Ben Needham

Bio

Director of Technical Theatre,

Manager of Theatre Arts Wing

Ben teaches our Technical Theatre Track, including Lighting Design, Set Design, Puppetry and CAD Design.

He oversees Technical Theatre Staff and Faculty. Ben is the designer for all Academy theatre renovation in the Studio Theatre and the Performing Arts Complex.

Ben holds an MFA from the University of Georgia in Scenic Design and Computer Animation for Performing Arts); He has a BA from Case Western Reserve University in Theatre Arts . He served as Adjunct Professor for the University of Georgia, Lakeland Community College, Lake Erie College, and Kent State University)

As the Owner and Principal Designer of Digital Squirrel Studio (www.digitalsquirrel.net), Ben has designed over 550 theatre productions for theatre's across the country. In addition to his theatre work Ben has been a set designer on several Film and TV series including, Steven Spielberg's Lincoln, Kill the Irishman, Killing Lincoln, Killing Kennedy and the 1st and 2nd seasons of AMC's TURN - Washington's Spies. Currently Ben is also the set designer on the upcoming feature film Ithaca, directed by Meg Ryan, ABC's The Kingmakers fall pilot and the new PBS drama Mercy Street.