About- SANDRA J. STRAWN

Sandra J. Strawn

Professor- Theatre

Scenic and Properties Designer

Professor Strawn is Head of Production for the Theatre department at UW-Milwaukee.  Teaching properties design and production classes in the BFA program, her creative work is onstage each semester both as a designer and a properties director.  She is the author of The Properties Director’s Handbook (Focal Press, 2013) as well as an online textbook: prophandbook.com.  Present scholarly activities center around the archival process for regional theatre history and archival work on the UWM theatre department production history.

As a designer, properties artisan, and scenic artist, Strawn has enjoyed over four decades of professional theatre experience. Strawn has designed scenery for Milwaukee Chamber Theater, First Stage Milwaukee, Hope Summer Repertory Theatre, Milwaukee’s Music Under the Stars, the Northern Stage Company, Renaissance Theatreworks, and Milwaukee Ballet.

International credits include tours to Canada, Greece, Ireland, Great Britain, Japan, and Australia. Her extensive professional prop experience was highlighted by six seasons as the Resident Properties Master for Actors Theatre of Louisville (ATL) working on over three hundred productions, including the premier productions of Agnes of God, Crimes of the Heart, Extremities, Lone Star, Gin Game, and Getting Out.  She was also the Properties Artisan for the Milwaukee Repertory Theatre (MRT) for five seasons. Other professional prop credits include summer seasons at the Guthrie Theatre, Utah Shakespeare Festival, and Pennsylvania Festival Theatre.