Design Faculty & Staff

Catherine Adams currently serves as the Master Electrician for the Performing Arts Department at Washington University. Her background is in lighting design, and her designs have been seen at Metro Theatre, West End Players Guild, and Tennessee Williams Festival.

Outside of designing, Catherine has had the opportunity to work with a variety of regional theaters such as Opera Maine, The Repertory Theater of St. Louis, and Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre as an assistant lighting designer and technician and has acted as a consultant for lighting installs.

Emily Frei has served as the Charge Scenic Artist and Props Manager for the Performing Arts Department at Washington University since 2011.  She is a member of United Scenic Artists Local 829 as well as the Society of Props Artisan Managers and has painted and designed props for various theatres and theme parks across the United States including Sea World, Busch Gardens, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis and Metro theatre. She is a returning scenic artist for Opera theatre of St. Louis every spring as well as The Muny in Forest Park every summer.

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Nikki Green has served the WashU Performing Arts Department as the costume design and technology faculty-person since 2018. Prior to joining PAD, Nikki spent four years as the head of the costume department at Truman State University, followed by two years as a costume design professor at Baylor University. Nikki earned her Bachelor’s degree in Theatre Design from the University of Evansville and her MFA in Costume Design from the University of Cincinnati – College Conservatory of Music.

Professional costume credits include design and crafts work at The Black Rep, Metro Theatre, Colorado Shakespeare Festival, Hope Summer Repertory Theatre, Cincinnati Opera, Harlaxton Manor Theatre (UK), and Walt Disney World.

Nikki also serves as the Staged Intimacy Choreographer for PAD. The purpose of having an Intimacy Choreographer (theatre) or Coordinator (film/tv) is to have one individual whose responsibility is the creation and maintenance of a consensual safe space– both physically and emotionally– for all artists involved, while creating repeatable choreography of intimate moments within the work. Nikki has completed 100 hours of training with Intimacy Directors International (IDI) and Theatrical Intimacy Education (TIE) and is certified in Mental Health First Aid.

Rebecca (Becca) Mersinger has been with the WashU Performing Arts Department as the costume shop manager since 2021. Prior to joining PAD, Becca spent six years as the assistant costume shop supervisor at SeaWorld in San Antonio, TX. She graduated with her BA in Costume Technology with a minor in Vocal Performance from Stephen F. Austin State University.

Becca’s professional costume credits include working as wardrobe at The Fabulous Fox theatre and The Muny in St. Louis for shows such as “The Lion King” and “Mary Poppins.” One of her more fabulous adventures includes stitching for Beyoncé for her Renaissance World Tour.

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Robert Mark Morgan is in his 13th year of teaching at Washington University having relocated to St. Louis following 3 years as an Assistant Professor in Scenic Design at the University of Washington in Seattle.

He has designed professionally in the areas of theatre, museum, and theme park venues. Avatar the Exhibition (museum exhibit) originally designed for Experience Music Project in Seattle toured nationwide and internationally for 3 years.

His designs have been seen onstage nationally at the Utah Shakespeare Festival, Asolo Repertory Theatre (Sarasota, FL), Indiana Repertory Theatre, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, The Old Globe, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Studio Arena (Buffalo, NY), Childrens Theatre Company (Minneapolis, MN), Cleveland Play House, the MUNY – St. Louis, San Jose Repertory Theatre, Denver Center Theatre Company, Alliance Theatre (Atlanta), Barrington Stage, Marin Theatre Company, Magic Theatre, and American Conservatory Theatre (ACT) in San Francisco.

Jack Rushen is excited to be joining the Faculty and Staff of the Performing Arts Department at Washington University in St. Louis. Jack currently serves as the Production Manager/Technical Director for the Performing Arts Department. Previous work includes Director of Production, Technical Productions Inc.: Production Manager, Casa Mañana Theatre (Fort Worth, TX): Festival Lighting Designer/Coordinator, Lollapalooza/Austin City Limits/Voodoo Music Festival: Assistant Technical Director, Opera Theatre St. Louis, Design Assistant, Barry Manilow on Broadway.

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Sean M. Savoie currently serves as a Teaching Professor in Drama in Lighting Design and Director of Internship Opportunities at Washington University in St. Louis.  He received his BFA from the University of Southern Mississippi and his MFA from the University of Cincinnati – College Conservatory of Music (CCM) in Lighting Design and Technology.

Recently Sean was the Production Manager for the Muny in Forest Park from 2008-2011.  Currently he is the Production Manager for Union Ave Opera and the Variety Children’s Theatre.  In addition, he is also the resident lighting designer for Winter Opera St. Louis and STAGES, St. Louis.

Selected regional lighting design credits include: The Black Rep, HotCity Theatre (including the Kevin Kline Award nominated Neighborhood 3), Shakespeare Festival in the Park, Union Ave Opera, Winter Opera St. Louis, St. Louis Shakespeare, Insight Theatre, Upstream Theatre, Wayside Theatre, Shenandoah University, Theatre West Virginia, Tsunami Theatre Company in Washington, DC, New York Chinese Cultural Center, Portland Opera (Associate & Assistant Designer), Know Theatre (including award winning designs for See What I Wanna See & Eurydice), Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, Cincinnati Opera (Assistant Designer), and Rising Stars Opera in Rising Sun, IN.

Sean is the very proud recipient of the 2009 United States Institute for Theatre Technology (USITT) Rising Star Award and the 2010 Distinguished Alumni Award from CCM.