Renate Pohl, BFA (Memorial University), MFA (University of Alberta), SSP12 (International Space University)

Associate Professor (Technical Theatre Production) - School of Fine Arts, Theatre Program

Theatre Program Chair 2022-2024

Phone: 709-639-6493

Research interests/expertise

Theatre Design (Set, Costume, Lighting, Projection)
Staged Holograms and Pepper’s Ghost
Art and Space in STEAM Education
Interdisciplinary Art/Space Science Creation

Teaching

All Technical Theatre Production courses are team-taught. My teaching areas include production design, lighting, drafting, wardrobe, props, scenic painting, and colour theory.

Creative Works and Publications

Lighting Design, Don’t Give Up on Me, Dad, RCA Theatre Co., LSPU Hall and Arts and Culture Centres NL Tour, 2024
Costume Design, Orlando, Theatre at Grenfell, 2024
Lighting Design, Our Little Life, Theatre at Grenfell, 2023
Lighting Design, Anything to Declare, Theatre at Grenfell, 2023
Lighting Design, Don’t Give Up on Me, Dad, Andy Jones Productions and RCA Theatre Co., LSPU Hall, 2023
Light Pantry. Interactive Community Light Installation. Part of Gesamtkunstwerk, the Hot Gum Collective. CB Nuit, 2022.
Lighting Design, The Winter’s Tale, Theatre at Grenfell, 2022
Lighting Design, Hedda Gabler, Theatre at Grenfell, 2022
Set & Lighting Design, The Mirror, Persistence Theatre Company, LSPU Hall, 2021
Lighting Design, Mojo, Theatre at Grenfell, 2021
Lighting Design, Confessional and Les Belles Soeurs, Theatre at Grenfell, 2021
Lighting Design, Picnic at Hanging Rock, Theatre at Grenfell, 2022
Contributing author on journal article: Barkanova, Svetlana, et al. “Open Space: Engaging Teens in Western Newfoundland in Physics and Astronomy”. Physics in Canada, 77, no. 1 (2021)
Lighting Design and Set Design Consultant, Her Closely, Double Sure Theatre. Workshop at Grenfell Campus May 2021 followed by public performance at LSPU Hall, St. John’s (with Online streaming), 2021.
Digital Set Model Hologram, micro-digital video project of set hologram. Produced by Eastern Front Theatre as part of Micro Digital Creation Projects Online, 2021
Lighting & Video Background Design, Oedipus/Antigone, Design for Grenfell Theatre pivoted to Online streaming environment, 2021.
Set & Lighting Design, Macbeth, Theatre at Grenfell at Arts & Culture Centre Corner Brook, 2020
Lighting Design, Mr. Burns, Hard Ticket Theatre, 2019
Set & Costume Design, Twelfth Night, Theatre at Grenfell, 2019
Lighting Design, Turkeys, Turkeys & More Turkeys, Theatre at Grenfell, 2018
Lighting Design, The Wolves, Theatre at Grenfell, 2018
Lighting Design, Ring Round the Moon, Theatre at Grenfell, 2018
Lighting Design, The Laramie Project, Theatre at Grenfell at Arts & Culture Centre Corner Brook, 2018
AA Magic Sheet, AA LX, AutoCAD prints based on lighting design of Agamemnon & Antigonick. Flown to the edge of space via UpRoute Space Program on Canadian Space Agency and JP Aerospace Missions. Exhibited at: RumbleSat Art from the Edge of Space. Canadian and International Tour, 2017-2018
Costume Design, Hamlet, Theatre at Grenfell, 2017
Set & Lighting Design, Dedication, RCA Theatre Co. and Arts & Culture Centres NL, 2017
Lighting Design, The Sea, Theatre at Grenfell, 2017
Set, Light & Projection Design, Good Night Desdemona (Good Morning Juliet), Theatre at Grenfell, 2017
Lighting Design, Agamemnon & Antigonick, Theatre at Grenfell, 2017
Reflection/Transmission, Interactive Lighting and Set Installation. Exhibited at: Nuit 150+ Festival, Corner Brook, 2017
Pohl, R. “Holography Scenography: Budget Tech Theatre for Space.” 67th International Astronautical Congress, E5. 27th IAA Symposium on Space and Society, 3. Contemporary Arts Practice and Outer Space: A Multi-Disciplinary Approach, September 26-30 2016. Guadalajara, Mexico. International Astronautical Federation, 2016.
Pohl, R. “Technical Theatre, Space Transformation and Psychological Management.” 15th Annual Canadian Space Society Summit, Art and Culture Session, November 13-15 2016. Winnipeg, Manitoba. Canadian Space Society Summit, 2016.

Current research projects and grants

Applied research projects include the exploration of dynamic lighting and staged holograms (real and the Pepper’s Ghost technique) to staged environments and space exploration mission environments.
Lighting Analogue Mission Project (LAMP) – Exploring the effects of dynamic lighting as a countermeasure to stress on long-term space missions within isolated, confined and extreme environments.

Grants

2024 Memorial University Office of Public Engagement Quick Start Fund for Public Engagement ($2,500) for “Assessing the Live Arts Technical Workforce Deficit in Newfoundland and Labrador”.
2022-2023 Grenfell Campus Teaching and Learning Infrastructure and Equipment Fund grant ($10,000) awarded for “Sound and Wardrobe Diversity, Accessibility, and Inclusion in Technical Theatre”.
2020-2021 Scholarship in the Arts Fund ($1800) for “Lighting Analogue Mission Project (LAMP)”.
2019-2020 NSERC PromoScience Program Fund ($34,000) for “Open Space: Engaging Teens in Western Newfoundland in Physics and Astronomy”. PI: Dr. Svetlana Barkanova. Active as Co-Investigator and artistic creative interdisciplinary team member
2018 Scholarship in the Arts Fund ($6,800) for “Dynamic Staged Mirrors - A relational exploration of performance text and movement to space and time via dynamic mirrors of relative transparency”. Co-Investigator: Lois Brown.
2016 Vice-President (Grenfell Campus) Research Award ($1,4500) for “Dedication: The Set and Properties of Field Marshall Sir Douglas Haig at Government House”.
2016 Teaching and Learning Fund Grant (Grenfell Campus) ($3,639) for Portable Environment Network Control in Lighting Learning (PENCIL)
2013 Canada Council for the Arts Inter Arts Travel Grant ($1,000) to attend 4th International Space Arts Workshop (ISAW4) at NASA Ames/Singularity University, Moffett Field, California

Awards and recognitions

2019 Co-Recipient, Vice President (Grenfell Campus) Engagement Award

Memberships and affiliations

International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local ADC 659 (formerly Associated Designers of Canada)
Canadian Actors’ Equity Association (CAEA)
Association of Professional Theatres of Newfoundland and Labrador (APTNL)