FACULTY SPOTLIGHT: Glen Anderson

Glen Anderson is an assistant professor of technical theatre and design at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. His work has appeared in “Light and Sound America,” “Dance Teacher Magazine,” “Muse Magazine” and on the cover of “Southern Theatre.” He has trained in both American and European theatrical design philosophy and has worked with theatre groups all around the country.

The Current: How did you get into scenic design?

Glen Anderson: It’s a family business. My father was a scenic designer, so as a child I watched him. Eventually I got into it. I actually started as an actor and the family was quite disappointed when I got into scenic design. They wanted me to be an actor.

TC: Your resume puts you all over the U.S. How did you end up in Missouri?

GA: I grew up in Kansas, and I always said when I started my teaching career that I wanted to start in the Midwest. When I was at the University of Florida, a professor I had told me that his key to incurring graduate students was to get them from the Midwest. He felt that we had a better work ethic … I think we do possibly have a different view on life in the Midwest; we see things differently.
I feel like I can relate to people here, that’s why I came back to teach in the Midwest. I feel comfortable here, and I really like the size of [UM-St. Louis].

TC: What was your favorite set to work on, and what was your most difficult?

GA: The hardest set that I ever had to do was a set I did for my thesis, and I don’t think it was [because] it was so difficult, it’s more because I’m my own worst critic. [The set] had to be documented and several professors were to go over every inch of the paperwork, so I really beat myself up over anything that didn’t seem quite right. I had to go back and do things over that didn’t seem quite perfect. It was not necessarily the hardest set, but I have a need to have things at a certain quality level. [My favorite set]—that’s hard.

I look back and once I’m detached from [the set] completely, then I feel good about it. There are things that I’ve done—near cutting edge pieces that were exciting.

TC: What do you hope your students take away from your classes?

GA: That’s hard to say, I have several different students and I think everyone needs something different from the class. Not everyone needs the same thing from me. I want to inspire them to do their best whether it be scenic design, lighting design, or anything. Even if they don’t enjoy the course, I want them to feel like it’s something they can understand and can be interested in.

TC: What is your favorite thing about teaching?

GA: I think my favorite thing about teaching is inspiring. I’m passionate about what I do, and I’m passionate enough that I really want to share that. I think everyone can attain value from what I do and learning about the art of theatre.

TC: What is something quirky about you that your students don’t know?

GA: I don’t know, my students know a lot about me. My students don’t know that I actually started off as a child actor … and I also grew up on a farm and I raised sheep!