For over twenty years, Venustiano (Dr. V) resided in Brooklyn, New York, where he worked as a freelance designer in the New York City theatre scene before returning to academia in 2010 to join the Theatre Program at Stockton University in Galloway, New Jersey. His professional theatre design credits in New York City include scenic and costume design for the pre-Broadway tour of Gifts from the Attic, starring legendary screen actor Mickey Rooney, as well as costume design for the pre-Broadway tour of Mario Fratti’s Encounter 500…Cristoforo Colombo. His Off-Broadway credits include Rainbow, featuring Tony Award–winning actress Debbie Shapiro-Gravitte; Annie Wobbler, for which he received mention and praise in The New York Times review; The Writing on the Wall, starring The Sopranos co-star Michael Imperioli; as well as First Time, Guadeloupe, and Get Any Guy through Psychic Mind Control.

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     Additionally, Dr. V served as the resident scenic designer and technical director for St. Bart’s Playhouse, the longest-running community theatre in New York City, as well as for the Westbeth Theatre Center in New York City’s West Village. During his time in Brooklyn, he also served as Technical Director of the Theatre Department at Brooklyn College.

 

     During his tenure in Brooklyn, New York, Venustiano was a founding member and served as Producing Artistic Director of a nonprofit theatre company in Upstate New York, where he held residency for twenty-four years. In addition to his leadership role, he was the company’s resident scenic and costume designer, creating imaginative designs for both main-season and off-season productions. He also directed several of the company’s musical productions, demonstrating his wide-ranging expertise and artistic leadership across multiple aspects of theatre.

 

     While in upstate New York, Dr. V served as an adjunct faculty member in the Theatre Department at Siena College, where he not only taught a wide range of theatre courses but also brought productions to life through his innovative scenic and costume designs. His extensive regional theatre experience spans Candlewood Playhouse in Connecticut, Shawnee Playhouse in Pennsylvania, and the Price Theater in Georgia, showcasing his versatility and creative vision in both design and production. 

 

     Dr. V received his Bachelor of Arts in Theatre from Indiana University, his Master of Arts in Theatre from the University of Michigan, and his Ph.D. in Education, specializing in leadership, policy, and change, from Walden University.