JAY TYSON
Jean Yvonne (Jay) Tyson is a multidisciplinary storyteller currently based in Los Angeles, where they are attending UCLA for an MFA in scenic and production design for theater, film, and television. Their primary interests center around exploring the relationship between psychology and art as well as working with people and narratives that challenge "tradition."
While obtaining their BA in theater and film & media studies from Whitman College, their contributions to the theatre department were awarded numerous times and their scenic and costume work won several awards through the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival, including the Regional and National Awards for Excellence in Scenic Design (2020). In addition to working on 20+ shows in academic theater, they have designed for square product theater in Colorado (2022) and joined both the Seven Devil's Playwrights Conference as the Francis Starr Todd Design Fellow (2020) as well as the Stagecraft Institute of Las Vegas' summer training program (2021).
Offstage, Jay has also written, directed, filmed, edited, and produced short narrative films as well as a documentary that has been shown in several film festivals; spent quite a few years pursuing photography through concerts, photoshoots, and travels; composed music across a variety of genres; and experimented in whatever other kinds of creative mediums they could get their hands on. Their passion to pursue multimedia storytelling is only rivaled by their desire to find the world's best cannoli.
EDUCATION
UCLA, M.F.A. in Scenic and Production Design for Theatre & Film, (expected graduation) 2025
Whitman College, B.A. in Theatre & Film and Media Studies, 2021
Stagecraft Institute of Las Vegas, 2021
UPCOMING PROJECTS
The Grand Hotel Tartarus - PREMIERE Scenic & Props Designer Freud Theatre, UCLA 2023
Dir. Peter Kazaras
SHORT FILMS
Guilt (2023; production designer) Los Angeles, CA
Love Poem (2023; assistant art director) UCLA, CA
The Most Dangerous Stage (10 minutes; 2022; producer, director, cinematographer, editor) Walla Walla, WA
Screened at the Angeles Documentaries Festival, USA and Louth International Film Festival, Ireland
- Finalist in Best Student Documentary (Angeles Documentaries)
A Place Like No Other (6 minutes; 2022; writer, producer, director, cinematographer, editor) Walla Walla, WA
Dead End (3 minutes; 2022; writer, producer, director, cinematographer, editor) Walla Walla, WA
The Bling (Ear)Ring (3 minutes; 2022; writer, producer, director, cinematographer, editor) Walla Walla, WA
THEATRE PRODUCTIONS
Tell Me I'm Gorgeous at Scenic & Props Designer 1340 Black Box, UCLA 2023
the End of the World Dir. David H. Parker
Into the Woods Asst. Scenic Designer Little Theatre, UCLA 2023
Dir. Judy Moreland
Dance Nation Scenic & Props Designer, ATLAS B2 Center 2022
Master Carpenter, Scenic Charge Dir. Gleason Bauer
The Revolutionists Asst. Scenic Designer Freimann Studio, Whitman College 2021
Dir. Christopher Petit
(Unrealized) Sweeney Todd Scenic Designer Alexander Stage, Whitman College 2021
Dir. N/A
Chekhov's Farces Asst. Scenic Designer Freimann Studio, Whitman College 2020
Dir. Christopher Petit
Ripe Frenzy Scenic & Projection Designer Alexander Stage, Whitman College 2019
Dir. Emily K. Harrison
MMMM Co-Costume Designer Freimann Studio, Whitman College 2019
Choreographer: Peter de Grasse
Playing With Fire (After Frankenstein) Asst. Props Designer Alexander Stage, Whitman College 2019
Dir. Annaliese Baker
Much Ado About Nothing Dogberry Amphitheatre, Whitman College 2019
Dir. Grace Sanwald
Life is a Dream Asst. Scenic Designer Alexander Stage, Whitman College 2019
Dir. Carlos Vargas-Salgado
Desiderata Actor, Props Designer Nancy Simon Studio, Whitman College. 2019
Dir. Grace Sanwald
Red Asst. Scenic Designer Freimann Studio, Whitman College 2019
Dir. Donovan Olsen
Big Love Asst. Scenic Designer Freimann Studio, Whitman College 2018
Dir. Christopher Petit
Instant Play Festival Actor Alexander Stage, Whitman College 2018
Dir. Sabina Rogers, Antonio Tharp
Spring Awakening Props Designer, Ensemble Alexander Stage, Whitman College 2018
Dir. Andrea Andresakis
One Act Play Festival Props Designer Freimann Studio, Whitman College 2018
Multiple Directors
Sonnets for an Old Century Actor Alexander Stage, Whitman College 2017
Dir. Anthony Reale
You Can’t Take It With You Props Designer Alexander Stage, Whitman College 2017
Dir. Kenn Watt
AWARDS & HONORS
John H. and Patricia W. Mitchell Fellowship / University of California, Los Angeles, 2022
2020 National Award for Excellence in Scenic Design / KCACTF National Conference, 2020
Cherry Production Award for Outstanding Service in a Technical Field / Whitman College, 2020
Barbizon National Award for Excellence in Scenic Design / KCACTF Region 7, 2020
Meritorious Achievement Award for Costume Design / KCACTF Region 7, 2020
Meritorious Achievement Award for Scenic Design / KCACTF Region 7, 2020
George R. Caldwell Undergraduate Scholarly Paper Meritorious Achievement / KCACTF Region 7, 2020
Cherry Production Award for Outstanding Service in a Technical Field / Whitman College, 2019
WORK EXPERIENCE
Teaching Assistant, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA January 2023 - present
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Worked in UCLA's scene shop as a graduate TA, supervising undergraduate students as they learned the technical workings of production
Scene Shop Manager, Harper Joy Theatre, Walla Walla, WA January 2022 - May 2022
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Was hired by Whitman College’s Harper Joy Theatre to return after graduating to be the production shop manager responsible for assisting in training new students, assisting in the creation of sets as well as lighting hangs/strikes, monitoring scheduling, creating safety demonstration videos and otherwise updating safety information, being a liaison between the scene shop and student production teams during the One Act Play Festival, and sitting in for the technical director during some evening rehearsals.
Scene Shop Employee, Harper Joy Theatre, Walla Walla, WA September 2018 - December 2021
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Assisted with the creation of 16 season and student productions for Whitman College's Harper Joy Theatre.
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Developed scenic painting techniques and led students as a scenic charge and shop mentor
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Learned carpentry and set construction, plasma cutting, furniture repair, upholstery, foam carving, and props construction.
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Used manual and power tools, installed and struck sets, helped renovate the shop.
Box Office Attendant, Harper Joy Theatre, Walla Walla, WA May 2017 - December 2021
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Acted as house manager, ushered, sold tickets, worked will call, assisted with postering, and opened/closed the theatre
Volunteer, IDEA Stages, June 2020- present
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Served as an administrator and moderator for the IDEAs (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Stage) facebook group with over 2.4k members
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Created posts with content and discussions that focused on antiracism, creating safe spaces, promoting underrepresented artists, education around equity and safety, discussing language and inclusivity, and more
Francis Starr Todd Fellowship, Seven Devils Playwrights Conference, Summer 2020
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Collaborated with theatre artists as they further developed new plays, providing a different perspective and using virtual design meetings to engage the physical world of the play
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Produced sketches and collages based off of the conversations had in design meetings
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Worked alongside Skip Mercier, who led the virtual design meetings for You Will Get Sick by Noah Diaz, The Killing Fields by Anya Pearson, and The Alligator Gospels by Matt Pelfrey
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Led the virtual design meetings for The Birth of the Pill by Jessica Huang, The Hero and the Scholar by Marshall Botvinick, and Madam Euphoria Reveals Your Future by Jenny Sternling
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More info in this article or through the conference website
Photographer, freelance, March 2014 - present
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Traveled locally and globally to hone technical and observational skills
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Worked as a freelance photographer for modeling portfolios, album covers, birthdays, community events, and private photoshoots
Department Liaison, Whitman College, Walla Walla, WA September 2019- May 2021
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Nominated to represent both the Theatre and Film & Media Studies departments
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Answered questions about the majors, helped students connect with the departments and professors, and assisted aspiring majors in creating a plan for their classes
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Moderated online Discord forums for new and interested students when COVID-19 struck
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Interviewed actor Patrick Page during the height of the pandemic as part of a guest artists series
Sales Clerk, Hot Poop Stereo and Video, Walla Walla, WA September 2017 - April 2018 & July - August 2021
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Assisted customers, organized stock, cleaned/tuned instruments, installed video equipment, delivered equipment, and more
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Sold records, CDs, clothing, equipment, and instruments
Drama Club Vice President, Publicity Chair, & Historian, Whitman College, Walla Walla, WA, May 2019 - May 2021
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Worked with the club to create Q&As, videos, and other methods of communications when classes moved online
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Created a website for the theatre's annual drama banquet when the live event was cancelled due to COVID-19
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Assisted in setting up and representing the theatre during activities fairs
Radio Host, KWCW, Walla Walla, WA, September 2016 - December 2017
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Jumpstarted, hosted, and promoted the radio shows "Blues, Rock, and Other Jazz" and "Scores of Our Lives"
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Organized and conducted interviews with musicians Sista Jean and Jonah Nimoy
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Selected music, arranged playlists, and scripted or improvised dialogue connecting content and teaching a bit of music history
SKILLS
TECHNICAL: Operation of a variety of power and hand tools, model making, scenic painting, basic upholstery, wallpapering, furniture repair, foam carving, plasma cutting, genie operation, basic EOS light board control, basic projection mapping and design, gilding, fly system operation
VISUAL ARTS: Digital art, drawing, painting, digital photography, videography, photo editing, video editing, clay sculpting
SOFTWARE: Procreate, Photoshop, Lightroom, Illustrator, Premiere Pro, AutoCAD, Rhino, Maya, SketchUp, GarageBand, MuseScore, QLab