Alexander Woodward is a designer, educator, and artist whose research and creative practice center on scenic and costume design for live performance, with an emphasis on theatre, ballet, and opera. His professional work spans regional, international, and Broadway stages, with a particular interest in the development of new plays and other new works for performance. His work includes the world and Broadway premiere of The Sound Inside, directed by David Cromer and starring Mary-Louise Parker, which premiered at the Williamstown Theatre Festival before transferring to Studio 54, and the world premiere of the ballet Their Eyes Were Watching God. Selected professional credits include work with the Kennedy Center, Yale Repertory Theatre, the Geffen Playhouse, Alliance Theatre, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Studio Theatre, Dorset Theatre Festival, Northern Stage, Williamstown Theatre Festival, heartbeat Opera, Colt Coeur, and the Mint Theater Company, among others.
Woodward's research interests encompass design communication and representation, drawing and drafting, emerging technologies in design, sustainable theatre practices, and the preservation and study of traditional design techniques. His research has included funded study of global ornamentation at the Victoria and Albert Museum and Drawing the Line, a project documenting and preserving the work of expert theatrical draughtsmen. His designs and research have also appeared in publications and exhibitions, including Routledge's Bloody Brilliant: How to Develop, Execute, and Clean Up Blood Effects for Live Performance and the Olio Collection at New York's Civilian Hotel, designed by architect David Rockwell. The collection was juried by David Rockwell, Paul Tazewell, Clint Ramos, Christine Jones, and Jules Fisher. His practice extends beyond the stage through arts advocacy, exploring the ways live performance can foster dialogue, shape communities, and respond to the world around us.
Woodward joins Dartmouth from the University of Connecticut, where he served as Area Head of Design and Technical Theatre and Associate Professor of Scenic Design, working across the BFA and MFA programs. His academic teaching has also included appointments at the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale University, where he continues to serve on the faculty as a Lecturer in Design, and at Berklee College of Music, where he served as an invited Lecturer in Design in its graduate Live Music Production and Design program in New York City. Across these institutions, his teaching and mentorship have encompassed scenic design, costume design, drawing, drafting, model making, digital rendering, design communication, and collaborative practice at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. He holds an MFA from the Yale School of Drama, a BFA from Ithaca College, and a professional certificate in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion from Cornell University.
He is a recipient of the Shubert Scholarship, the Donald M. Oenslager Fellowship, and OPERA America's Robert L.B. Tobin Director-Designer Prize. His honors also include the University of Connecticut School of Fine Arts Outstanding Research & Creative Practice Award and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Leadership Award. He is a member of United Scenic Artists, USA 829, and the acclaimed Colt Coeur theatre company, and has served on the executive board of Wingspace, a nonprofit organization that fosters dialogue around design and community and advances advocacy within the industry. Across his work as a designer, educator, and advocate, Woodward explores how live performance can create spaces for collaboration, dialogue, and meaningful exchange.