Frederick B. Christoffel, Chair and Professor, Director of Theatre

Degrees Held: B.A. Texas Tech 1978; M.F.A. Illinois-Champaign 1984 Main teaching focus: Scenic design, theatre design and planning, stage management, and scene painting.

Creative endeavors: Scene design, lighting design, scene painting, and Theatre consulting.  Mr. Christoffel has been on faculty at Texas Tech since 1988 and currently serves as Chair of the Department of Theatre and Dance, Director of Theatre, and Head of Design.  He holds the MFA in design from the University of Illinois and the BA from Texas Tech University in theatre.   He has designed scenery and lighting for over 150 productions in professional, regional, educational, and community theaters.  He has designed for television, locally for the Fox Televisions Kids Club.  Mr. Christoffel has designed scenery for the off-Broadway productions of How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying and Biloxi Blues.  He has designed the lighting for the "West Texas Petroleum Museum, Library and Hall of Fame", in Midland Texas and has been awarded the American College Theatre Festival/ N.B.C., Meritorious Achievement Award for Contributions to Theatre and Scene Design and the American College Theatre Festival Award for Excellence in both Scene Design and Lighting Design for his productions of: Angels Fall, Talking With, Antigone, and The Imaginary Invalid. In addition he designer designed lighting for the World Premier of Soul of the West in Washington D.C.   Most recently, he designer lighting for the Saint Petersburg Classical Ballet Classical Ballet Gala, tour of the United States and Russia and is Co-Founder and Producer of the Angel Fire Mountain Theatre.   

Teaching Philosophy: My philosophy as a teacher is interconnected with my design philosophy; Theatre is a collaborative art that owes as much to the process as the product and any idea, regardless of where it comes from should not be summarily dismissed.  Theatre design is an art that is practiced as much in the head and heart as on the page or stage.  I feel that a strong theatre program is based on a working knowledge of the art and craft of Theatre; the classroom should emphasize both academic as well as practical production experiences.  The teaching of design and technology is largely tutorial, with a strong commitment to the mentoring of the students as they undertake classroom and production projects.