Kiera McGuire
Features Editor
I had the chance to talk with Naoko Skala, assistant professor and department chair of theatre and dance, as well as a curriculum committee member of South Asian studies, via email. I learned about her past experiences within theatre departments and gained insight on her current projects at The College of Wooster.
KM: Can you introduce yourself to the readers?
NS: I was raised in Japan and came to Kansas to study theatre after graduating from a university in Japan, majoring in Japanese literature. I earned a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts (BFA) degree in Theatre, and went to Minnesota to continue my theatre education and receive a Master’s of Fine Arts (MFA) in Theatre, emphasis in Scene Design. In fine arts, a master’s degree is usually the terminal degree because we practice our artistry and profession in the field outside of the school.
KM: Can you explain what you do daily and some of your position’s intricacies?
NS: My daily schedule and tasks are varied, and it depends on the productions or events. Sometimes, multiple events and dues happen in the same week, which make my work more intricate. Every week, I have I.S. meetings, department meetings and committee meetings, but I also work on production-related tasks in the Scene Shop.
KM: Can you explain in more detail your experiences with the passions of scenic design and scenic art and how they relate to your current work at the College? Can you also share your experience as a properties coordinator at Arizona Opera? What did that work look like?
NS: The scenic designer’s role in theatre productions is to create the world of the play on the stage with the stage director, other designers, managers, artisans, technicians, and performers to support telling the story of the play effectively. Some plays require a small one-bedroom apartment, and some require 20 different locations and all the actions must happen on stage within approximately two hours, which is the big difference between TV/Film and theatre. Scenic art includes scenic painting and sculpture, which navigated me to this profession. The scenic artist’s role is to convey the designer’s idea with paint and sculpture accurately. Sometimes, we paint only scenic walls, but sometimes, we paint significant scenic backdrops with many details to support telling the play’s story. As a properties coordinator at Arizona Opera, I was responsible for various areas. I collaborated and supervised people with diverse backgrounds and I was able to gain multiple skills and knowledge there.
KM: What is your favorite course you’ve taught at The College of Wooster? Can you explain what made that course special to you?
NS: This is a challenging question because I love teaching any classes at The College of Wooster! I have taught FYS, Foundations of Theatrical Design, Stagecraft & Scenic Art, Drawing and Rendering for Performing Arts, Asian Theatre: From South to East, Scenic
and Props Design, Digital Media Design for Performing Arts, and Puppetry and Mask Design in
the past five years, and they’re all special to me because I can see our students’ growth
and exploration with their academic curiosity through the courses.
KM: I saw on The College of Wooster website that you are writing the book “Japanese Traditional Theatre Architecture: Exploring Theatres with Virtual 3D Technology.” Can you describe this book and give any insights about what it will be about before it’s published (if you are allowed?) Are there other publications you were part of that you wish to highlight?
NS: I have been researching and publishing three articles with a peer-reviewed journal, Theatre Design, and Technology (TD&T), for the past three years with the topic of three distinguished theatre art forms: Noh (masked performance), Bunraku (puppetry), and Kabuki (musical performance). The virtual 3D environment of the three theatres in Japan were created to explore the theatres without visiting them. The idea came from the time during the pandemic when no one could go anywhere, and I wanted to do something for our students to put their minds off from feeling “stuck.” Last year, I received the LUCE research fund, and the semester-long faculty research leave opportunity. I visited multiple theatres in big cities and rural villages to collect research resources. Some have a history that is more than 200 years old and longer and are still performing at the theatre. Approximately 30 interviews with Japanese theatre practitioners were also conducted last year, and I have three Sophomore Research Assistants to help translate the interview carefully since I would like to convey their thoughts and passions for their theatre art forms accurately. Luckily, I made a contract with a publisher, Routledge, to publish a book with the title, and we plan to publish it in Spring 2026.
KM: Are there any projects that you wish to implement in the Theatre and Dance department or a particular project you are proud of?
NS: I would like to provide more experiential learning opportunities for students who are considering theatre and dance as their careers. I am always proud of any students’ projects and production work before/after graduation.
KM: Do you have any advice for students who wish to join the Theatre and Dance department?
NS: If you have ever had the moments of your heart sink while you are watching a live theatre and dance performance or being involved in theatre and dance elsewhere, it might be a sign of your true passion. Being involved in theatre and dance productions would be helpful to be a great collaborator in any industry because theatre and dance are collaborative arts, and it is impossible to create them without working with others. That is why so many TV and Film artistic directors prefer to hire people who have theatre and dance backgrounds. We are a smaller department, which means we can offer more opportunities to students and develop a strong relationship with each other to create a great community.
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