Brian McManimon (he/him/his) is a multi-faceted theatre artist, designer, director, technician, and educator focusing on teaching today’s students the importance of impactful theatrical storytelling and how to use effective production elements in the creation of live theatre performances. In addition to his work as an educator, Brian has worked extensively as a scenic designer, lighting designer, technical director, and recently as a director.
Currently, Brian is the Theatre Production Manager & Production Designer at The Packer Collegiate Institute in Brooklyn, NY focusing on integrating theatre production and design into the arts curriculum and after-school programming. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, his focus was on producing virtual performance opportunities for students to continue creating art during this period of remote learning while looking ahead to major improvement plans for the school’s theater facility and infrastructure. Post-Pandemic, his focus has included integrating updated lighting, audio, and projection elements into the facility and performing arts design elements while expanding the stage crew programming in grades 6-12.
Before joining Packer, Brian was the theatrical production specialist and technical director for the award-winning Wellesley High School Performing Arts Department in Wellesley, MA. Brian built the school’s first stage crew into an active creative force and trained his students on the basics of theatre production, design, event management, and original storytelling. He emphasized the importance of students designing and creating their own work, taking creative risks at every opportunity, and providing everyone with the tools to produce high-quality productions. Additionally, he preached a team-first philosophy, cultivating a supportive and welcoming atmosphere for all students that helped produce high-quality productions.
Brian repeatedly served as the technical supervisor for guest performance groups at Wellesley High School including the Project Moves Dance Company, The United States Navy Band, the Grammy Award-Winning New York Voices, the New Repertory Theater, Iris Vocal Trio, The MIT Logarythms, The Boston University Dear Abbeys, The Tufts University Amalgamates and The Yale Wiffenpoofs. His collaborations include projects with the award-winning theatre program at Westford Academy, Bill Hanney's North Shore Music Theater, The New Victory Theatre, Pace University, The Nuance Theater Company, Weston High School, Weston Drama Workshop, The Peacock Players (Nashua, NH), and Tyngsboro Public Schools.
He is the recipient of five Theatre at the Mount “TAMY” awards for his design work on Spring Awakening, Miss Saigon, and Rent along with a Massachusetts Education Theatre Guild Spotlight Award for the same production of Spring Awakening. He was nominated in 2018 by his students, alumni, parents, and faculty from Wellesley High School for the Excellence in Theatre Education TONY Award sponsored by Carnegie Mellon University and the American Theatre Wing. Recently, his new productions of Snug, The Joiner and Given: A Way, which he directed, were finalists Secret Theatre One Act Festivals (Queens, NY)
He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre (production design/directing minor) from Pace University in New York and his Master of Arts degree in Theatre Production (dual-focus in production design and directing) from Central Washington University. His thesis project, which involved directing Sharyn Rothstein’s play By the Water and mentoring an entire student-led production team, can be read in its entirety below.
For nearly 15 years, Brian has studied primarily in the field of scenery, lighting, production which is evident in his body of work. That being said, he has spent a considerable time also exploring additional fields including directing and theatre education, providing him with a uniquely versatile skillset that allows him to work so cohesively and collaboratively with actors, designers, and creators alike.
Artistically, Brian is drawn to stories that prompt the audience to think deeply and beyond their personal bubble, whether that be historically poignant or musically swelling performances. He is a fervent believer that the arts should be used as a way to teach our audiences about complex topics while cultivating a community amongst those who strive to perform at any level.
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