Eric Hart – Portfolio and Resume

Resume – Props Artisan and Master

Theatrical and Display Employment Experience

• The Public Theatre/New York Shakespeare Festival – Assistant Prop Master, Nov 2009-present
  • Acquiring props for mainstage shows in 5 downtown spaces plus Shakespeare in the Park in repertory
  • Managing crews of one to ten overhire artisans
  • Maintaining props stock and shop inventory and tools
• The Public Theatre/New York Shakespeare Festival – Lead Props Artisan, Feb-Nov 2009
  • Carpentry, welding, sculpting, casting, mechanical and pneumatic effects
  • Fabricating and adapting props for shows designed by David Korins, John Lee Beatty, John Conklin, James Schuette
• Spaeth Design – Props Freelance, July-November 2008, Oct-Nov 2007
  • Carpentry, foam sculpting and finishing
  • Constructing miniature props and whimsical devices for Saks Fifth Avenue, Macys, and Lord & Taylor holiday window displays
• Constructive Display, Inc. – Carpenter, January-March 2008
• Santa Fe Opera – Props Carpentry Journeyman, April-August 2007; Props Carpentry Apprentice, May-August 2004, 2006
  • Building props from draftings, sketches, and photographs
  • Altering and adapting props based on notes from designers, props master, and stage managers
  • Assisting apprentice carpenters with their projects
• Actor’s Theatre of Louisville – Props Artisan, December 2006-March 2007
  • Building props for shows designed by Neil Patel and Paul Owen
  • Finish carpentry, staining, laminate and veneer application
• Hersheypark, PA – Assistant Master Electrician, May–September 2003
• Lafayette College – Technical Theatre/Design Intern, August 2002–April 2003
  • Set construction, scenic painting, props construction, and electrician for four-show season
  • Stagehand/Running crew for visiting shows and concerts
  • Set Design – Mother Courage – Suzanne Westfall (director)
• Walnut Street Theatre, Philadelphia – Stagehand Apprentice, August 2001–July 2002

Freelance

• 2010
  • Prop Artisan – Duchess of Malfi – Red Bull Theatre, NYC – Seán McArdle (prop master)
  • Prop Artisan – Looking for Billy Haines – Acorn Theatre, NYC – Meredith Ries (set designer)
• 2009
  • Prop Master – Slave Shack – Algonquin Theater, NYC – Natalie Taylor (set designer)
  • Prop Artisan – In the Next Room – Lincoln Center, NYC – Susan Barras (prop master)
  • Prop Artisan – Broke-o-logy – Lincoln Center, NYC – Susan Barras (prop master)
• 2008
  • Carpenter – Set construction – Urban Stages, NYC
  • Art repair – Piotr Uklanski – Gagosian Gallery, NYC

Previous freelance work also includes Manhattan School of Music; Geoff Howell Studios; Design Compendium; American Repertory Ballet, NY; Axxis Inc., KY; Fatman Productions, NM; Williams Center for the Arts; Lehigh Valley Ballet Guild; Zoellner Arts Center, PA

Academic Experience

SETC Theatre Symposium, “The Prop’s the Thing: Stage Properties Reconsidered” (2009)

• Presented paper: “Devising a Mental Process for Approaching a Prop”

Ohio University – Production Design and Technology, coursework towards an MFA (2003-4)

• Props Master – Romeo and Juliet, Fullest Vigour
• Props Artisan – Gods are not to Blame, A View from the Bridge
• Scenic Artist – Top Girls, Lord of the Flies,
• Scenic Charge - Laramie Project, Arms and the Man
• Set Design – Hair – Michael Page (director)
• Lighting Design – Small Craft Warnings – Michael Page (director)
• classes in scenic design, model-making, technical direction, steel-working, drafting, design history, and lighting design

Bucknell University – BA in theatre, cum laude (1997-2001)

• Props/paint TA, archaelogical drafting
• Classes in scene design, sceneography, cinema, theater history, stagecraft, directing
• Set Design – Heidi Chronicles – Seth Rabinowitz (director)
• Assistant Set Design – As You Like It – F Elaine Williams (set designer)

Artisan Skills

Carpentry and joinery, carving, foam coating and finishing, lathe, MIG welding, hand-drafting, Painting, some TIG welding (steel, aluminum), Photoshop (PC and Mac), photography, paper props, ceramics, electrical wiring, some mechanical and pneumatic work

Other Experience

Member of S*P*A*M (Society of Properties Artisan Managers) 2009-present

Freelance Photographer

• Commercial work for Jes Gordon/ProperFUN; King and Spalding Law Firm; Columbia U. Theatre Dept.; Advanced Scientifics, Inc.; United Cerebral Palsy
• Exhibitions/Publications include Pictory; Wood Industry Magazine; IAO Gallery; JPG Magazine; File Magazine; Wiseman Gallery, Herndon, PA; Millersburg Gallery on the Square; M Hart Gallery; Gratz Fair

Portfolio

You can download my print portfolio in a PDF. This has a lot of information on how I built my props, including process photographs and copies of the drawings I built the props from. Below is a selection of some of my favorite props.