Andrea Bechert
Professor & Designer
Head of Production Design & Technology
School of Film, Theatre, & Dance
Preferred: andrea.bechert@sjsu.edu
Office Hours
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Bio
Andrea Bechert teaches Design & Technology for Theatre & Film and is Head of Production Design & Technology for the School of Film, Theatre, and Dance at San Jose State University. Andrea is an award-winning union designer and received a Silicon Valley Laureate Award for her work as a scenic designer. She also received several Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle Awards for her designs, including for Fun Home with Tony Award-winning TheatreWorks of Silicon Valley. At SJSU, she received the RSCA Award (Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity) from the College of Humanities & Arts, and has been honored with numerous Authors & Artists Awards from the Office of the Provost & the University Library for her scenic designs. Andrea has worked at and taught at several universities and colleges, including the University of Michigan, the University of Chicago, Santa Clara University, Stanford University, Ohio University, the University of Miami, and the University of Wisconsin.
Andrea has designed over 400 productions and numerous world premieres at theatres across the country. Local companies she has designed for include Tony Award-winning TheatreWorks (over 40 productions), SMUIN Ballet, Opera San Jose, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Center Repertory Theatre, The Magic Theatre, Marin Theatre Company, The Jewel Theatre, American Musical Theatre of San Jose, and numerous others. Regional companies she has designed for include The Cleveland Playhouse, the Colorado Shakespeare Festival, Chautauqua Theatre Company, the Stardust Casino in Las Vegas, The Starlight Theatre, Florida Studio Theatre, Wildwood, The Monomoy Theater, and many others.
Her designs have been included in the World Design Expo & catalog, the USITT Design Expo & catalog, and her scenic, costume, and projection designs for Mad Forest were selected for the Prague Quadrennial exhibit. She was the Keynote speaker at the USITT Northwest Regional conference in Reno. Her numerous awards include Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle Awards, a Denver Ovation Award, an international Falstaff Award nomination, and more than 20 other regional design awards.
Andrea is a proud and active member of United Scenic Artists, IATSE Local 829. She serves as Western Region Board Trustee for USA829, serves on the National Wellness Committee, and also serves as Chair of the Design Exam Committee.
You can view her work, press, and more at www.ScorpionDesigns.net