Susan Crabtree
Susan Crabtree is co-author of three editions of Scenic Art for the Theatre. She received an M.A. in Theatre with a design emphasis at the University of Northern Colorado. She studied painting and history at the Italian Fine Arts Conservatory La Poggerina. She is currently engaged in research of 18th and 19th century backdrop technique and practice. To this end she has viewed and studied collections at the Lee Lash Institute in Columbus Ohio, The Museum of the City of New York, the library archives at the University of Minnesota (Twin Cities, Theatre of the Fraternity), the Lyric Opera Collection, the Theatre Museum in Covent Gardens, the Victoria Albert Museum, the Uffizi in Florence Italy, The Museum Archives of the Teatro Olympico and the Pinacoteca in Vecenza Italy.
Crabtree has charged and worked as Scenic Artist for over 35 years including the Denver Center Theatre, Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera, Indiana Repertory, Tobins Lake Studios, Wichita Music Theatre, Indiana Starlight Theatre, and Kenmark, Inc. She has many credits as a scenic designer including the National Theatre Company at the Denver Center Theatre Company, the Curious Theatre Company in Denver, Bas Bleu Theatre Company in Ft. Collins, Colorado, The Local Theatre Company, and Boulder Ballet Company in Boulder, Colorado. She has taught at the University of Michigan, University of Colorado, Colorado State University, and Brandeis University. Crabtree a fine artist and is the proprietor Crabtree Scenic and Specialty Painting a theatrical backdrop and mural studio.
