The UCF School of Performing Arts is pleased to introduce assistant professor Shawn Boyle. Boyle will be part of the Theatre faculty, teaching lighting design and working on Theatre UCF’s productions starting in August.
He’s excited to become part of the community at the University of Central Florida, which was one of the main deciding factors in joining the faculty at UCF.
“In visiting the campus and getting to know the faculty and students through the interview process, UCF felt like somewhere I would be happy and could have an impact on the students, and really participate in the community. The relationship between students, educators, and the institution is what creates the dynamic and quality of the education, so a good fit is of the utmost importance. The faculty and staff at UCF felt like a team that I would play well on in temperament, style, and approach to the work.”
Boyle has an extensive background as a projection and lighting designer, working in theatre, musical theater, opera, dance, installation, and architectural projects, as well as designing for several theaters and theme parks in the United States. As an associate projection designer for Elaine J. McCarthy, Boyle worked on productions of Wicked in the United States, Australia, Japan, Germany, Brazil, Holland and the United Kingdom.
Boyle earned his M.F.A. in Projection Design from Yale School of Drama in 2015 and his B.F.A in Lighting Design from Rutgers University Mason Gross School of the Arts. In addition to his lecturing appointment at Boston University’s College of Fine Arts, Boyle has been a guest lecturer at San Diego State University School of Theatre, Television, and Film as well as the undergraduate program at NYU Tisch School of the Arts.
“Lighting design can basically be broken down into two components: the technical and the artistic,” says Boyle. “The technical is learned, but the artistic comes from instinct, research, and evolves over time. What interests me most about lighting design is what holds the technical and the artistic together—in my opinion that’s the designer’s emotional and intellectual take on a moment, their point of view…the tension that comes from trying to marry the artistic with the technical…when lighting is really well done it transcends the technical and artistic and enters the realm of magic. My hope for the students is that in their time at UCF they gain the technical skills and aesthetic guidance to achieve their artistic visions, and foster a sense of curiosity and play in their work that will fuel a lifelong career and love for lighting design.”