Peter M. Rule
Visiting Assistant Professor, Theatre Design and Production
Biography
Professor Peter M. Rule (he/him/his) is a theatrical designer and technician; a visual artist; a rock climber; and an avid home cook. He received his BA in English Literature and Theatre with a focus in Scenic and Costume Design from Knox College, and his MFA in Scenic Design from Carnegie Mellon University. Professor Rule considers himself a scenographer, and his theatrical interests center on the interaction of design areas: he is fascinated by puppetry; practical and unconventional lighting; live and field-recorded sound; and expressionist scenery. His scholarship is influenced by an interest in New-Historicist, Postcolonial, and Marxist literary theory, and he has taught dramaturgical seminars encouraging students to consider literary theory as an essential part of theatrical practice.
Beyond the College, Professor Rule is a professional designer and technician, with work seen in Pennsylvania, Colorado, Illinois, Wisconsin, and New York. His visual art practice includes drawing, painting, printmaking, photography, and sculpture.
Interests
Early Modern Theatre
Expressionist Theatre
In-Yer-Face Theatre
Opera and Ballet
Architecture and Art History
Costume History
Foley, Archival, and Inventive Sound Design
Puppetry
Scenic Art and Sculpture
Costume Construction and Craft
Projection Design
Education
MFA in Scenic Design: Carnegie Mellon University
BA in Theatre and Literature: Knox College
Courses Taught
Theatre 171: Introduction to Theatre
Theatre 173: Introduction to Technical Theatre
Theatre 174: Stagecraft
Theatre 250: Design Theory and History
“The arts are a very human way of making life more bearable. Practicing an art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow, for heaven’s sake. Sing in the shower. Dance to the radio. Tell stories. Write a poem to a friend, even a lousy poem. Do it as well as you possibly can. You will get an enormous reward. You will have created something.” - Kurt Vonnegut