Brian Bernhard is a set designer and theatre artist from Long Island, NY. From bold reimaginings of classics, to visualizing conceptions of new works, Brian brings his unique flair for dramaturgy, research, and storytelling into all he does. Using his backgrounds in theatrical performance and mechanical engineering to drive his design work, he focuses heavily on a design’s function—both practically, and dramatically. Analyzing the world through the philosophies of Clowning and Queerness, Brian seeks to tackle big questions by discovering the intimate and honest questions at their cores, and working through their answers on stage with a spirit of curiosity, generosity, humor, and enthusiasm.
Selected Credits: The House of Blue Leaves (NYU Grad Acting); Suicide Forest (Assoc. Set Designer, Ma Yi & Bushwick Starr); Eureka Day (Props Design, Colt Coeur)
Education: MFA, Design for Stage and Film, NYU Tisch; BA, Theatre Arts, BE, Mechanical engineering, SUNY Stony Brook University
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Selected Work
The Good Person of Szechwan: After the storm
Infernal Descent: Chroeographed
Erwartung: "Are you there? I was searching..."
The House of Blue Leaves: Directed by Graham Schmidt, Photo by Ella Bromblin
Constellations: "I fuckin' love honey"
Fa*staff: "All the world is but folley, man was born to be jolly"
Erwartung: "The shadow does creep!...Yellow, wide eyes"
Fa*staff: "From lovers lips, a tender song is stealing, he sets it winging through the silent darkness."
The House of Blue Leaves: Directed by Graham Schmidt, Photo by Ella Bromblin
Fa*staff: The merry wives are joking, the gallant knight is soaking
The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant: "I felt nothing for him anymore..."
Fa*staff: "Tea" at sunset