CATF Welcomes Trent Kugler As Full-Time Staff Member

The Contemporary American Theater Festival at Shepherd University, a professional theater company focusing on new play development, promotes their seasonal Production Manager Trent Kugler to a year-round, full time staff member. For the past eleven summers, Kugler has severed as worked at the Festival seasonally, but has recently expanded his duties and responsibilities as a full-time staff member.

As the Production Manager, Kugler takes on essential responsibilities, critical to the growth and development of the Festival. Even now, before CATF's thirtieth anniversary season announcement, he is budgeting for and planning how to build six new plays in rotating repertory and facilitating production meetings between directors and designers. Converting the Production Manager position to a year-round appointment allows the Festival to tackle "new plays that are even more technically daring, that require more planning and coordinating," Kugler states. "And we have a play this season that does just that."

"In our season this summer, we have a show in the Frank Center, but I can't tell you what it is yet, that requires flying set pieces and actors, props melting on stage, and extravagant scene changes," shares Ed Herendeen, the Festival's Founder and Producing Director. "Hiring Trent full time means we can address these exciting production challenges, which are essential to the storytelling of the play."

When asked about flying set pieces and melting props, Kugler chuckles and responds that "these are certainly thrilling technical elements. I'm looking forward to making this theater magic happen on CATF stages. It's something we've never before."

Since 2010, Kugler served the Technical Director for Shepherd University and an adjunct theater faculty member, while being a part-time CATF employee. Although no longer a staff member of Shepherd, Kugler will still share his expertise with students. "As a part of my new position with the Festival, I'll continue my relationship as a theater professional with Shepherd's Contemporary Theater Studies majors. Being able to continue to shape the next generation of theater artists is a vital part of my professional passion."

Prior to his position at Shepherd University, Kugler was as the Assistant Technical Director at Studio Theatre in Washington, D.C., where he worked on several Helen Hayes nominated productions including Adding Machine (2009) and The History Boys (2009). In 2008, Kugler's skills and talents were recognized with the League of Washington Theatre's Off Stage Award.

During the 2020 Season of the Contemporary American Theater Festival at Shepherd University features six new plays in rotating repertory. The thirtieth anniversary season will run July 10 - August 2. The Festival will announce their season in early March. For more information about the Contemporary American Theater Festival visit http://CATF.org

 

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