LDI 2017

Verda Beth Martell is a theatre consultant with the Innovative Technology Group at Westlake, Reed, Leskosky, LLP, a fully integrated architecture firm with in-house specialists in theatre technology, audiovisual, acoustics, lighting, information transport, show control and room automation, MEPS engineering, and historical preservation in seven offices internationally. Beth is carving out a home in the Phoenix office, but will be working on projects around the world. Before this move, Beth spent 13 years as an assistant professor of theatre and member of the technical direction team at the University of Illinois, the last three as the Chair of Scenic Technology and Technical Director for Krannert Center. Beth has a significant history of work with scenic automation, beginning in earnest with a year at Steppenwolf, where she designed and built the mechanics and power distribution for an experimental, NEA funded, multi-axis control system developed by Fritz Schwentker. Beth is an active member of USITT. She currently serves on the Board of Directors and the eSET Council. She was a member of the Stage Lift Working Group for more than two years and sends congratulations to the current members of the group who published ANSI E1.42 – 2016 “Entertainment Technology –Design, Installation, and Use of Orchestra Pit Lifts” this past Fall. She regularly presents in workshops and sessions, including the Physics of Theatre series with her research partner (and husband) Dr. Eric Martell. Together, Beth and Eric published The Physics of Theatre – Mechanics in 2015. Along with her theoretical work developing mathematical models to predict the action of theatrical machines, Beth also scripts and programs in multiple languages, including ladder logic, and holds an Associate Developer Certification for the National Instruments graphical programming environment LabVIEW. Beth is an ETCP Certified Rigger - Theatre and an ETCP Recognized Trainer.