Akademie der Kuenste, West Berlin, 1977

    Commentary on my designs has appeared in Artforum, The Drama Review, The New York Times, The New Yorker, Newsweek, Opera News, Theatre, Theatre Design and Technology, Time, The Times(London), International Herald- Tribune, and other publications.

    Other Production Credits

  1. Libretto for Akhnaten by Philip Glass, directed by David Freeman, Houston Grand Opera; New York City Opera; English National Opera, London (1985); Wuerttembergische Staatstheater Stuttgart (1985), 1984

 


Home | Duke Home | A&S Home | Contact | Search