GLENN DUNN
Glenn began his career in theater as an actor in undergraduate
school and received several acting, as well as technical,
awards while in college. At the University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he earned his Masters
degree in Lighting Design, he was the sole graduate
teaching assistant in practical stage lighting.
After teaching Drama 101 and Lighting Design for two
years at North Carolina Central University, he was "discovered"
by Davy Marlin Jones in summer stock at the Wayside
Theatre in Middletown, Virginia. In 1973 David Frank
was Artistic Director of the Repertory Theatre of St.
Louis at the Loretto Hilton Theatre and Davy Marlin
Jones was hired as a guest director. Mr. Jones persuaded
David Frank to hire Glenn as a stage manager and the
rest is history. Glenn has just completed his 28th season
as stage manager at the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis,
surviving four administration changes in the shaky years
of the early eighties. After his first season at the
Rep, Glenn began designing lighting for the main stage,
and to date he has designed over 40 shows.
In addition to working at the Rep, Glenn spent eight
seasons as Production Stage Manager for The Muny in
St. Louis, with three of those years as Touring Production
Stage Manager. He also has worked for Opera Theatre
of St. Louis in several positions, and was their Technical
Director for the 1983 trip to the Edinburgh Festival.
In 1980 his lighting design business, GMD Design and
Consulting, began working with other theatres in the
St. Louis area, and spent many seasons with Theatre
Project Company. Glenn was the first professional lighting
designer for the St. Louis Black Repertory Company in
their early years at the 23rd Street Theatre and he
continues to design for the Black Rep today. He was
resident lighting designer for The New Theatre for the
entire fifteen year life of that company. He has recently
designed lighting for Historyonics Theatre Company and
(Mostly) Harmless Theatre Company. Other clients include
CASA Opera, Circus Flora, Six Flags over Mid-America
and IBEW 100th Anniversary Convention. He also has developed
several church and residential architectural lighting
designs throughout the St. Louis area.
Glenn is a member of Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Webster
Groves, where he sings in the choir (occasionally solo)
and serves as the Building Manager. He also owns a small
computer consulting business. His patient and understanding
wife, Kathi, is an architect and hospital planner.
Glenn is a member of a small elite group of people
who have had a life-long career in professional theatre
without leaving St. Louis. His superior artistic judgment
always elevates the production values of every show
he lights. The small developing theatres that have had
the good fortune of working with Glenn know how lucky
St. Louis is to have him in our theatre community.
Biography-June 9, 2002.
