Bobbi Owen, a professor of dramatic art and senior associate dean for undergraduate education in the College of Arts and Sciences, has been inducted as a fellow of the U.S. Institute for Theatre Technology (USITT).
USITT, based in Syracuse, N.Y., is the national association of design, production and technology professionals in the performing arts and entertainment industry.
Owen also serves as vice president for communications for USITT and chair of its publications committee. She has been involved with the organization since 1985.
Owen, who has been on the UNC faculty since 1974, is an expert theatrical designer, responsible for costume design for dozens of theatres around the country, including Indiana Repertory Theatre, the American Place Theatre in New York City, the Alhambra Theatre in San Francisco and PlayMakers Repertory Company in Chapel Hill. She has written hundreds of articles and six books about theatrical designers, including The Designs of Willa Kim (2005) and most recently the exhibition catalog for the United States entry in the 2007 Prague Quadrennial, Design USA. She is currently working on a volume about late/great theatrical designers active between 1960 and 2010, to be published in 2010 as part of USITT’s 50th anniversary celebration.
In the department of dramatic art, Owen previously served as director of the honors program and undergraduate studies and head of the graduate costume design program. She has taught undergraduate and graduate courses, honors classes and First Year Seminars.
She began her term as senior associate dean for undergraduate education in August 2004.
